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Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd (1934–2016), "Non-Violence," United Nations Headquarters | Dear Fellows,
The World Academy was founded in 1960 as a transnational organization. Its objectives are global in scope and encompass the full gamut of political, economic, scientific, technological, social, cultural, psychological and environmental issues. Its transdisciplinary perspective focuses on the inter-relationships and interdependencies between disciplines, sectors and activities, on the gaps created by fragmented thinking, policies and actions in which problems arise and fester. Its constituency includes all humanity. Its mission is to be an agency for human security, sustainable development and well-being.
At this very moment the pace of violence in the world continues to escalate. The cease fire in Gaza is a very welcome and an essential step, but it has yet to address the underlying issues and conditions for real and lasting peace. The balance of the conflict in Ukraine is shifting, but the turbulent forces of war threaten to spread westward from Eastern Europe.
There is an urgent need for leadership in thought and action that counsels peace, peace for all, peace that will be lasting and substantially address the legitimate security needs of nations and people everywhere. Peace is an essential condition for human security. Human security is an essential condition for lasting peace.
This issue of the WAAS Newsletter reports on eight important initiatives initiated or supported by WAAS and partner organizations focused on addressing the complex nexus between peace, human security and sustainable development:
A reflective statement by WAAS on the universal principles for peace and human security; The initiative of WAAS and partner organizations to launch a new approach to reducing conflict and tensions within and between nations and regions of the world; An insightful dialogue between WAAS Fellows examining why we must urgently change our approach to peace-building; A UN hosted event examining the challenges posed by persistent global warming to the pathways to peace and sustainability still open to achieving the Paris Climate Accord; An exploration of the underlying unity between the objective knowledge of science and the subjective inspirations of the arts, which are converging pathways to the integral knowledge that humanity needs to convert its threats into opportunities, and problems into pathways for global social transformation; An examination of the UN Global Risk report by the WAAS EXTRA InfoHub; and the publication of a very important report by F4G on a plan to restructure world investment to achieve Agenda 2030. We invite likeminded individuals and institutions to join our quest to reconcile the contradictions that retard and resist the progress humanity needs at this critical juncture.
Sincerely, Garry Jacobs President, WAAS |
| WAAS Peace Statement |
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The pace of violence in the world continues to escalate. The cease fire in Gaza is a very welcome and an essential step, but it has yet to address the underlying issues and conditions for real and lasting peace. The balance of the conflict in Ukraine is shifting, but the turbulent forces of war threaten to spread westward from Eastern Europe. There is need for leadership that counsels peace, peace for all, peace that will be lasting and substantially address the legitimate security needs of nations and people everywhere. At this moment, the WAAS Board of Trustees pauses to recall the fundamental and essential principles on which WAAS was founded 65 years ago and which it seeks to base its actions now and in the future.
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| Read the WAAS Peace Statement |
| Global Peace Offensive Center Inauguration |
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The Global Peace Offensive Center (GPOC), located in Maribor, Slovenia, was inaugurated on 26 September, 2025. The Center will combine education, research, art, and innovation to develop concrete pathways to peacefully resolve conflicts — among people, between nations, and address the impact on the environment. The project, initiated and chaired by Donato Kiniger-Passigli, Vice-President (Social Sciences and Humanities) of WAAS, will serve as a platform for dialogue, exchange of ideas, and sustainable solutions on local, regional, and global levels. During the ceremony, the partners signed the official founding charter, formally establishing the center as a key global platform for dialogue and cooperation. Signatories (pictured above) were: Garry Jacobs, President of WAAS; Klaus Mainzer, President of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts; and Ludvik Toplak, Rector of Alma Mater Europaea University.
Participating and partner institutions for the Peace Offensive include the Club of Rome, Global Peace Education Network, Learning Planet Institute, Global Education Futures, Global Security Institute, Person-Centered Approach Institute (IACP), IntegraLight Institute and Lions International. |
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| Watch the Inauguration Here |
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| Read More on the Global Peace Offensive |
| Event Reportback |
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World Conference on Science and Art for Sustainability
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Science has reached the acme of its influence in the world; it is the single greatest driver of progress. But it is also a double-edged sword and poses great threats to humanity. Addressing today’s global challenges requires integrating the objective rigor of science with the subjective insight of the arts. As Einstein said, the greatest scientists are artists as well. The knowledge generated by our science must reconcile human aspirations for peace and security, freedom and justice, prosperity and equality, discovery, creativity, and sustainability.
The World Conference on Science and Art for Sustainability, was held from September 22–24, 2025 in Belgrade organized by the Earth Humanity Coalition, WAAS, SASA, ANSO, UNESCO, Serbian Chapter of The Club of Rome and UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coalition under the direction of Nebojša Nešković, Vice President (Science & Technology) of WAAS.
