The second edition of the Learning Tapestry Conference takes place in Bucharest, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, on May 14th, and will bring together global experts in psychology, business strategy, education, and leadership. They will debate how we can build an education system capable of preparing young people to adapt, reinvent, and thrive in a changing society and an uncertain future, where AI is redefining jobs faster than educational institutions can react, and where the skills learned in school become obsolete in years, not decades.
“Recent developments in Romania and around the world – from shifting political landscapes, to growing uncertainty – are reminders that we’re living through a time of rapid transformation. These aren’t isolated events; they are reflections of deeper, global shifts. In a world where old certainties are fading, our children will need more than knowledge — they will need adaptability, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking to succeed. That’s why Verita International School is hosting The Learning Tapestry Conference: to find a path beyond the old models of education that no longer serve the realities of the 21st century”, explains Richard Joannides, founder of Verita International School and co-founder of the Verita Foundation.
The Learning Tapestry Conference is organized by the Verita Foundation and the Verita International School.
Over 300 business leaders, policymakers, teachers, and parents are expected to attend the event at Radisson Blue Hotel.
Tickets are on sale on the event website, and all proceeds will go towards supporting teachers in Romania.
The mission of Learning Tapestry is to move beyond outdated models of education focused on memorization and statistic knowledge and instead foster cognitive agility, emotional resilience, and the capacity for lifelong learning, in a world that no longer rewards what you know, but rather how quickly you learn, adaptability, entrepreneurial curiosity and mental flexibility.
”We are raising children to enter a world that none of us can fully predict. In such a landscape, our job is not to give them all the answers, but to teach them how to ask better questions and how to keep learning long after they leave school. The future does not demand stability, but flexibility; not certainty, but adaptability. Education must cultivate the mental muscles to face ambiguity with courage, curiosity, and purpose”, ads Richard Joannides.
The speakers and the topics they will address are:
– David Fitzgerald, CEO of Dukes Education Europe, will talk about intercultural competencies as the superpower of the 21st century;
– Chris Greulich, high performance mentor, will give a keynote on ‘Perfect imperfect: raised with GPS, lost without direction;
– Diana Stafie, strategic foresight specialist, on the role of forward thinking in education;
– Leo Thompson, founder of Edsplorer, will discuss human intelligence vs artificial intelligence and learning skills;
– Cosmin Alexandru, leadership consultant, on team resilience and navigating fragile contexts;
– Thea Ionescu, professor of psychology, will talk about cognitive flexibility and the brain’s ability to adapt.
The Learning Tapestry conference will explore topics such as:
– human intelligence vs artificial intelligence;
– increasing cognitive agility and preparing the brain for uncertainty
– why knowing how to think is more important than knowing things;
– fast decision-making under ambiguous conditions
– the ability to make quick decisions under ambiguity;
– navigating the negative cognitive impact of over-reliance on artificial intelligence;
– the importance of prioritizing human thinking, memory and cognitive potential;
– emotional intelligence and authentic communication as essential workforce skills;
– learning from failure as a structured part of education.
The event is aimed at educators and school leaders, business professionals, parents and anyone who wants to develop the skills needed in a world where resilience, ethics and lifelong learning techniques are more valuable than traditional credentials.
Teacher workshops – May 15th, a day for educators
On the second day of the Learning Tapestry, Thursday 15th of May, participants will explore metacognition, memory activation techniques, strategies for developing critical thinking and methods for accelerating human intelligence – tools that can be directly applied in classrooms and personal development – in several workshops led by Leo Thompson and organized by Verita School.
”AI may process data, but only humans can build meaning, navigate contradiction, and care. In a world that changes faster than we can prepare for, it’s not the most informed who succeed – but the most adaptable”, explains Leo Thompson.
Leo Thompson says that every child should leave school equipped with three essential skills: excellent learning-to-learn skills, social-emotional skills and communication skills – cultivated in a culture of love, kindness and health.
Partners of the event are Vista Bank and Amber Forest.
Learning Tapestry 2024, sold-out event with 700 attendees
The first Learning Tapestry in 2024 brought together world leaders in education and research, academics, consultants, renowned authors, clinicians and psychologists at the biggest education event of the year. Learning Tapestry. The Future of Education. A conference on educating the heart and mind was attended by more than 700 participants – leaders, business people and education professionals, over two days of conferences and workshops.
The annual Learning Tapestry Series is the largest conference on education and social-emotional intelligence, leadership and resilience, designed to rethink what it means to be part of a 21st century education system. Its role is to bring together thought leaders, neuroscientists, educators, researchers and business innovators to discuss the fundamental shift we need to make: from acquiring information to building cognitive agility and emotional intelligence.
About Verita Foundation
The Verita Foundation has developed over the years a partnership with Emory University’s Center for Contemplative Science and Compassionate Ethics. Their Compassion Shift Initiative programs – CBCT® (Cognitively Based Compassion Training) and SEE Learning® (Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning) – provide tools for developing greater awareness, managing emotions, building resilience, harnessing compassion, and improving well-being.
In Romania, Verita Foundation has 21 accredited facilitators on SEE Learning L1 level, 6 L2 level and 2 CBCT trainers. A series of 50 SEE Learning facilitators is being trained, which will be followed by another series of L2 level and the training of 3 CBCT trainers. The beneficiaries are teachers, psychologists, psycho-pedagogues or people working in NGOs dedicated to education.
*This is a Press release.
