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| Dear Fellows,
The upcoming WAAS@65 conference is intended to focus the World Academy’s attention on the most pressing challenges confronting humanity today by harnessing the ever-expanding powers of science, technology, knowledge, and universal values to tap the rapidly unfolding opportunities for peace, human security and sustainable development in these turbulent times. This moment in history calls for bold imagination, integrated thinking, and unwavering collaboration — qualities that WAAS has championed since its founding in 1960.
By exploring the most difficult unanswered questions about global turbulence, promoting innovative strategies to encourage dialogue in times of growing conflict, and advancing human security through cutting-edge science and education, our recent initiatives reflect the Academy’s evolving role as a catalyst for practical solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. We hope this newsletter serves as a call to our members, partners and friends to keep pushing boundaries — together.
The future calls on us all to lead. Together, we should rise to meet it.
Sincerely, Garry Jacobs President, WAAS |
| Celebrating 65 Years of WAAS |
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Let your voice be heard! We would like to hear your suggestions for the upcoming WAAS@65 event in July. We aim to engage the best minds and ideas of our Fellows, partner organizations and associated individuals to address the full spectrum of issues relating to the root causes and potential solutions for global turbulence. Please click on the link below to indicate your interest in attending, moderating or speaking.
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| Complete the survey here |
| Event Reportback |
| | Global Turbulence : Sources and Solutions |  |
As reported in our April newsletter, WAAS launched the Global Turbulence initiative with a roundtable meeting hosted by Nizami Ganjavi International Center on March 16 as part of the 2025 Global Baku Forum. This was followed on May 1, 2025 with an online webinar hosted by WAAS, the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Lab at Arizona State University, UNESCO-MOST Bridges Coalition and the World University Consortium. This event explored the macro-level global social context in which the future of higher education should be considered in addressing current global challenges. Speakers explored the turbulence confronting humanity with respect to peace, stability, human security and sustainable development. The meeting provided a forum for reflection and discussion of these global challenges, their root causes, possible remedies and solutions, and reflected on the relevance, capacities and appropriate role of higher education in addressing them. READ MORE
| | AI for Human Security Through Education, Finance and Security |
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On May 15, WAAS Talks co-organized with our strategic partner Force for Good explored the transformative impact of artificial intelligence across security, finance, and education. Three experts, moderated by WAAS Trustee Ketan Patel, 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. READ MORE
| | UNWASTED FORUM 2025 |
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The inaugural Unwasted Forum, held in Opatija, Croatia from 16-18 May, 2025 highlighted the role of fashion in creating a sustainable future — by advocating for the recovery, reuse and regeneration. Co-founded by Dina Dragija, WAAS Junior Fellow, Donato Kiniger-Passigli, Vice President (Social Sciences and Humanities) of WAAS, and Kristina Burja, fashion designer, the event saw three intense days of roundtables, hands-on workshops, demonstrations, and even fashion shows, focused not on problems, but on concrete solutions from around the world. The forum was held under the patronage of WAAS and The United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security with The Club of Rome as a main partner.
READ MORE | | Peace Offensive Working Group |  |
On May 18, 2025 an informal meeting of the academy’s Peace Offensive initiative was conducted during the UNWASTED Forum in Croatia. The meeting was coordinated and chaired by Donato Kiniger-Passigli, Vice President (Social Sciences and Humanities) of WAAS, and included fellow members of the World Academy, the European Academy of Sciences and Arts and the Club of Rome. READ MORE |
| Nanotechnologies for Human Security |
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The ongoing WAAS Talks series aims to introduce out-of-the-box thinking on significant contemporary opportunities and threats that could lead to action and exciting alternative futures that encompass sustainability, a high quality of life and building on the Human Security for All agenda. The talk on April 29, 2025 was devoted to the amazing possibilities of nanotechnologies for human security. The event was organised in cooperation with the Slovenian Association for the Club of Rome. The session was moderated by Aleksander Zidanšek, WAAS Fellow and Trustee, with panelists Sabu Thomas of the Mahatma Gandhi University and Eduard Alarcón, head of Quantum Computing Lab. READ MORE
| | WAAS DIGEST |
| Books by Members |
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| Art by Members |
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| Member Activities |
| MAY 2025 / GLOBAL
A Digital Tool For Trauma
The Trauma Informed Care Best Practices Project (TIC Project), with the active involvement of Alberto Zucconi, WAAS Trustee (Chair of the Board), has embarked on the development of a digital support tool designed to interact with users online in ways that recognize, understand, and respect the impact of trauma on their lives. Called the TICBot, it will assist stakeholders with free training and learning materials. With the help of Prof. Luca Rolle of the University of Torino as Project Manager, this initiative will launch an international network of Ph.D. and Master level students to help with the TICBot, enabling free services to people and organizations across the globe. Donations for this project are needed and welcomed. DONATE HERE
MAY 2025 / TURKEY
Elif ÇEPNİ at TEDx Karabuk University
Today’s world is also going through a kind of modern Renaissance. Technology, science, art and human thought are in a new transformation process. At this TEDx event in Karabuk, Turkey, Elif ÇEPNİ delivered a speech, “How to Cope with the Uncertainty of the Future?”
MAY, 2025 / IRELAND
Jo Nurse and Moneef Zou’bi at InterAction Council
Members of the InterAction Council met to discuss the State of the World at their 39th Annual Plenary Meeting in Dublin, Ireland in May. WAAS Fellow Jo Nurse, and WAAS Trustee Moneef Zou’bi presented their thoughts on threats to global security, turbulence of the world economy, and trade.
MAY 2025 / USA Walt Stinson Awarded Exceptional Leader Award for Technology
WAAS Trustee Walt Stinson has been awarded the GlobalMindED 2025 Exceptional Leader Award in the technology category. The awards celebrate the most inclusive leaders in key industries for their innovations and bold actions to promote access and equity for women, people of color, and underrepresented populations.
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| Upcoming Events |
| 21-24 JULY, 2025 / ONLINE
WAAS@65
This milestone event, celebrating 65 years of WAAS, builds upon the findings of two recent WAAS events held in collaboration with ASU Global Futures Laboratory, Force for Good, Nizami Ganjavi International Centre, World University Consortium and UNESCO-MOST Bridges Coalition in March and May of this year. 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. READ MORE
22-24 SEPTEMBER, 2025 / BELGRADE, SERBIA
World Conference on Science and Art for Sustainability
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 present the findings to policy-makers, and other science and art stakeholders nationally and globally.
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From The Archives | |
Co-Founder of WAAS and former President, Hugo Boyko, and his wife Elizabeth Boyko, both renowned ecologists, embarked on a groundbreaking mission in the 1950s that fused hard science with a humanitarian vision for water-scare regions of the world. Their goal was to use seawater to irrigate crops and turn deserts into productive, agricultural land — a vision that became a reality. READ MORE
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We are keen to hear more about your current work and how we can enhance your engagement with the work of the World Academy in a manner that is supportive and complementary to your work. Are there conferences you have attended or are planning? Have you recently published a book, delivered a keynote, or launched an initiative that aligns with the mission of WAAS?
We would be delighted to highlight such contributions in our WAAS newsletter, ensuring they reach fellow members who share your interests.
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