The conference was a flagship event within the UN International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD), from 2024 to 2033. It brought together 42 experts from the sciences and arts, including 11 WAAS Fellows, to explore how a synthesis of the objective and subjective perspectives of science and art can strengthen efforts to promote sustainable, secure, and peaceful development for all. Participants emphasized the importance of the eight dimensions of human security, transdisciplinary perspectives, life-centered education that leads to sustainable development, creative collaboration between various fields of science and the art as well as between academics, policymakers, practitioners and the public.
Speakers emphasized that only the integrated perspectives generated by a marriage of mental and emotion faculties would be sufficient to effectively inform and motivate humanity to effectively address the challenges of human security and sustainable development. |
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| Making Wars Obsolete: Pathways to Peaceful Futures |
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An online event on October 2, 2025, examined why we must urgently change our approach to peace-building — and how. Wars have long been seen as inevitable, but in the 21st century they threaten humanity’s very survival. The destructive power of conflict is escalating exponentially — with autonomous military robotics, AI-driven warfare, and thermonuclear weapons raising risks beyond human control. At the same time, climate breakdown, ecological stress, political polarization, and widening inequality are driving instability that fuels new conflicts that can spiral into an ultimate global war.
The discussion was hosted by Donato Kiniger Passigli, Vice President (Social Sciences and Humanities) of WAAS and Founder of the Global Peace Offensive, and WAAS Associate Fellow Pavel Luksha, Founder of Global Education Futures, Associate Research & Lead of Peaceful Futures initiative at Learning Planet Institute.
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| Thessaloniki Sustainability Summit 2025 |
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The Paris Accord is a historic testimony to humanity’s collective effort of 193 nations to address the global climate challenge. It reminds us that agreements alone are not enough—they must be translated into action, sustained by political will and guided by both science and shared values. The climate challenge is not merely a problem to be surmounted. It is also a powerful catalyst and lever that humanity can mobilize to accelerate global social transformation.
The UN hosted Thessaloniki Sustainability Summit 2025 “10 Years of the Paris Agreement” was organized by SDSN Black Sea, Aristotle University and WAAS, in Greece and online between 2-3 October under the direction of Nicoalos Theodossiou, Professor, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, Chair of SDSN Black Sea, WAAS Fellow.
The first day was dedicated to WAAS with an address by WAAS President Garry Jacobs, an overview of the progress on SDG implementation by Phoebe Koundouri, and presentations by Chantal Line Carpentier, Amanda Ellis, Denis Naughten, Josep Garí, Ash Pachauri, Kehkashan Basu and Yunus Ibrahim among others.
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| UN Global Risk Report |
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As the world faces an era of unprecedented interconnectivity and complexity, humanity stands at a crossroads defined by mounting existential risks—from climate instability and Artificial Intelligence to geopolitical fragmentation and biotechnological disruption. The new UN Global Risk Report underscores the urgency of confronting these converging threats through coordinated, evidence-based action. The EXTRA InfoHub, a multidisciplinary initiative of WAAS, serves as a one-stop information hub for decision-makers seeking clarity amid this uncertainty, and hosted an online webinar on September 18, 2025, to examine the reports significance. By curating insights from leading global institutions, EXTRA aims to transform scattered data into a coherent and accessible resource that empowers leaders to exercise strategic foresight and design resilient pathways.
The webinar, chaired by WAAS Trustee Thomas Reuter, was hosted by the EXTRA InfoHub of WAAS in cooperation with UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coalition and the Pardee Institute, and with participation from ASRA (Accelerator for Systemic Risk Assessment). The discussion considered the impact and likely future development of the Global Risk Report, the first edition of which was recently released by the United Nations. Marking the entry of the UN into the sphere of integrated risk assessment, the report presents a comprehensive analysis of 28 global risks identified and assessed through a robust survey of 83 UN member states and over 1,000 stakeholders from across sectors.
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| Watch Here |
| Partner News |
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The World Investment Plan
A new report from WAAS Research Partner, Force for Good – The World Investment Plan: Building the Transition to a Secure, Sustainable and Superior Future – warns that today’s metacrisis of turbulence from wars, climate shocks, technological disruption, migration, and social unrest are part of a deeper civilizational shift from the Industrial to the Information Age. Without bold intervention, the world risks systemic instability, stalled human progress, and escalating climate disaster. The report lays out the strategy for creating a global investment boom deploying a US$125 trillion World Investment Plan through 2035. |
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| Download the Report Here |
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The World University Consortium (WUC)
The WUC is developing several projects in collaboration with partner organizations, and welcomes your participation. A pilot underway with universities in the Black Sea Universities Network aims to develop a certificate for innovation and excellence by integrating principles of Human Security across multiple disciplines. We welcome your interest in helping to develop certification standards and evaluating projects.
