ReIMAGINING the Purpose of Education

Launched in 2020 by the Learning Planet Institute in partnership with UNESCO, the Learning Planet Festival has been organised each January to celebrate the International Day of Education, bringing together hundreds of thousands of participants from 193 countries. In 2026, the festival returns for its 7th edition, as part of a growing global movement to reimagine education in the 21st century.

Led by the Climate Youth Resilience Project and Doughnut Economics Action Lab, this interactive workshop ReIMAGINING the Purpose of Education, sits within the festival's 'Education for Human Flourishing' topic. It will co-explore what it means to design education not for young people but with them – centring their lived experiences, agency, and vision for a flourishing future:

The 21st century confronts us with interconnected social, economic, and ecological crises. At the core of these challenges is a disconnect between the worldviews needed to address these problems and the dominant paradigms shaping our systems, including education. What might it look like to have an education that equips young people to flourish in the modern world?

During this workshop, we will reflect on how current models align—or fail to align—with the needs of a rapidly changing planet. The session combines discussion, networking, and practices that invite pause, reflection, and the emergence of insight. We will hear directly from young people and changemakers who are reshaping learning to foster resilience, well-being, and collective thriving.

You will leave with practical tools, capacities, and a renewed sense of possibility for transforming education—and for recognizing the inner shifts needed to meet this moment.

Learn more about the organisations:
https://climateyouthresilience.org/

https://doughnuteconomics.org/

Register at https://www.learning-planet.org/event/reimagining-the-purpose-of-education/