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Global Turbulence

The World Academy of Art and Science’s WAAS@65 Conference, Force for Good partnered.

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. The conference will critically examine these challenges, identify their fundamental origins, formulate actionable strategies for their resolution, and explore the potential catalytic role of WAAS and its partner organizations in this endeavour.

Agenda Register

Opening Plenary Session   Video Link

Date: MONDAY, JULY 21, 2025

Time: 9:00–9:50 EST; 13:00–13:50 UTC; 15:00–15:50 CEST

Moderator:

  • Janani RAMANATHAN, Secretary General, World Academy of Art and Science

Speakers:

  • Garry JACOBS, President & CEO, World Academy of Art and Science

  • Bertie AHERN, Co-Chair, Inter-Action Council; Prime Minister of Ireland (1997-2008); FWAAS

  • Vaira VĪĶE-FREIBERGA, Co-chair, Nizami Ganjavi International Center; President of Latvia (1999-2007); FWAAS

  • Peter SCHLOSSER, Vice President and Vice Provost, Arizona State University; FWAAS

  • Ismail SERAGELDIN, Co-Chair, Nizami Ganjavi International Center; FWAAS

  • Ketan PATEL, Executive Director and Trustee, WAAS; Chair, Force for Good; CEO and Co-Founder, Greater Pacific Capital

Root Causes and Deep Drivers of Global Social Turbulence Video Link

Date: MONDAY, JULY 21, 2025

Time: 11.00–11:50 EST; 15:00–15:50 UTC; 17:00–17:50 CEST

Addressing the surface symptoms, specific manifestations, and daily newsworthy dramas which are manifestations of global turbulence in different fields of activity and regions of the world will not restore the conditions of peace, stability and security necessary for humanity’s future progress. This session delves into the root causes and deep drives of the turbulence related to national and global political, military, economic, technological, social, cultural and ecological forces.

Moderator:

  • Ketan PATEL, Executive Director and Trustee, WAAS; Chair, Force for Good; CEO and Co-Founder, Greater Pacific Capital

Panelists:

  • Jo NURSE, Chair, Y-EXIST Working Group, WAAS; Strategic Advisor, InterAction Council; FWAAS

  • Steven HARTMAN, Founding Executive Director, BRIDGES Sustainability Science Coalition in UNESCO’s Management of Social Transformations Programme; FWAAS

  • Massamba THIOYE, Project Executive UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub at UN Climate Change Secretariat

  • Garry JACOBS, President & CEO, World Academy of Art and Science

Rapporteur:

  • Imran KHAN, Fellow, Institute of Public Accountants, Australia; JFWAAS

Global Solutions to Raise the World’s Platform, The UN SDGs Video Link 

Date: MONDAY, JULY 21, 2025

Time: 12.00–12:50 EST; 16:00-16:50 UTC; 18:00–18:50 CEST

Rising levels of insecurity have been identified as root causes of the global turbulence. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted in Agenda 2030 are intended to directly address the major sources of the threats to human security. Therefore, failure to implement the SDGs can be viewed as one of the principal sources of the rising levels of instability humanity is experiencing today and an essential component of any effective strategy to contain and reverse the global turbulence. This session will explore the most effective ways to revive positive momentum for completion of the SDGs in time.

Moderator:

  • Phoebe KOUNDOURI, Prof., Athens Univ. of Econ. & Bus., and Univ. of Cambridge; President, WCEREA; Chair, SDSN Global Climate Hub; Director, AE4RIA; Trustee, WAAS

Panelists:

  • Christian HANSMEYER, Head of Research Force for Good

  • Chantal Line CARPENTIER, Head, Trade, Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainable Development Branch of UNCTAD; Member, WAAS Advisory Council

  • Amanda ELLIS, Former New Zealand Deputy Secretary for International Development; Senior Director, ASU Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory; Trustee, WAAS

  • Thomas REUTER, Asia Institute, University of Melbourne, Australia; Trustee, WAAS

  • Conrad LANDIS, Post-Doc Researcher, Research Laboratory on Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability (RESEES)

Rapporteur:

  • Evangelia SAVVIDOU, Academic Associate, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; JFWAAS

Planetary Consensus for Addressing the Challenges of Climate Change Video Link 

Date: TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2025

Time: 9:00–9:50 EST; 13:00–13:50 UTC; 15:00–15:50 CEST

Climate change has been identified as the most serious of the threats confronting humanity today, perhaps the greatest of all threats to human security. Yet in spite of several decades of scientific research and multilateral discussions, commitment to addressing climate change seems to be losing momentum. This session will explore ways to raise public awareness and support multilateral initiatives to revive the positive momentum on measures to address climate change.

