Emergent Wisdom for a World on Fire: Highlights from the May ’25 Conference and Unconference at Harvard

2 septembre 2025

Back in May, the esteemed halls of Harvard’s Graduate School of Education became a vibrant crossroads for educators, innovators, and change-makers from nearly all of Harvard school, and a large community of practitioners from around North America. As we look back from September, the impact of our annual conference and unconference is still rippling outward, fueling the work of individuals and organizations committed to positive transformation in education and beyond. Visionaries and educators came together to spark transformation and co-create pathways for resilient, just futures.

This year’s gathering was distinguished by its powerful keynote lineup: Jon Kabat-Zinn, the pioneering founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR); Zak Stein, visionary author and educational philosopher; and Rebecca Henderson, renowned Harvard Business School professor and champion for reimagining capitalism for the common good. Each keynote offered a unique lens on personal, systemic, and global change:

  • Jon Kabat-Zinn invited us into the wisdom of mindfulness, emphasizing the importance of presence and compassion in navigating today’s uncertainties and challenges. His reflections set a tone of grounded openness and authentic connection, pushing for more analogue experiences.
  • Zak Stein challenged us to rethink education’s deeper purpose in an era of accelerating complexity and potentially lethal generative AI, calling for moral courage, cultural renewal, and developmental growth as we steward the futures of learners and communities.
  • Rebecca Henderson illuminated the vital role of feelings, grief in particular, when facing the metacrisis.

Beyond outstanding keynotes, our unconference format empowered all participants to shape the event, surfacing grassroots wisdom, curiosity, and leadership. Attendees self-organized sessions on topics ranging from trauma-informed teaching to AI in the classroom, contemplative practice, and co-creative approaches to social justice. The energy was palpable as people moved from lively discussions to collaborative workshops, ensuring every voice could help steer the collective journey.

The true magic emerged in the spaces between: impromptu dialogues, creative brainstorming, and the weaving of new alliances—connections that have since blossomed into ongoing partnerships and projects. Attendees repeatedly remarked on the culture of trust and possibility, which made it easy to both challenge assumptions and dream boldly together.

Reflecting now, we are deeply grateful to Jon Kabat-Zinn, Zak Stein, Rebecca Henderson, and every participant whose presence and courage made the conference unforgettable. Their insights and heart-centered leadership continue to inspire our community as we navigate the complex opportunities and responsibilities of our time.

We left Harvard in May with fresh ideas, powerful connections, and a renewed sense of mission. As September unfolds, those seeds planted at the conference are blossoming—through shared projects, new working groups, and deepened commitments to rebuilding education and society with greater purpose, equity, and care. We eagerly anticipate seeing what continues to grow from this unforgettable gathering, grateful to be in such good company on the path of transformation.

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