Public Conference

Mind & LIfe XIX
Educating World Citizens for the 21st Century:
Educators, Scientists and Contemplatives
Dialogue on Cultivating a Healthy Mind, Brain and Heart
with His Holiness The Dalai Lama

Overview

How can our educational system evolve to meet the challenges of the 21st century? How will we educate people to be compassionate, competent, ethical, and engaged citizens in an increasingly complex and interconnected world?

The urgent challenges of a globalized and interdependent world demand a new vision of world citizenship that is not confined to national boundaries, but encompasses moral and ethical responsibilities to all humanity. People coming of age in the 21st century will need to manifest unprecedented levels of intercultural cooperation, mutual moral concern, creativity, and skill in effectively addressing the challenges of the new century. An education that will prepare children to become compassionate and competent world citizens cannot be measured only in terms of cognitive skills and knowledge, but must address the wider aspects of child and adolescent development such as social and emotional skills, moral values, and embodied virtues that promote both personal and societal health, well-being, and caring.

Mind & LIfe XIX brings together world-renowned educators, scientists, and contemplatives, with the Dalai Lama presiding, to explore the emerging field of contemplative learning and its potential contribution to a new paradigm in education. This interdisciplinary dialogue will pool new ideas in educational theory and practice, philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience with the wisdom of the world’s great contemplative traditions. Our intent is for the synergy of these converging disciplines to inspire a new vision of education that focuses on the development of the whole person within more caring and effective schools and communities. We envision an educational system that will nurture the heart as well as the mind, and that will create compassionate, engaged, and ethical world citizens whose skills and abilities are not only used for personal growth and advancement, but also for the good of the world.

Educators have recently seen impressive results in the field of social and emotional learning (SEL), a form of education that helps children and adults develop fundamental social and emotional skills conducive to life effectiveness. Studies have documented that SEL has a positive impact on promoting ethical and pro-social behavior in young people as well as supporting their academic learning. The success of social and emotional learning programs is encouraging educators to explore the potential of practices drawn from various contemplative traditions that may help to strengthen the skills that SEL teaches.

The world’s great contemplative traditions encompass a shared wisdom on moral and ethical virtues as well as a vast array of specific techniques, including different forms of meditation and reflective practices. In adults, studies are beginning to document how these practices promote better emotional regulation, improved attention, increased calm and resilience, better stress management and coping skills, and the deliberate cultivation of qualities such as compassion and empathy.

Neuroscience is beginning to build a body of evidence on the positive effects of contemplative practices on the minds and brains of adults. This research is leading to practical applications for the promotion of stress reduction, health, and well-being. Given the value of early, integrative interventions, it is critical to explore how children, teachers, and parents might benefit from this research. The benefits of contemplative practice in education are likely to shine best when educators and parents embody contemplative practices themselves as a first step toward creating calm, caring, and focused learning environment for students. Moreover, since school is often one of the most stable environments for children and youth exposed to developmental risks, school-based programs may be the best way for children to develop the non-academic skills necessary to be successful and contributing members of 21st century society.

The time is clearly ripe for scientists, educators, and contemplatives to plan collaborative research on how contemplative practices might be adapted for use in the classroom and how to assess their pedagogical value. Knowledge of educational practice, the rigor of science, and the wisdom of the contemplative traditions themselves can collectively help to adapt contemplative techniques that were originally embedded within ancient cultures to the secular setting of public schools. This meeting aims to identify scientific avenues of inquiry that will shape a research agenda for the field of Contemplative Education.