Cherry Chang: Every great education begins with seeing

True education begins by recognizing and drawing out the unique potential within every individual.

The Chinese concept of education combines two essential dimensions: Teaching (providing direction) and Nurturing (supporting growth). Both are necessary for genuine education.

Better thinking leads to better decisions, stronger relationships, and healthier communities.
Great educators are not those who know the most, but those who see the most.

My presentation explored a simple yet profound question: What is education? Rather than beginning with educational systems or teaching methods, I invited the audience to reconsider the meaning of the word itself.

The English word Education comes from the Latin word Educere, which means "to lead out." This reminds us that education is not merely about transferring knowledge into someone's mind. Instead, it is about discovering, developing, and bringing forth the unique potential that already exists within every individual.

I also explored the Chinese understanding of education through the two characters 教 (to teach) and 育 (to nurture). Teaching provides direction and guidance, while nurturing creates the environment in which people can naturally grow. Meaningful education requires both.

From this perspective, education begins with the way we think. Better thinking leads to better decisions; better decisions build stronger relationships; and stronger relationships create healthier communities. In this way, education extends far beyond the classroom and becomes a force that shapes society.

During the presentation, I invited participants to reflect on someone who first recognized something special in them and inspired them to learn. This simple exercise reminded us that the people who influence us most are often those who truly see our potential before they attempt to teach us.

Ultimately, I believe that education is not about changing people into someone else. It is about helping each person discover the best within themselves.

The greatest educators are not those who know the most—they are those who see the most.

Every person carries possibilities waiting to be discovered. May we learn to see one another with greater understanding, guide with wisdom, nurture with care, and become artists of education.
Every great education begins with seeing.

Arvils Pekuless: Reimagining Education for the 21st Century by VisLatvijas Vidusskola, Latvia

GLOBAL EDUCATION FORUM 2026

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND — Speaking on the world’s leading diplomatic stage during Global Business Week Davos 2026, Arvils Pekuless, Founder of VisLatvijas Secondary school, issued a bold call to action for global leaders to fundamentally restructure the global approach to education and future leadership.

In his keynote address, "Future-Proofing Society: Cultivating the Leaders of 2026 and Beyond," Pekuless addressed the critical friction between outdated institutional systems and the rapid technological and economic shifts of the modern world.

Bridging the Educational Paradox

Pekuless highlighted a fundamental flaw in traditional schooling, describing an industry trapped in systemic inertia:

"We are attempting to prepare 21st-century youth using 20th-century mindsets in an environment structured around 18th-century Industrial Revolution demands," stated Arvils Pekuless during his address at the Davos Congress Centre. "This is the ultimate paradox: while the world outside moves at supersonic speed, our traditional educational systems continue at a horse-and-carriage pace."

To overcome this, Pekuless outlined a proven, alternative framework implemented in Latvia at VisLatvijas Secondary school. The school’s hybrid model merges high-quality digital learning, live interactive sessions, and physical community days, serving Grades 1–12 without geographical restrictions. By replacing rigid compliance with student agency, the model empowers learners with total ownership over their time and self-development.

A Call for Public-Private Synergy

Beyond classroom methodology, Pekuless challenged policymakers to rethink the relationship between public infrastructure and private educational innovation. Rather than viewing non-governmental schools as competitors, Pekuless advocated for strategic Public-Private Synergy.

"The public sector provides essential scale and stability, but its structural limits make it inherently slow to adapt," Pekuless explained. "Private educational teams function as the R&D hubs of education. By recognizing private innovators as government 'Innovation Labs,' nation-states can pilot, refine, and scale dynamic breakthroughs to fill the global innovation gap."

Proving the Model at Scale

The validity of this approach is backed by real-world growth. VisLatvijas Secondary school has developed a thriving ecosystem of over 1,000 families who have transitioned away from conventional schooling constraints. The model prioritizes future skills—including emotional intelligence, digital tools, and time management—proving that modern, network-driven education fosters resilience, belonging, and real-world competency.

Pekuless concluded his address with a message centered on systemic trust: "We cannot future-proof society if we keep playing it safe by historical rules. In Latvia, we say 'Uzticēšanās ir drosme'—Trust is courage. When school leaders dare to lead and nations dare to trust them, we create the exact environment where the next global leaders are born."

About VisLatvijas Secondary school: VisLatvijas Secondary school is a pioneering hybrid educational institution based in Latvia. Designed for Grades 1–12, it removes geographical barriers to elite education by integrating agile learning technologies, live digital instruction, and strong community networking to foster agency, responsibility, and leadership in the next generation.

