• Social-emotional education, one of the eight pillars of future education
• Richard Joannides, founder of the Verita International School and co-founder of the Verita Foundation: "Education forms a vibrant and intricate tapestry, each thread signifying distinct skills, talents and knowledge. Our conference aims to reveal such patterns, highlighting the new roles of learning, compassion and wisdom."

World leaders in education and research - university professors, consultants, renowned authors, doctors, psychologists, representatives of several non-governmental organizations are speakers on 5-6 June 2024 in Bucharest, at the conference "Learning Tapestry. The Future of Education. A conference on educating the heart and mind", the largest conference in Romania dedicated to socio-emotional and lifelong learning.

Tickets can be purchased on the event page.

The event is organized by the Verita Foundation, the Verita International School and the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-based Ethics at Emory University (Atlanta, USA) and will debate topics such as redesigning curriculum and pedagogy, social-emotional learning and compassion in education, automation in learning, adapting to new labour market demands, environmental sustainability.

The conference is aimed at business leaders looking for solutions in the face of an uncertain and complex future; parents who are overwhelmed and looking for support and advice for themselves or their children; teachers and educators who will explore how they can change the way we educate, helping to build characters, in order to help new generations thrive; and those of us who, regardless of profession, position or role, want to overcome the challenges of everyday life, the anxieties, depressions and difficulties we all face.

Among the speakers present in the conference and workshops are:

• BJ Miller - expert in holistic wellness and building a meaningful life;
• Dave Snowden - international expert in organizational, government and business strategy;
• Dr. Maurice J. Elias - international expert in social-emotional and behavioral development, Rutgers University (USA);
• Christa Tinari - educational leader, international trainer in social-emotional education, The Garisson Institute (USA);
• Ryder Delaloye - Associate Director for SEE Learning® (social-emotional and ethical learning), Emory University (USA)
• Timothy Harrison - Associate Director for CBCT® (Cognitive Approach Compassion Training), Emory University (USA).

“The world is changing. We are surrounded by disruptive forces. How do we transform the education system to prepare future generations for an increasingly complex world? We need to build new pedagogical norms that focus less on redundant content and more on developing problem-solving, adaptive skills. And this is not just for the education system, but also for leaders training other leaders and for parents training their children. As we witness ongoing changes that have the potential to significantly alter all facets of our existence, it becomes increasingly crucial to cultivate the skills that make us uniquely human and apply them to empower current and future change-makers", points out Richard Joannides, founder of Verita International School and organiser of the Learning Tapestry. The Future of Education conference

The conference will take place in a unique format: on the first day, June 5th, on Teacher's Day, the speakers will take the stage at Face Convention Center, and on June 6th participants will have the opportunity to participate in small group workshops at BiSM, Impact Hub University and Commons Unirii, where they will debate in depth with Romanian and international experts on topics such as: training the mind to cultivate compassion, introduction to socio-emotional education and emotional intelligence, empathy, the importance of reconnecting with nature, emotionally intelligent parenting, developing new learning skills, strategies for professional and personal life in the age of information abundance. 

For a very small group of business leaders, Dave Snowden will give an exceptional masterclass at the Marmorosch Hotel.

Social-emotional education, one of the eight pillars of future education

"Learning Tapestry offers an approach that brings heart, mind and practical skills together. The event is designed to introduce participants to both the scientific and practical, experiential foundations of sustainable education. Deepening the first day's presentations into practical activities in the second day's workshops creates the premise for cultivating a 360-degree perspective on today's educational landscape, on the role of tomorrow's leaders, on the role of experts in medicine, science or other deeply cognitive fields", says Marius Luca, facilitator in socio-emotional and ethical education and trainer in compassion training in cognitive approach, Verita Foundation.

Social-emotional education is one of the eight key competences for sustainable learning, as defined by the European Union. Globally, it aims to ensure quality, inclusive and equitable education and lifelong learning opportunities for all people.

Andreea Alexandrescu, Verita Foundation: Imagine the learning process as a pyramid, where social-emotional learning forms the foundation, while academics and behaviour are the top.

"CASEL (Collaborative Center for Academic and Social-Emotional Learning) most clearly defines social-emotional education as the foundation for learning and development. This type of learning promotes educational equity and excellence through authentic school-family-community partnerships to establish learning environments and experiences that include trusting and collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction, and ongoing assessment. When children have a strong social-emotional foundation, academic learning and good behavior will naturally emerge”, explains Andreea Alexandrescu, facilitator in social-emotional and ethical education and instructor in compassion training in cognitive approach, Verita Foundation.

About Verita Foundation

The Verita Foundation has developed over the years a partnership with Emory University's Center for Contemplative Science and Compassionate Ethics. Their Compassion Shift Initiative programs - CBCT® (Cognitively Based Compassion Training) and SEE Learning® (Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning) - provide tools for developing greater awareness, managing emotions, building resilience, harnessing compassion and improving well-being.

In Romania, Verita Foundation has 21 accredited facilitators on SEE Learning L1 level, 6 L2 level and 2 CBCT trainers. A series of 50 SEE Learning facilitators is being trained, which will be followed by another series of L2 level and the training of 3 CBCT trainers. The beneficiaries are teachers, psychologists, psycho-pedagogues or people working in NGOs dedicated to education.

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*This is a Press release.