Moderator:

  • Phoebe KOUNDOURI, Prof., Athens Univ. of Econ. & Bus., and Univ. of Cambridge; President, WCEREA; Chair, SDSN Global Climate Hub; Director, AE4RIA; Trustee, WAAS

Panelists:

  • Yannis IOANNIDIS, President of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Professor at the Department of Informatics and Telecommunications of the University of Athens

  • Massamba THIOYE, Project Executive UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub at UN Climate Change Secretariat

  • Ketan PATEL, Executive Director & Trustee, WAAS; Chair, Force for Good; CEO and Co-Founder, Greater Pacific Capital

  • Anders WIJKMAN, Former co-president, Club of Rome, Board Member, Swedish Development Authority

  • Abdullah Belhaif Al NUAIMI, Minister at Ministry of Infrastructure Development, UAE; FWAAS (tbc)

Rapporteur:

  • Evangelia SAVVIDOU, Academic Associate, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki; JFWAAS

Mobilizing Science & Technology as a Force For Good Video Link 

Date: TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2025

Time: 10.00–10:50 EST; 14:00–14:50 UTC; 16:00–16:50 CEST

Science and technology are powerful drivers for social progress. At the same time the speed with which they are advancing and the power that they generate are growing sources of the uncertainty, insecurity and instability global society is now undergoing. This session will focus on ways to harness the progressive power of science and technology to enhance peace and security while managing and enhancing the capacities of society to adapt and adjust to the revolutionary changes they bring with them.

Moderator:

  • Ketan PATEL, Executive Director & Trustee, WAAS; Chair, Force for Good; CEO and Co-Founder, Greater Pacific Capital

Panelists:

  • Glenn GAFFNEY, Chief Strategy Officer, NobleReach Foundation

  • Nebojša NEŠKOVIĆ, Vice President (Science & Technology), WAAS; Full Member, The Club of Rome; President, Serbian Chapter of The Club of Rome

  • Marianna BOZESAN, Founder & Managing Partner of AQAL Group; Full Member, Club of Rome; FWAAS

  • Galileo VIOLINI, International consultant, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dominican Republic; Former Professor, University of Rome; FWAAS

Rapporteur:

  • Pooja ASOKAN, Research Associate, The Mother’s Service Society; Business Development Executive, SpellBee International; JFWAAS

Global Financial Reform Video Link

Date: WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2025

Time: 10.00–10:50 EST; 14:00–14:50 UTC; 16:00–16:50 CEST

The root causes of global turbulence are associated with rising levels of economic inequality and financial instability, the mispricing of natural resources, a weakening of democratic institutions due to the rising plutocratic power of money and corporations, the growing autonomy of international financial markets and cryptocurrencies from national and global regulation, and neo-liberal policies supporting market fundamentalism, financial deregulation, and the financialization of the global economy. This session will focus on the feasibility and required direction for global financial reform to address the underlying instability in global society related to finance and economy.

Moderator:

  • Mahmoud MOHIELDIN, Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; former Minister of Investment of Egypt from 2004-2010

Panelists:

  • Stefan BRUNNHUBER, Medical Director, Diakonie Kliniken Zschadraß; WAAS Trustee

  • Dragan DJURCIN, Professor, School of Economics, University of Belgrade; FWAAS

  • Frank DIXON, Founder, Systems Change Investing, FWAAS

  • Ketan PATEL, Executive Director and Trustee, WAAS; Chair, Force for Good; CEO and Co-Founder, Greater Pacific Capital

Panel 12B: Reversing the Retreat from Democracy and Multilateralism Video Link

Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Time: 10:00–10:50 EST | 14:00–14:50 UTC | 16:00–16:50 CEST

The end of the Cold War marked a dramatic shift from autocratic societies to young democracies. But the trend of the following three decades appears to be in reverse, even in some traditionally democratic nations. Most recently, there has been an increasing concentration of political power among the wealthy and major corporations, accompanied by a retreat from multilateralism to national self-assertion. This session will explore ways to reverse the movement from democracy to autocracy and plutocracy, and from global governance to national self-assertion.

Moderator:

  • Ismail Serageldin, Co-Chair, Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC), FWAAS

Panelists:

  • Jon Miller, CEO, Integrated Media Co.; Trustee, WAAS

  • Denis Naughten, Strategic Advisor on Innovation and Governance

  • Ivana Lazarovski, Senior Advisor for Serbia & Western Balkans, Aretera Public Affairs; AFWAAS

  • Piero Dominici, Professor, Scientific Director of CHAOS; UNESCO IPL Expert; IETI; Executive President of BoD, WCSA; VP, JRC Group Expert–EC; FWAAS

  • David Chikvaidze, Vice President, Swiss Forum for Intl. Affairs; Former Chef de Cabinet of the DG, UNOG; FWAAS

Rapporteur:

  • Pooja Asokan, Research Associate, The Mother’s Service Society; Business Development Executive, SpellBee International; JFWAAS

Panel 13B: The Evolution and Democratization of Social Power Video Link

Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Time: 11:00–11:50 EST | 15:00–15:50 UTC | 17:00–17:50 CEST

Social power is shifting from the will of the public to the influence of vested interests and money power, from political parties and the authority of science to social media, from national governments to multinational corporations and concentrations of wealth, and by a reassertion of nationalism undermining the authority of multilateral institutions. What should be the proper distribution of social power and how can it be brought about?

