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Yidan Prize Foundation Holds Annual Global Summit

The Yidan Prize Foundation hosted its flagship summit in Hong Kong, bringing together over 500 educators, youth leaders, and NGO representatives from more than 50 countries across six continents. This year's summit, marked by a moment of silence for victims of the Tai Po fire, symbolized solidarity within the international education community. Furthermore, it highlighted the ongoing dialogues focused on education involving local and international representatives from the public, private, and philanthropic sectors.

A Commitment to Collaboration

Dr. Charles CHEN Yidan, the founder of the Yidan Prize, emphasized the foundation's mission to cultivate a community that listens to one another and learns collaboratively. He stated, "What we can achieve together far surpasses anything we can accomplish individually. We are creating a space for more direction towards a better future as a global educational community."

Under the theme, "Education at the Crossroads - Together Creating Space for a Better Future," the summit served as a crucial platform for discussions and knowledge sharing over two days. Day one focused on pressing issues such as maintaining humanity in the age of artificial intelligence, identifying opportunities and challenges in educational technologies, and understanding how synergy and collaboration can drive substantial changes in education. Keynote speakers included prominent figures like Professor Ju-Ho Lee, former Minister of Education of South Korea, and Dr. Fengchun Miao, Head of AI in Education at UNESCO.

On the second day, attendees were inspired by transformation stories from Yidan Prize laureates, including Dr. Rukmini Banerji, Professor Usha Goswami, and Angeline Murimirwa, who discussed pivotal moments that shaped their journeys in global education reform. Additionally, the summit featured reflections from Olympian-turned-educator Yvette Kong and youth leader Anna Yao.

A Series of Knowledge-Sharing Events

To enhance the summit's impact, the Yidan Prize Foundation organized various knowledge-sharing events in collaboration with partners, such as Our Hong Kong Foundation, Lirvana Labs, and UNHCR. A notable event, the Insight Forum, titled "From Global Opportunities to Local Action - Charting Hong Kong’s Path as an International Education Hub," gathered international experts from the Yidan Prize community to discuss Hong Kong's potential and strategies for fostering intercultural collaboration and educational innovation.

The summit culminated on December 6, 2025, with the official awarding of medals to this year's Yidan Prize laureates. Professor Uri Wilensky, the 2025 Yidan Prize laureate for education research, shared his vision for democratizing computational thinking, advocating that it should be a basic literacy for all students worldwide. Meanwhile, the Yidan Prize for education development went to Mamadou Amadou Ly, who showcased his work in West Africa, emphasizing multilingual education's potential to unlock opportunities and foster cultural preservation for a more equitable future.

In conclusion, the Yidan Prize Foundation proves itself as a vital player in the global educational landscape, championing innovation and collaboration to effect meaningful change in education worldwide. The collective efforts from diverse stakeholders affirm the foundation’s commitment to create a better world through education. For more information, visit yidanprize.org.