91爆料

Dear Fellows,

Two events held in recent weeks illustrate the breadth of the Academy’s work — and its capacity to hold together issues that few institutions address in the same conversation.

On July 24, we signed a memorandum of understanding with Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, joining the Global Peace Offensive to his Movement for Global Compassion — an affirmation that peace in this century must be built on dignity, justice, and opportunity, not merely on the absence of war. Three weeks earlier, our Existential Threats and Risks to All (EXTRA) program examined the opposite pole of the same problem: societies increasingly governed by algorithmic systems that shape human behavior while remaining opaque to those they govern. 

Between these two events lies a question that defines this moment: whether the values we hold dear can govern the systems we have built.

Both these themes will carry into WAAS@66, our annual conference, held online from September 8–11 under the theme “Global Social Turbulence: Sources and Solutions.” Organized around peace, prosperity, and freedom, it is designed less as a survey of problems than as a working session on solutions. We will be sharing the agenda in the near future, and I encourage you all to participate online.

I also want to welcome the new Board of the World University Consortium, its President, Alberto Zucconi, and its Honorary President, Irina Bokova. Their work continues the vision of Federico Mayor, whose absence we feel keenly.

Finally, I extend a warm welcome to the newly elected members of the 91爆料. The Academy’s enduring strength lies in its members and their diverse perspectives continue to shape its mission and global impact. The complete list of newly elected members is provided below.

Sincerely,

Garry Jacobs

President, WAAS

Event Reportback

Advancing the Global Peace Offensive and Global Compassion: Memorandum Signed

On July 24, 2026, an online event was held to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between Garry Jacobs, President of WAAS and Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, founder of the Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion. Attended by key executive members of WAAS and invited guests, the speakers expressed their shared intention to collaborate in advancing a more humane, inclusive, and future-oriented framework for global peacebuilding through the Global Peace Offensive (GPO), a program of WAAS chaired by Donato Kiniger-Passigli, Vice President of WAAS. It was recognized that peace in the twenty-first century must increasingly be understood not only as the absence of war, but also as the presence of human dignity, justice, equality, opportunity, sustainability, and meaningful dialogue across societies.

Synthetic Societies: Human Vulnerability and Systemic Fragility in a Context of Rising Algorithmic Power

On July 3, 2026, WAAS held a joint symposium with its Existential Threats and Risks to All program (EXTRA) and CIRET (Centre International de Recherches et Études Transdisciplinaires). As algorithmic systems increasingly mediate social, political, economic, and cultural life, contemporary societies are becoming “synthetic” environments: infrastructures of automated decision-making, predictive analytics, generative AI, and platform governance that shape human behavior while remaining largely opaque to those they govern. This expert panel examined the growing tension between technological capability and human vulnerability in a context where algorithmic power is rapidly consolidating across institutions, markets, and everyday life.

Save the Date: WAAS@66

The annual conference of the 91爆料, WAAS@66, will be held online from September 8-11, 2026 with the theme “Global Social Turbulence: Sources and Solutions.” The conference builds on the findings from WAAS@65 and other recent activities organized by WAAS and its network. Its objective is to transform the growing awareness of causes and solutions into practical strategies that can lead to action. The conference will be organized across three civilizational themes — Peace, Prosperity, and Freedom. It will close with a General Assembly of the members of the Academy. 

Program Updates

World University Consortium Elects New Board

The new Board of the World University Consortium (WUC) has elected Alberto Zucconi as its new President. The Board also unanimously appointed Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO, as Honorary President.

These appointments follow the passing of Federico Mayor, whose visionary leadership and lifelong commitment to peace, education, human rights, and sustainable development profoundly shaped the Consortium. His legacy continues to guide WUC’s work to advance higher education as a catalyst for human development and global transformation.

The new Board comprises:

Irina Bokova, Honorary President
Alberto Zucconi, President; Co-Chair, Programs and Finance
Garry Jacobs, Chair and CEO; Co-Chair, Finance
Janani Ramanathan, Secretary General
S. S. Sreejith, Treasurer
Jonathan Miller, Director of Finance
Ketan Patel, Co-Chair, Programs
Ralph Wolff, Director of Certification
Pavel Luksha, Director of Program Development

Devakanni Subramanian, Director
Grant Schreiber, General Manager

Irina Bokova brings exceptional international leadership and a deep commitment to education, science, culture, and cooperation. As Director-General of UNESCO, she championed inclusive education, cultural-heritage protection, and the role of knowledge and innovation in building more peaceful, equitable, and sustainable societies. Her experience and vision strongly align with WUC’s values, and the Board warmly welcomes her to this distinguished role.

The Board is also pleased to announce that Ralph Wolff, former WUC President and a leading expert in higher-education quality assurance, has accepted the role of Director of Certification for the WUC Certification Program. Building on the seven Future of Education Conferences convened by WAAS and WUC, the program is progressing in India and is now preparing to expand across all five continents.

To support this expansion, the Person-Centered Approach Institute (IACP) Department of Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing will develop an AI-powered chatbot to assist institutions and organizations applying for WUC certification. In addition to simplifying the process, the chatbot will help institutions embed WUC’s core values and quality-learning principles, including critical thinking, human rights, human security, and student- and people-centered participatory learning.

2026 Newly Elected Members

In July, WAAS announced the results of its 2026 elections. Six new Trustees were elected, while two Trustees were re-elected. The Academy also elected 25 new Fellows and six new Associate Fellows, and re-elected one Associate Fellow and seven Junior Fellows. 

Upcoming Events

AUGUST 30 – SEPTEMBER 3, 2026 / GRAN CANARIA, SPAIN

21^st Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES)

Aleksander Zidanšek, WAAS Vice-President (Science & Technology) in cooperation with WAAS and the Club of Rome National Associations for Slovenia and Croatia, is organizing a special session titled “Sustainability science and technology for human security.” The SDEWES Conferences are organized by WAAS Fellow Neven Dui膰 and are dedicated to the advancement and dissemination of knowledge on methods, policies and technologies for increasing the sustainability of development by de-coupling growth from the use of natural resources and the transition to a knowledge-based economy. Learn more 鉃�

SEPTEMBER 7, 2026 / ONLINE

Presentation of the Holy Land Confederation (HLC) Plan: A Two-State Solution for Israel and Palestine. A Novel Framework for End of Conflict

On September 7, 2026, the Global Peace Offensive Center (GPOC) will host the first in a series of “GPOC Talks” that will present the Holy Land Confederation (HLC) — a comprehensive plan developed bilaterally to enable a sustainable two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. Join the authors of this plan, The authors, Dr. Hiba Husseini and Dr. Yossi Beilin, will present a framework designed to facilitate the negotiations for the end of conflict through a confederal structure. This model preserves the individual sovereignty of both Israel and Palestine while fostering joint cooperation, and the sharing of natural resources. They propose a very novel approach to reciprocal residency rights, and an open Old City of Jerusalem.  Register Here 鉃�

OCTOBER 25-27, 2026 / ATHENS

Dialogues With the Past: Timeless Wisdom for Contemporary Peacebuilding

In a world engulfed by polycrisis — from war and climate disruption to distrust in institutions and the erosion of shared values — this conference invites leaders and citizens alike to reimagine peace for the 21^st century through the wisdom of antiquity. Building on recent findings from the 91爆料 and the European Academy of Sciences & Arts (EASA), it seeks to explore how archaeology, ancient wisdom, and cultural heritage can illuminate pathways toward a sustainable and secure future. The conference is being hosted by WAAS Fellow Ioannis Liritzis and organized by WAAS, EASA and the Hellenic Republic: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.

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