Future Talk is a three-day hybrid dialogue platform in cooperation with three United Nations (UN) Agencies (UNESCO-UIL, UNESCO-UNEVOC, UNIDO) and under the patronage of the Swiss Government. The conference will take place on 4-6 November 2020 in Bern, Switzerland, and broadcasted live to an international audience.

Top-class speakers from NGOs, political authorities, international financial institutions, and education solution providers will discuss the foundation and relevance of education for the economy, society, and ecology as well as its disruption, digital transformation, and related impact during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Future Talk 2020 will focus on the importance of STEAM for education, the relevance of greening education, and the boost of digital education needed for transformation and innovation. Future Talk´s goal is to join efforts, initiate collaboration, and generate visible contributions to support the 2020 UN-launch of the Decade of Action towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Agenda 2030.

Future Talk themes and guiding goals

The three main themes are: STEAM 4 Education, Green Education and Artificial Intelligence.

Future Talk 2020’s themes aim to bring forward solutions covering ongoing post-pandemic challenges and contribute towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each daily session is hosted in cooperation with a UN Agency representing selected topics to support the SDGs.

Future Talk is private sector driven and aims at developing solutions as well as active and sustainable partnerships (Goal 17) that reach way beyond the conference.

 Future Talk Partners

Besides the close co-operation with three United Nations Agencies (UNESCO-UIL, UNESCO-UNEVOC, UNIDO) as Future Talk Lead Partners this unique global education summit  collaborates with companies like Hilti, Festo and Georg Fisher as Business Partners. Future Talk 2020 Contributors are consisting of organizations like Aalto University (Finland) and International Chamber of Commerce (Switzerland),  

 SMART Internationalization® is an Official Supporter of Future Talk 2020.

SMART Internationalization ® is proud to announce its collaboration with Future Talk 2020 as an Official Supporter of this significant global education summit.

SMART Internationalization® helps internationalizing companies to build strategic sales and organizational competences for sustainable business growth and expansion.

The Founder and CEO of the company, Mr. Juha Merinen is an experienced executive and international sales strategist with close to 30 years hands-on experience in competence development, advancement and management of international business development and expansion operations in a range of sectors especially within the fields of Education and Wellbeing.

Juha Merinen is also the Member of the Board of Directors at Worlddidac Association, the global trade association for the educational resources industry.