Can compassion really be trained? Is it worth the effort? Is it ever too late? Drawing on insights from Emory University's program in compassion training (CBCT®), this talk will explore the meaning of compassion from practical, scientific, and pedagogical perspectives. We will examine some "inner" roadblocks to thriving in the field of education and explore how compassion - when understood and practiced wisely - can protect against burnout and sustain a commitment to student flourishing. Drawing from the latest research, we'll consider how compassion may be the key 'inner skill' for educators who seek a just, ethical, and kind society for all.

"You are what you read." In this talk attendees will be introduced to the concepts of infobesity, information wellness, and proof-of-human-knowledge, and new tools and frameworks for tangibly changing how we understand and control our relationship to information, individually and in society. Through the contexts of nutrition, reputation, social media psychology, and A.I., Mario presents a different future for education in school, at work, and beyond. Attendees interested in diving deeper will be able to attend Mario's accompanying workshop, exploring the technology and trends beneath the surface.

In this session, we will explore Nature-based education as a holistic approach to healing and learning, guiding us towards a profound connection and "right relationship" with ourselves, others, and the natural world. This is especially important as we face the challenges of our planet's current critical state, emphasizing the urgency of fostering harmony and balance through our educational practices.

The science of complexity, and more specifically of the complexity of human systems, gives us tools to help make sense of the world and take action in it - a key objective of all educational systems also. When we face multiple, interconnected crises and continuous emergencies, complexity emphasizes the need to move away from recipes and towards paying attention to the capacities that emerge through interaction in complex systems, like education. In this keynote, Dave Snowden will present a coherent perspective on complexity that distills 40 years of study and practical experience, including wide-ranging work with youth and education, to discuss how we observe what acts in a system, how to monitor for new possibilities emerging, and how to support novel potential to create organic solutions in a system.

This panel discussion is designed to offer a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities that define contemporary parenting. Richard Joannides will moderate a in-depth discussion with Urania Cremene, Andreea Abe Neagu and Lila Vasilescu, three powerful voices with extensive experience in this process. By bringing together expert voices from across the spectrum, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the landscape, equipping parents with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the complexities of raising children in an era marked by rapid technological and societal change. Our goal is for every participant to leave feeling more informed, supported, and empowered to parent with grace and wisdom in these transformative times.

With the challenges of political upheaval, the influence of social media and the need to make healthy choices, our children must be prepared for the future. What would happen if your children completed school with only a limited grasp of empathy, limited ability to manage their impulses, lacking the ability to listen carefully to others, and an impaired capability of making healthy, ethical decisions? Are your teachers able to build essential social-emotional competencies in your students? Are you sure? This presentation will address the necessity and action plans that will prepare teachers and other educators to meet these important tasks.

This presentation will zoom in on educational futures research and link it directly to 'learning how to learn' neuroscience, answering the question: what are the mindset and skills that students need to be able to learn independently and most effectively and why? As head of Educational Partnerships at iCanStudy, Leo will share some incredible insights into what is possible to help children and adults thrive.

What are the inner tools we need to navigate our changing world? Foremost of the inner tools that we need is compassion. Compassion is the desire to alleviate the suffering of another with tenderness and care. In order to cultivate compassion we need to simultaneously develop the competencies of awareness, resilience, recognition of common humanity, and the ability to be a systems thinker. Through education of the heart and the mind we can build a more compassionate individual and therefore society.

What does existential well being look like and how can we dare to strike a full take on reality early in life, full enough to include death and grief and all the good stuff? With an expansive view and a shoring up of our resiliency, we can pursue a life of meaning, as well as a tolerance for meaninglessness.