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Conference on Futures Literacy to be held in Bengaluru

The conference, organized by Quest Alliance on October 9 and 10, marks a significant milestone as the first-ever conversation on Futures Literacy in India.

Published on: Oct 7, 2023, 16:19:30 IST
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Eminent educationists and futurists will participate in a 'Futures Literacy' conference in Bengaluru to discuss the future of skilling and education in view of dramatic disruptions caused by climate crisis and artificial intelligence.

It promises to be an enlightening and impactful discussion, bringing together experts and stakeholders to address pressing challenges and chart a course for a more resilient and skilled future workforce in India. (Representational image)
It promises to be an enlightening and impactful discussion, bringing together experts and stakeholders to address pressing challenges and chart a course for a more resilient and skilled future workforce in India. (Representational image)

The conference, organized by leading non-profit organization Quest Alliance on October 9 and 10, marks a significant milestone as the first-ever conversation on Futures Literacy in India. The conference will encompass discussions on impact of AI on future learning and employment dynamics, ramifications of climate change on education and the mental health of young students, and prospects of green employment opportunities in the years to come.

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It promises to be an enlightening and impactful discussion, bringing together experts and stakeholders to address pressing challenges and chart a course for a more resilient and skilled future workforce in India.

The experts attending the conference will deliberate on how educational institutions, governments and civil society can help enable students with 'Futures Literacy', a phrase coined by UNESCO meaning 'ability to see the role of the future in the present'. These experts will shed light on empowering youth to actively shape their destinies rather than passively accepting what the future holds for them.

Among the educationists and futurists attending the conference are Professor Shermon Cruz, Chair of the Association of Professional Futurists (APF), and also the UNESCO Chair Candidate on Anticipatory Governance and Regenerative Cities at Northwestern University in the Philippines; Dr Sakshi Khurana, Senior Specialist at NITI Ayog (Labour, Employment and Skill Development); Shakil Ahmed, Country Lead, Bangladesh, Ed Tech Hub and Futurist at Ridiculous Futures; and Maneesh Mishra, Executive Vice President, Strategy, National Skills Development Corporation. Many technology experts will also deliberate on the role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future.

"Rapid advances in climate change and artificial intelligence have created a sense of anxiety among our youth. There is an urgent need to contemplate the Future so that the pervading anxiety is changed to hope. This calls for reimagining and co-creating collective desired futures through future thinking and building futures literacy as a capability. This conference is a step towards that," said Quest Alliance CEO Aakash Sethi.

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The conference will also host a unique exhibition and participants can access a walkthrough into the future of education in the year 2045. A key segment of the exhibition will be an AR/VR assisted journey into evolution of schools from the past to the future. The exhibition will also provide a peak preview of how lives of youth would look like in the year 2045.

A research report on how young students perceive the future will also be released in the conference. The report, which covered 600 students from Odisha, Assam and Gujarat, brings out young people's voices on how they are imagining their futures. At the summit, experts will speak about the need to broaden the scope of 21st-century skills that will encompass the incorporation of future skills.

Quest Alliance is a not-for-profit trust that equips young people with 21st century skills by enabling self-learning. We design scalable solutions that enable educators to address critical gaps for quality education and skills training. We facilitate learning networks and collaboration to bring about systemic change fueled by research and innovation.

Website: www.questalliance.net.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)

  • Yamini C S
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Yamini C S

    Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More