Distinguished guests, colleagues, and everyone who has taken the time to join us here in person or online: welcome.

It is the highlight of our year to bring together such an extraordinary group of people, engaged in a group effort to create a better world through education. There is much to talk about. Like you, I am eager to discuss many powerful and urgent ideas about how we can get there together. 

Right now, the only thing predictable about our world is how unpredictable it is. As the world takes a deep breath and gets back on its feet after Covid — as well as going through more unprecedented changes — we have seen two prominent education challenges emerging. The first is students’ declining mental health in the face of the pandemic and disruption of the world to education systems, schools, and family life. Second is the deepening educational inequity between regions, resulting from a lack of access to funding and infrastructure in developing economies. This makes education increasingly out of reach for many. 

There are still so many education gaps we are struggling to close, and conflict widens them. Technology is a game-changer in this era of change. While we wonder where technology will take us, it brings possibilities—not least the ways it can be used to reach marginalized learners of all ages, wherever they are. And this offers challenges as well as unprecedented opportunities — if education systems grasp the pressing need to be more adaptive and innovative.

That’s why our Summit’s theme this year is: “Future-proofing education: the essential role of resilience”.

So what is resilience?

Some interpret it as the ability to bounce back from adversity; others see it as the ability to endure hardship. Over the coming discussion, you’ll come to your own conclusion on this. The common thread might be how we can respond, adapt and learn to thrive through change. But I’ll be listening keenly to hear your thoughts.

Why do we need resilience?

In my view, it’s because resilience is what makes us human. We all have experienced setbacks and said to ourselves: “Tomorrow will be better”. We keep our faith in the future, pursue happiness, and long for peace. Resilience goes beyond optimism and imagination — it’s at the heart of survival, of evolution.

And in today's world, where civilization and technology make progress in tandem, where conflicts and cooperation co-exist, resilience is rooted in hope. Hope drives us to chase after a better life, realize our potential, and never give up.

Those are not goals we can achieve alone. We can’t grow as individuals without the power of connection to our communities. Each of our personal triumphs is linked to the support of the people and systems around us. So resilience is more than personal growth. Collaboration and mutual support are essential.

At which point I must ask: how can an education prize play a role in fostering resilience?

At the Yidan Prize, we set out to be a place where you can always find the light in the dark. When people offer new ways forward, when they share examples of how to progress, even in uncertainty, this boosts our resilience. We believe that this collaborative approach, amplifying the brightest and most effective ideas, is what moves us closer to our mission.

And we know others share that view.

The power of collaboration has always driven the work of our global learning community. I am very pleased to say that many have discovered moments of inspiration this year — finding new ways to adapt, embrace change and rebuild connections.

Yesterday, at the 2024 Yidan Prize Awards Ceremony, we awarded the Yidan Prize for Education Research to Professor Wolfgang Lutz. Wolfgang’s work has fundamentally shaped how we connect the dots between education and human progress. And it is helping us build resilience towards one of the most complex challenges of our time: climate change.

And to Professor Mark Jordans, Marwa Zahr, and Luke Stannard, the team behind War Child Alliance’s ‘Can’t Wait to Learn’ intervention, we awarded the Yidan Prize for Education Development. ‘Can’t Wait to Learn’ gives children in conflict or resource-constrained contexts an engaging and effective way to build foundational skills in reading and mathematics. That ability to keep learning and flourishing in the most difficult circumstances helps strengthen children’s social and emotional well-being too. And the team’s work is an exemplary case study of how to create a resilient alliance between families, educators, communities, and partner organizations. 

Because resilience is something that we need at multiple levels. And all our laureates contribute to strengthening those skills in different ways.

Many of our laureates are transforming students’ resilience from the inside out. Some focus on fostering self-belief and agency, such as Professor Carol Dweck’s work in growth mindset and CAMFED’s Learner Guide program. 

Of course, students are not the only ones in classrooms. When we look at Professor Linda Darling-Hammond and Professor Yongxin Zhu, their work represents an extraordinary ecosystem around educators — one that safeguards their well-being and fosters resilience through education. 

And all these efforts need to exist within a resilient system. Something Professor Eric Hanushek’s work addresses, by building capacity for evidence-based decision-making. And Professor Larry Hedges helps us maintain, by giving us the tools to better evaluate what works, even at times of crisis.

Resilience is essential to the future of education. Resilient people make resilient economies and thriving societies. Today, I look forward to hearing your ideas, debate, and collaboration, bringing us one step closer to our mission: create a better world through education. 

Thank you.