Moderator:

  • Stefan Brunnhuber, Medical Director, Diakonie Kliniken Zschadraß; Trustee, WAAS

Panelists:

  • Paul Révay, Former European Director, Trilateral Commission (1981–2017); Member of the Board of Trustees, Friends of Europe

  • Katalin Bogyay, President, UNA-Hungary; 36th President of UNESCO General Conference; 15th Permanent Representative of Hungary to the UN; FWAAS

  • Denis Naughten, Strategic Advisor on Innovation and Governance

  • Jon Miller, CEO, Integrated Media Co.; Trustee, WAAS

Rapporteur:

  • Yunnus Ibrahim Hussain, Topchubashov Fellow, ADA University, JFWAAS

Parallel Session A – Panel 14A: Restoring Trust in an Age of Uncertainty, Insecurity and Fear Video Link

Date: Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Time: 12:00–12:50 EST | 16:00–16:50 UTC | 18:00–18:50 CEST

Rising levels of uncertainty and insecurity are fundamental sources of the rising levels of global turbulence. Restoring trust and confidence in all sectors of society is an essential condition for enhancing social stability and progress. It is both fundamental and elusive. From time to time, singular leaders will emerge who inspire trust in their country or more broadly, but how do we regain (where warranted) trust in institutions that can continue to uphold democratic societies and promote global social cohesion?

Moderator:

  • Jon Miller, CEO, Integrated Media Co.; Trustee, WAAS

Panelists:

  • Denis Naughten, Strategic Advisor on Innovation and Governance

  • Glenda Eoyang, Founding Executive Director, Human Systems Dynamics Institute

  • Alberto Zucconi, President, Person-Centered Approach Institute (IACP); Chair, Board of Trustees, WAAS; Secretary General, WUC

  • Isabella Bunn, Research Fellow, Regent’s Park College, University of Oxford; FWAAS

  • Ryan Jackson, Board Member, Educate Girls Now; Chief Academics Officer of a medical school; Member, CoR

Does History have a Direction? Video Link 

Date: THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2025

Time: 8:00–8:50 EST; 12:00-12:50 UTC; 14:00–14:50 CEST

This session explores whether history is guided by forces which follow a discernible direction or unfolds chaotically, whether the haphazard zigzag patterns of progress and retreat are products of chance or the interplay of underlying social forces. In the context of today’s global turbulence—rising conflict, climate crisis, and institutional erosion—the session will examine historical patterns, cycles, deep drivers, and turning points related to human aspirations, relationships between people, development of institutions, technology, globalization, cultural relationships and human values. The session will debate progress narratives, civilizational learning, and the potential for shaping a more humane global future.

Moderator:

  • Elena MUSTAKOVA, Founder and President, IntegraLight Institute for Consciousness, Society, and Wellbeing

Keynote:

  • Erkki TUOMIOJA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland (2000-2007, 2011-2015); Founder, Historians without Borders

Panelists:

  • Ketan PATEL, Executive Director and Trustee, WAAS; Chair, Force for Good; CEO and Co-Founder, Greater Pacific Capital

  • Pavel LUKSHA, Founder & Director of Global Education Futures initiative; AFWAAS

  • Chris HANSMEYER, Head of Research Force for Good

Rapporteur:

  • Leonid SHOKH, Research Associate, The Mother’s Service Society; JFWAAS

Closing Plenary Session: What did we learn? What can WAAS do? Video Link  

Date: THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2025

Time: 10.00–10:50 EST; 14:00–14:50 UTC; 16:00–16:50 CEST

Moderator:

  • Janani RAMANATHAN, Secretary General, WAAS

Speakers:

  • Ketan PATEL, Executive Director and Trustee, WAAS; Chair, Force for Good; CEO and Co-Founder, Greater Pacific Capital

  • Phoebe KOUNDOURI, Prof., Athens Univ. of Econ. & Bus., and Univ. of Cambridge; President, WCEREA; Chair, SDSN Global Climate Hub; Director, AE4RIA; Trustee, WAAS

  • Mila POPOVICH, Founder, EVOLving Leadership, Director General Directorate for Interculturalism, Government of Montenegro; Trustee, WAAS

  • Garry JACOBS, President & CEO, World Academy of Art & Science