Dr Ludmyla Stanislavenko: Innovations in Mental Health Education and Human Recovery for Ukraine

How Education, Community, and Cultural Identity Are Shaping a New Global Model of Resilience

Speaker: Ludmyla Stanislavenko
President of the International Club of Successful Women – World Woman Club, Co-founder of the International Mental Health Association, Founder of the World Day of the Ukrainian Kerchief
Doctor of Philosophy

Humanity Beyond Statistics

When the world speaks about Ukraine today, conversations often focus on war, geopolitics, economic indicators, and military developments. Yet behind every statistic stands a human life, a family, a child, a caregiver, or a veteran whose future has been forever transformed.

The greatest challenge facing Ukraine is not only rebuilding cities and infrastructure. It is rebuilding people.

The story of Ukraine is ultimately the story of human resilience—the determination to preserve dignity, hope, and the ability to dream even in the darkest moments.

This was the central message presented at the Global Education Forum within Global Business Week Davos 2026: the future of recovery begins not with concrete and steel, but with the restoration of the human spirit.

Stefaniia Didenko: The "Glocal" Security Nexus

Stefaniia Didenko

Speaker of World Woman Forum 2026 in Davos, Ambassador of the Association of Towns of Ukraine, Consular Assistant of Romania, Accreditation Expert for Educational Programs at the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance (Ukraine).

When Security Begins at the Local Level

For decades, international security has been discussed primarily through the language of military alliances, defense budgets, strategic deterrence, and geopolitical competition. National governments, armed forces, and international organizations have traditionally occupied the center of security planning, while municipalities were viewed mainly as providers of local public services or civil protection.

The experience of Ukraine has fundamentally challenged this assumption.

Russia's full-scale invasion demonstrated that the first line of national defense is often not a military headquarters but a local community. When missiles strike cities, infrastructure is destroyed, and millions of civilians are forced to flee, it is mayors, municipal councils, local emergency teams, volunteers, and community leaders who become the first responders. They organize evacuations, maintain water and energy systems, provide shelter for displaced families, restore essential services, and ensure that daily life continues under extraordinary circumstances.

Ukraine has shown the world that resilience is built from the ground up.

The Rise of the "Glocal" Security Model

This transformation can best be understood through the concept of glocalization, introduced by sociologist Roland Robertson in the early 1990s. The idea suggests that global challenges increasingly manifest themselves through local realities.

A missile attack on a small Ukrainian municipality and a NATO strategic planning document may appear to belong to different worlds. In reality, they describe the same security challenge viewed from different scales.

National security today depends upon local capacity.

Hybrid warfare, cyberattacks, energy disruption, mass migration, pandemics, climate disasters, and military aggression all unfold first within communities. The effectiveness of national defense therefore depends not only upon military capability but equally upon the resilience of municipalities.

The war in Ukraine has become perhaps the strongest contemporary demonstration of this principle.

Global Country Day & Parade of Nations 2026 in Davos: Celebrating Culture as the Foundation of Global Cooperation

Global Business Week 2026 | Davos, Switzerland

In a world where economic partnerships are increasingly shaped by trust, mutual understanding, and shared values, diplomacy extends far beyond government negotiations and boardroom meetings. It begins with people. It begins with culture.

This philosophy came to life during Global Country Day & Parade of Nations 2026, one of the most anticipated highlights of Global Business Week 2026, held in Davos, Switzerland. Bringing together official delegates, entrepreneurs, educators, investors, innovators, and community leaders from more than 40 countries, the event celebrated not only the diversity of nations but also the universal values that unite humanity.

Unlike traditional business networking events, Global Country Day demonstrated that meaningful international cooperation begins long before contracts are signed. It begins when people learn about one another's traditions, appreciate different perspectives, and discover the stories that shape every nation.

The evening transformed the venue into a vibrant international village. National delegations welcomed guests at beautifully designed country stands, each presenting a unique window into its culture through traditional decorations, handcrafted souvenirs, regional delicacies, books, and national symbols. Visitors travelled from one country to another in a single evening, experiencing the richness of global heritage while engaging in personal conversations with delegates who proudly represented their nations.

Mehmet Boy: Why Human Capital Will Define the Next Century

For decades, economists have debated what makes nations prosperous. Some point to natural resources. Others emphasize industrial capacity, financial markets, technological leadership, or geopolitical influence.

I believe the answer lies elsewhere.

The greatest strategic asset of the twenty-first century is not oil, rare minerals, artificial intelligence, or financial capital. It is educated human potential.

Every technological revolution throughout history has ultimately depended on people capable of imagining, creating, and responsibly applying new ideas. Machines increase productivity, but only education expands human capability. Technology can automate processes, yet it cannot replace judgment, integrity, creativity, or moral responsibility.

This is why education is no longer simply a social service. It has become the critical infrastructure upon which innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable economic development depend.