Learning Tapestry

The Times They Are A-Changin’… again.

Teach Different. Learn Different. Think Different.

14 May 2025, Bucharest

For centuries, education has been a process of equipping young minds with the tools needed to navigate a stable and predictable world. That world no longer exists. Success in the 21st century will not belong to those who merely "know" things, but to those who can adapt, unlearn, and reinvent themselves over and over again.

Mission: NAVIGATING THE FUTURE, NOT JUST PREPARING FOR IT

This event is designed for those who recognize that education is no longer a means to an end, but an ongoing, lifelong process. It brings together thought leaders, neuroscientists, educators, researchers, and business innovators to discuss the fundamental shift we must make: from teaching information to cultivating cognitive agility, emotional intelligence, and ethical decision-making.

We will explore how we move beyond outdated industrial-age models of learning and instead develop educational systems that embrace uncertainty, complexity, and rapid change. This is not just about the next generation—it is about all of us.

We continue our partnership with Emory University’s Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics, ensuring that alongside technological adaptation, we nurture the emotional and ethical foundations needed to thrive in an unpredictable world.

IMPACT

The 21st century does not promise stability. AI is reshaping industries faster than governments can regulate them. Careers are disappearing before people can train for them. The once-clear life trajectory—education, work, retirement—has fragmented into a chaotic loop of re-skilling and reinvention.

The question is no longer: What do you want to be when you grow up?
The real question is: How will you continue to transform yourself in a world that refuses to stand still?

This conference is a platform for educators, policymakers, business leaders, and lifelong learners to redefine the very purpose of education. It is about ensuring that we are not just teaching children how to pass exams, but teaching all humans how to thrive in perpetual uncertainty.

Meet
THE SPEAKERS

Featured Speakers
Highlights

FEATURED THEMES

The Death of "Knowledge" & The Rise of Cognitive Agility

Why "knowing things" is becoming less relevant than knowing how to think; Training the brain for uncertainty, rapid learning, and decision-making under ambiguity; The role of inquiry-based learning in preparing for a future we cannot predict;

Beyond Academics: The Skills That Actually Matter

Why traditional education fails to prepare individuals for the real world; The rise of interdisciplinary thinking: how breaking down silos leads to true innovation; Emotional intelligence, resilience, and communication—the new currency of the job market;

AI, Automation & The Future of Work

How will AI disrupt education, work, and life as we know it?; Can humans compete with AI, or must we learn to coexist?; Ethical dilemmas in a world where machines make decisions;

Failure as the Ultimate Teacher

Why failure needs to be a structured part of education; Simulated failure and resilience training—preparing individuals to navigate real-world challenges; How embracing discomfort builds adaptability and long-term success;

The Role of Mindfulness, Ethics & Emotional Intelligence

In a world of chaos, how do we maintain mental clarity and ethical decision-making?; The neuroscience of resilience and compassion in leadership; Why well-being is not a luxury but a necessity in lifelong learning;

Rethinking Sustainability: Education for a Thriving Planet

Why understanding climate change and biodiversity loss is essential for our collective future; The power of environmental literacy and nature-based education in driving meaningful action; How systems thinking helps identify leverage points for real, lasting change;

Partners

Event

Schedule

Schedule

09:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Registration & Coffee
10:00 AM - 10:20 AM
Intro by Leo Thompson
By Leo Thompson Leo is Head of Educational Partnerships for iCanStudy and a School Support and Evaluation Officer for the CIS. He is a popular writer and speaker on transforming education.
10:25 AM - 10:55 AM
Richard Joannides
By Richard Joannides Richard is the founder of Verita International Schools. Verita's vision is to inspire kind and joyful learning communities that use innovative thinking to build a mindful and sustainable world.
11:00 AM - 11:25 AM
David Fitzerald
By David Fitzgerald David Fitzgerald, CEO, Dukes Education Europe
11:30 AM - 11:55 AM
Chris Greulich
By Chris Greulich High-Performance, Mental & Leadership Coach, Empowering Gens Z & Alpha, Creator of YourGame, Helping Individuals, Teams & Organizations Thrive in Change, Consultant for Excellence in Learning Organizations
12:00 PM - 12:55 PM
Lunch Time
13:00 PM - 13:20 AM
Cosmin Alexandru | Educating Anti-fragility
By Cosmin Alexandru Cosmin Alexandru, Co-founder Teamology Institute

According to renowned author Nassim Taleb, systems can be fragile, robust or antifragile when encountering stress factors. A person is a system and so is a classroom or a school. Or a family. There are four pillars that can help any system to foster antifragility: Building trust, Learning from action, Dealing with uncertainty and Risk mitigation. In oder to succeed, all of them require a systematic approach continuously tuned to the ever-changing spectrum of stressors that challenge each individual, group or community
Where
Radisson Blu Hotel, Atlas Conference Room, Bucharest
13:25 PM - 13:55 PM
Thea Ionescu | Weaving the old and the new: How to educate flexible minds
By Thea Ionescu Thea Ionescu is associate professor in the Psychology Department at Babes-Bolyai University, Faculty of Psychology and Sciences of Education

This talk will cover ideas on flexibility and its development as passing through variability and stability embedded in various contexts, and on grounded teaching as a way forward for the future education in which we interlace the old and the new.
Where
Radisson Blu Hotel, Atlas Conference Room, Bucharest
14:00 PM - 14:45 PM
Panel 1 | Future Challenges for Young Professionals: Essential Skills for the Job Market
14:50 PM - 15:40 PM
Panel 2 | The Future is Now: Technology & Change
15:45 PM - 16:30 PM
Panel 3 | Social-Emotional Learning: Resilience & Reinventing Yourself
16:35 PM - 17:00 PM
Closing Remarks

In our conference's final session, BJ Miller and Richard Joannides will share their insights on what it means to truly live well - to find purpose, embrace wisdom, and thrive against the odds. They'll talk about how, despite life's complex challenges, there's always a wise and compassionate way forward. That's why getting the educational piece right matters. It's the starting point and the seed that lets human creativity, kindness, and potential flourish.
This closing session is set to be a heartfelt discussion on the incredible potential within each of us, tapping into and celebrating the amazing variety and depth of human ingenuity.

* Simultaneous translation into Romanian is provided for the whole programme.

EDUCATION ALLIES

event venue

14th of may

Radisson Blu Hotel,

Calea Victoriei 63-81, Bucharest

Embrace the opportunity to expand your knowledge and nurture your personal growth. Join us for an enlightening conference focused on educating the heart and mind.

Tickets

14 May 2025, Bucharest

Full Day Event Conference Pass (Lunch Included)

€89

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2024
Edition

Wanna Become an event sponsor?

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This is a charity event, sponsors support us in making the event accessible to teachers in the Romanian public system, parents and engaged communities.

All proceeds will be used to provide social, emotional and ethical learning facilitator training and cognitive-based compassion training to empower educators, foster nurturing environments and improve the well-being of students.

Learning Tapestry