Associate Professor David Ng was among the plenary speakers at the second Learning Planet Festival held on 24 and 25 January 2021, in conjunction with the International Day of Education. The title of the plenary session was “The Pioneers: Celebrating Learning Communities”, where Associate Professor Ng spoke about “Developing Future-ready Learners who will co-create living, lifework and learning in Singapore – Celebrating future outcomes that are measurable.”

The goal of the Festival is to invite exemplary learning communities and youth movements across the world, as well as educators and committed individuals, to share and celebrate their most significant learnings and achievements. It also brings together leading organisations and networks with a cause for innovation and learning to build a sustainable future. The Festival was initiated and co-organised with the Learning Planet, Centre for Research and Interdisciplinarity in Paris, and UNESCO.

Organisations that were part of the Festival included:

• Ashoka Fellows are leading social entrepreneurs that champion transformative ideas and development roadmaps that allow people to thrive in today’s changing environments.
• Climate-KIC is a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) working to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon, climate-resilient society, with support from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
• Community Arts Network (CAN) creates positive social change through the arts, in addition to building inclusion and promoting understanding between people.
• Global Education Leaders’ Partnership (GELP) focuses on the future of education in different countries. Its goal is to transform education systems and enable learners to survive and thrive in the 21st century.