LAHORE – Beaconhouse, the country’s largest network of private educational institutions, launched the 15th edition of its flagship ‘School of Tomorrow’ (SOT) on the eve organisation’s 47th anniversary in the provincial capital on Friday.
The three-day event, themed ‘Guardians of the Future will host over 150 global and local thought leaders from various sectors, including education, development, healthcare, technology and digital media, for insightful panel discussions on a multitude of topics relevant to the youth and varying factors impacting the general public.
Over the last four decades Beaconhouse has been a committed advocate for the rights of children and encourages young people to be active participants in their learning, and be viewed as guardians of the future: the next generations of mentors and leaders within their families, communities, and nations.
Taking the narrative forward, the first on-ground SOT conference in four years includes 40-plus sessions ranging from panel discussions on the future of education, the global economy, climate change and technology to interesting interactions with thought leaders including Jeffrey Archer (best-selling author), Dr Faisal Bari (Dean, LUMS School of Education), Ron Berger (Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education), Sean Covey (President, FranklinCovey Education), Salima Hashmi (Founding Dean of the Mariam Dawood School of Visual Art & Design, BNU), John Hattie (internationally acclaimed Researcher and Professor), Kamran Lashari (DG, Walled City Lahore Authority), Syeda Arfa Zehra (Educationist and Human Rights Activist), Samina Baig (High-altitude Mountaineer), Shae Gill (internationally renowned singer), Ali Xeeshan (leading Fashion Designer), and Hasan Sheheryar Yasin (iconic Fashion Designer and TV Host).
Speaking about the conference, Kasim Kasuri, Event Chair and CEO of Beaconhouse, said, “We are excited to bring School of Tomorrow back to Lahore after 6 years — our XVth edition since 2000! The aim of SOT Events is to catalyse conversations around the future of learning, climate change, technology, arts and culture, entrepreneurship, and inclusion. Edition XV of SOT is called “Guardians of the Future” — and is dedicated to the youth, who are the true custodians of our future. We hope to promote communities that value the rights of children and, in doing so, promote globally-minded, critical thinkers who will not only be our leaders of tomorrow but also contributors to making the world a peaceful place for everyone — despite our differences.”
The conference will also feature two unique exhibits including Classrooms of Tomorrow, an interactive space on the future of learning curated by Google and Beaconhouse EdTech, and Co-exist/Co-exit: the future was today – an immersive art experience curated by Rashid Rana and Risham Syed and presented by the School of Visual Arts & Design, Beaconhouse National University.
Continuing its association with SOT, United Bank Limited (UBL) is the lead sponsor for SOT XV for the third year in a row. Being a socially conscientious corporate citizen, UBL’s ideology revolves around having an affirmative and lasting impact on the communities it operates. Therefore, this partnership is a testament to UBL’s constant support towards quality education and initiatives driven to create a more balanced and inclusive educational ecosystem in the country.
The SOT Event is open to the public on Saturday 5 November and Sunday 6 November at Beaconhouse-Newlands, Phase VI, Lahore.
