Join 24-Hour Round-the-World Conversation to Celebrate World Futures Day, Hosted by The Millennium Project!

Beginning March 1 in New Zealand at 12 noon NZ time, the open conversation on how to build a better future will move west each hour. Anyone can join in at 12 noon their time and join futurists and others to explore possibilities for our common future.

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 27, 2022 – World Futures Day is March 1. This will be the ninth year that futurists and the general public will conduct a 24-hour, round-the-world conversation on the future on March 1^st at 12 noon in whatever time zone they are in. Each year, total strangers discuss ideas about possible worlds of tomorrow in a relaxed, open, no-agenda conversation. Futures research and studies are shared, new ideas come up, and new collaborations friendships are made. 

The Millennium Project, a global foresight participatory think tank, will host this conversation on the future in collaboration with the Association of Professional Futurists (APF), Humanity+, the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS), and the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF).

“Anybody can pull up a cyber-chair at this global table and join the discussion on ZOOM at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5221011954?pwd=UEg4TXhYMnU0TGxyNzNsUUd6dXQ4Zz09 “

says Jerome Glenn, CEO of The Millennium Project. “Whatever time zone you are in, you are invited at 12:00 noon in your time zone. People drop in and out as they like. If people can’t come online at 12 noon, they are welcome to come online before or after that time as well.”

Each year, for the past eight years, global thought leaders have shared their views about future global issues, such as  – from COVID-19 to governing artificial intelligence, inventing future concepts of work, building space elevators to orbital cities, reducing climate change, guaranteeing safe water and energy, fighting transnational organized crime, developing future forms of democracy, countering information warfare, incorporating global ethics in decisionmaking, enforcing safety standards for synthetic biology, and the future of humanity. Who knows what will be discussed this year? You can also share your ideas on social media: #worldfuturesday #WFD.

“For the third time, we will be joined by Vint Cerf, Internet pioneer at 12 noon East Coast US time, and Theodore Gordon, Futurist pioneer at RAND, Institute for the Future, Futures Group and The Millennium Project,” according to Glenn. “Gordon was also the manager of the third stage of the Apollo rocket to the moon and co-developed Delphi, Cross-Impact Analysis, and the State of the Future Index.

Members of the press are most welcome to join the conversation asking questions to this diverse group of future-oriented people; however, Chatham House Ruleapplies: you can quote, use material, but not cite the source. “So,” Glenn continues, “come online and join the conversation with others working to build a better future”

A side event called “World Futures Day – Young Voices”, co-organized by Teach the Future and The Millennium Project together with other partners and friends, will make sure that young people are also part of the conversation.

Press Contacts: +1-202-669-4410 Jerome Glenn, jerome.glenn@millennium-project.org, and Mara Di Berardo, mdiberardo@gmail.com. 

WFD 2022 Organizing Committee:

Jerome Glenn (CEO Millennium Project)

Elizabeth Florescu (Director of Research, Millennium Project)

Mara Di Berardo (Communication Director Millennium Project and Italian Node Co-chair)

Paul Epping (Dutch Node Chair)

Brock Hinzmann (Silicon Valley Node Chair).

Co-sponsoring organization contacts:

Association of Professional Futurists: Shermon Cruz Shermon@afp.org
Humanity+: Natasha Vita-More, natasha@natashavita-more.com​
The Millennium Project: Jerome Glenn, Jerome.Glenn@Millennium-Project.org
World Academy of Art and Science: Gary Jacobs garry.jacobs@worldacademy.org
World Futures Studies Federation: Erik Ferdinand Overland, secretariat@wfsf.org

Resources

WFS Video

WFD 2021 results  (Di Berardo, M. (2022). A global discussion about our possible futures during the 2021 World Future Day. Futures (136). February 2022)

World Futures Day – Young Voices

Work/Technology 2050: Scenarios and Actions, Executive Summary (pdf) 

Additional Links 

https://millennium-project.org/ The Millennium Project

https://www.apf.org/ Association of Professional Futurists

http://www.worldacademy.org/content/world-academy-art-and-science World Academy of Art and Science

https://wfsf.org/ World Futures Studies Federation

https://www.humanityplus.org/ Humanity+

https://www.teachthefuture.org/ Teach the Future

Some unsolicited comments from 2019’s participants:

• Very inspired by the brilliant and passionate people working in foresight. Phenomenal hearts and minds working globally for our common humanity. Oriana Beaudet, VP, Healthcare Transformation, Array Advisors, Minneapolis-St Paul, USA
• Amazing people, brilliant insights. Provocative, inspiring. Happiest world future day! Thanks much! Shermon Cruz, Executive Director, Center for Engaged Foresight, Manila, Philippines
• Loved it! – Mark Sackler Host, “Seeking Delphi” CT, USA
• Great experience. Thank you!!  — Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, Director General, Institute of National Security Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Great experience! What beautiful people! Mila Popovich, World Academy of Art and Science, Denver, USA