Leadership in Thought That Leads to Action

A global organization addressing humanity’s urgent challenges and emerging opportunities

560
Fellows

90
Countries

12
Programs

About The World Academy

WHO WE ARE

WAAS is an association of committed individuals drawn from diverse cultures, nationalities, occupations and intellectual pursuits conscious of the profound social consequences and policy implications of knowledge, and united by a common aspiration to address the urgent challenges and emerging opportunities confronting humanity. Today the Academy includes more than 560 elected Fellows from more than 90 nations collaborating with a global network of partner organizations founded on faith in the collective power of human aspiration and values.

HOW WE THINK

The Academy strives to evolve solutions to the world’s pressing challenges by transcending the limits of national self-interest, disciplinary perspectives and conventional thinking while integrating knowledge with universal values and social responsibility. The inclusion of Art in the title of the Academy is intended to foster a marriage of the objective and subjective dimensions of knowledge essential for cracking the ‘genetic code’ of consciousness and social evolution. Great Art and Science are supreme expressions of humanity & creative imagination.

Peace & Human Security

A comprehensive, integrated, value-based approach to individual, community, national and global security encompassing political, economic, social, ethical, technological and ecological dimensions.

Global Transition

Catalytic strategies to address the global leadership vacuum while developing the perspectives, theoretical frameworks, policy and institutional basis for effectively addressing the global challenges confronting humanity today.

Future Education

A new paradigm in education is needed to accelerate global systems change. We have identified such a system — personalized, self-paced, person-centred, relevant, integrated, affordable, high quality and delivered globally.

Economy & Employment

New paradigm concepts and theory to promote a truly human-centered, inclusive, equitable, and sustainable economic system for all humanity.

Reliable Knowledge

The Academy’s conception of human-centered, transdisciplinary and integrated knowledge combines scientific precision and the creative imagination of the arts with universal human values.

Health & Human Welfare

Threats like pandemics and conflict-driven mental health crises demand an inclusive, cooperative paradigm. Prioritizing human security requires a new approach to health and welfare for all.

Future Finance

Evolutionary and revolutionary strategies to redirect both private and public finance to promote human rights, human security, wellbeing sustainable development.

Societal Transformation

Transition to an equitable and sustainable paradigm requires knowledge of how to shift from unconscious social evolution to consciousn social transformation.

Mobilizing Civil Society & Youth

An inclusive and equitable multilateral system necessitates an active role and voice for global civil society and youth.

Science, Society & Sustainability

Transdisciplinary science integrated with policy making, implementation, human rights and social responsibility.

Mind, Thinking & Creativity

Integrated knowledge perspectives are essential for addressing the problems generated by mechanistic, reductionist, fragmented, siloed thinking.

Integrating Art & Science

Combining objective and subjective dimensions of knowledge is essential for cracking the ‘genetic code’ of consciousness. Great Art and Science are expressions of humanity’s creative imagination.

Featured Projects

Global Turbulence
Exploring events related to the rising levels of global turbulence, highlighting the underlying factors and generating solutions.

Peace Offensive
A proactive, dialogue-driven peace-building approach within civil society, spearheaded by the academic community.

Trauma Informed Care
Developing a trauma-informed, online chabot designed to provide reliable, scientifically grounded answers.

Upcoming Events

International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development

Belgrade, Serbia / September 22–24, 2025 | The second conference within the EHC-WAAS Program and a flagship event within IDSSD. The aims of this Conference are to listen to prominent individuals acting in different science and art disciplines from different parts of the world, and induce fruitful interactions.

III Latin-American WAAS Meeting : Democracy, Artificial Intelligence and Global Economy

Online | August 11-13, 2025 | Panels will discuss themes around the democratic crisis in the Americas, Regulation of Artificial Intelligence and the crisis of multilateralism and prospects for regional integration. The event will highlight the problems related to democracy, artificial intelligence and the global economy in the present and the coming years.

WAAS@65 Conference: Addressing Global Social Turbulences: Sources & Solutions

Online / July 21-24, 2025 | The primary objective of WAAS@65 is to develop concrete measures to address the root causes of the unprecedented global challenges and turbulence threatening peace, stability, human security, and sustainable development.

Peace Offensive Working Group Meeting, Croatia

May 18, 2025 | An informal meeting of the Peace Offensive Working Group was held in Opatija, Croatia. The meeting focused on developing actionable steps based on the initiative’s three core principles: Localized initiatives leading to de-escalation, partnership development and trust-building and dialogue facilitation.

UNWASTED Forum 2025 – A Reference for Sustainable Solutions

May 16-18, 2025 | This three-day international event highlighted the role of fashion in creating a sustainable future — by advocating for the recovery, reuse and regeneration of materials across all sectors. It united professionals across all sectors to connect, exchange good practices, and promote sustainable solutions through regenerative practices.

AI for Human Security Through Education, Finance and Security

15 May, 2025 | This webinar explored the transformative impact of artificial intelligence across security, finance, and education. Three experts provided their insights and experience on how AI is addressing three critical areas relevant to the World Academy’s agenda on Human Security for All.

Global Turbulence

May 1, 2025 | The meeting addressed the increasing social turbulence in international affairs caused by events like COVID-19, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, AI advancements, global warming, and economic disruptions. It analyzed the symptoms and causes of this turbulence and discuss strategies to mitigate its effects.

Global Peace Offensive: Nanotechnologies for Human Security

April 29, 2025 | The WAAS Talks on Global Peace Offensive aim to introduce out-of-the-box thinking on significant contemporary opportunities and threats that could lead to action towards exciting alternative futures encompassing sustainability and high quality of life building on the human security for all agenda.

Root Causes and Solutions to the Great Social Turbulence

March 16, 2025 | Side event at the XII Global Baku Forum. The objective of the meeting was to evolve measures to address the sources of the global challenges and turbulence now confronting humanity, which threaten peace, stability, human security and sustainable development.

WAAS Talks on Science for Human Security: New Carbon Economy

February 20, 2025 | The WAAS Talks on Science for Humans Security: New Carbon Economy is the sixth webinar within this program. In August 2023, the UN General Assembly proclaimed the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD) — from 2024 to 2031.

Announcement of Collaboration for the Global Peace Offensive: The Club of Rome and World Academy of Art and Science Join Forces

A South African Blueprint For Peace: Bold Steps, Hard Choices and Creativity

From the Archives

Featured Videos

A Conversation with Charles Oppenheimer

How AI Can Close the $3 Trillion Education Gap

Global Turbulence: Sources and Solutions