Another is a collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Coalition for Global Ethics and Trends Research and Advisory (Abu Dhabi) to develop curricula for students at all levels, that focus on tolerance and mutual respect building on common values as reflected in the Abrahamic Accords. We welcome examples of curricula and your interest in participating.
Given the rapid pace and confusion surrounding the integration of AI in higher education, we are interested in learning more about good practices in the adoption of AI at the course, program and institutional levels across higher education globally. We would welcome examples of good AI practice at your institution. To express interest in any of the above, please contact Ralph Wolff, WUC President, at rwolff@wucglobal.org.
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UNESCO Call for Roster of Experts
UNESCO is compiling a Roster of Experts and invites experts to submit their information for inclusion. The aim of the roster is to strengthen collaboration among Member States and provide visibility to independent specialists in fields including Basic Sciences, Engineering, Life Sciences, Emerging Technologies, STI Policy, Open Science, Science Education, and Science Communication. It will help UNESCO identify experts for technical assignments and independent evaluations. Submit here |
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WAAS DIGEST | |
Books/Articles by Members | |
| | Art by Members | |
Art and Science: A Vital Re-integration. This discussion between WAAS Fellows explores why art and science are both branches of the same tree. WAAS is launching a Planetary Arts Movement to revive the rich heritage of the arts and creative disciplines found within the World Academy. We invite you to express your interest in joining the founding committee. Please contact Jo Nurse at drjonurse@gmail.com |
| Recent Member Activities |
| SEPTEMBER 2025 / UNITED NATIONS
Phoebe Koundouri: Appointed Co-Chair of the UN Independent Group of Scientists for 2027 Global Sustainable Development Report United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed a new group of independent scientists to draft the 2027 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR).
SEPTEMBER 2025 / SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Lejla Gurbeta Pokvić: Chairs Conference on Medical and Biological Engineering Bosnia & Herzegovina (CMBEBIH) 2025
This year's theme was “From Science to Business,” and focused on the commitment to transforming cutting-edge research into real-world impact.
OCTOBER 2025 / ONLINE
Elena Mustakova: Spiritual Resilience and Integral Health in the 21st Century
This 9-week course explores interconnections between planetary macrotrends, mental, social and spiritual health in our extremely turbulent and unpredictable context, in which many people are struggling to maintain ground and a sense of purpose. Register here
OCTOBER 2025 / ONLINE Alberto Zucconi: Trauma Informed Care Chatbot
A Trauma-Informed chatbot designed to provide reliable, scientifically grounded answers is being developed by WAAS and eight partners. Unlike conventional chatbots, which often struggle to distinguish between trauma-informed and non-trauma-informed responses, the project aims to minimize the risk of misinformation. | | Upcoming Events | |
7 NOVEMBER, 2025 / ONLINE Coping with Polycrisis and Systemic Risks: New Approaches to Assessment and Governance
The emphasis of integrated disaster and risk research has shifted from topical analysis, such as dealing with natural disasters, technological accidents or environmental crises, to a comprehensive analysis of interconnected and mutually interactive risk sources and crises. This webinar will address this new perspective on crises and risks. All but one of the contributors have been authors or editors of papers that were published in a recent special issue of the International Journal for Disaster Risk Sciences. REGISTER HERE
6-9 JANUARY, 2026 / LAS VEGAS CES 2026
CES, the world’s largest consumer tech event, will once again partner with WAAS and the United Nations Trust Fund For Human Security (UNTFHS) to highlight how tech can play a critical role in solving pressing social and environmental issues. The CES Innovation Awards will again highlight innovations in the "Products in Support of Human Security" category — that was established by CES in support of the WAAS Human Security for All campaign. Nineteen WAAS Fellows have been nominated as judges for the Innovation Awards, to help select the honorees for this category. In addition, WAAS will host a panel discussion on 6 January 2026 at CES on "Human Security and Mobility." READ MORE
| | From The Archives |
 | Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Alva Myrdal: The Diplomat Who Gave Science a Conscience.
Myrdal’s journey from social reformer to one of the world’s leading voices against nuclear proliferation parallels the moral evolution of science itself. As nations rushed to harness the power of the atom in the wake of World War II, Myrdal, an early WAAS Fellow, stood apart — not as a scientist but as a visionary who understood the social and psychological consequences of living under the nuclear shadow. READ MORE |
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We are keen to hear more about your current work and how we can enhance your engagement with the work of the World Academy in a manner that is supportive and complementary to your work. Are there conferences you have attended or are planning? Have you recently published a book, delivered a keynote, or launched an initiative that aligns with the mission of WAAS?
We would be delighted to highlight such contributions in our WAAS newsletter, ensuring they reach fellow members who share your interests.
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