Celebration of World Futures Day 2023

In November 2021, the UNESCO General Conference unanimously adopted 2 December as "World Futures Day" (WFD). The first WFD was celebrated on 2 December 2022 at the UNESCO Headquarters. 

A year on, WFD 2023 will draw on the consensus that futures and foresight are essential to addressing the major challenges facing our world today. Together we will delve into the transformative power of futures thinking, fostering interdisciplinary dialogues, and collectively experiencing diverse futures to innovate the present. The discussion will focus on strengthening our social fabric amidst emerging technologies and exploring how futures literacy and foresight can be leveraged for societal transformation and impactful multilateralism.

Taking place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, World Futures Day 2023 will aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice, offering opportunities for knowledge exchange, peer-learning and experiential interactions. In times of polycrisis, conflicts and wars it is crucial to unite and to use-the-future to imagine and build peaceful, inclusive and resilient societies.  

For over a decade, UNESCO has been championing with its Futures Literacy and Foresight programme a capabilities-based approach to futures to enhance our ability to prepare, recover and invent in the face of change. In our collective pursuit of sustainability and resilience, we must actively integrate futures literacy and foresight to ensure inclusive and effective policy making. WFD 2023 brings together thought leaders, policymakers and practitioners from around the world to exchange and share insights on: 

• Interwoven Futures: Strengthening our Social Fabric amidst Emerging Technologies 

• Impactful Multilateralism through Futures Literacy & Foresight

• Shifting Futures Perspectives: Experiencing Diverse Futures Approaches in Practice 

Opening Remarks  

• Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General, Social & Human Sciences Sector, UNESCO  
• Representative from Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University

Keynote

• Caroline Bassett, Professor of Digital Humanities and Director of Cambridge Digital Humanities, Cambridge University 

Interwoven Futures: Strengthening our Social Fabric amidst Emerging Technologies 

This panel is dedicated to exploring the intricate relationship between rapid technological advancements and societal cohesion. Experts will critically examine the narratives of the 4th Technological Revolution and exchange on effective ways to anticipate and address exacerbated inequalities in societies. The panel will underscore the critical role of foresight and futures literacy in developing comprehensive and inclusive responses and strategies to address these challenges.  

Moderator: Mariagrazia Squicciarini, Chief of Executive Office, Director of Division for Social Policies a.i., Social & Human Sciences, UNESCO 

• Laurent Bontoux, Senior Foresight for Policy Expert, European Commission  
• Rene Rohrbeck, Professor of Strategy, UNESCO Chair on Foresight, Innovation and Transformation, Director, EDHEC Business School  
• Irene Blazquez, Director, Center for Governance for Change, IE University  
• Tosh Juma, Managing Director, Executive Design Director, IDEO
• Ilkka Tuomi, Chief Scientist, Meaning Processing Ltd. 

Impactful Multilateralism through Futures & Foresight 

In advance of the upcoming Summit of the Future, this panel will highlight the role of multilateral organisations in advancing futures and foresight toward social cohesion, and how futures work can be applied in different contexts.  

Moderator: Christin Pfeiffer, Senior Consultant, Sector for Social & Human Sciences, UNESCO 

• Jolita Butkeviciene, Director for Innovation in Science and Policymaking, Joint Research Centre, European Commission 
• Stephan Mergenthaler, Head of Strategic Intelligence, Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum 
• Kais Hammami, Director, Center for Strategic Foresight, ICESCO 
• Tharanga Godallage, Result-Based Management Adviser, UNFPA

Shifting Futures Perspectives: Experiencing Diverse Futures Approaches in Practice 

This session will offer participants a way to experience future-oriented approaches, to rethink biases and stereotypes through participatory hands-on interactions moderated by experts.   

Moderator: Cornelius Holtorf, UNESCO Chair in Heritage Futures, Linnaeus University

• Laura Watts, Ethnographer of Futures’, Visiting Professor at the Department for Thematic Studies – Technology and Social Change, Linköping University
• Pedro De Senna, Senior Lecturer, Middlesex University

Closing Remarks

• Diego Rubio, Director of the National Office of Foresight and Strategy, Presidency of the Government of Spain
• Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General, Social & Human Sciences Sector, UNESCO  

The event will be followed by a reception