On Thursday, 13 September 2018, the prestigious House of Lords in Westminster, London, hosted the Voices of Future Generations Intergenerational Learning Circle, a dynamic and inspiring gathering focused on children's rights and sustainable development.
This landmark event brought together Child Authors and Child Ambassadors from the UNESCO Voices of Future Generations (VoFG) Initiative, alongside delegations of teachers and students from leading schools across the United Kingdom. They were joined by international mentors, legal and policy experts, and sustainability leaders from around the world in a rich dialogue centered on intergenerational learning and action.
Through a day of thought-provoking roundtable discussions, compelling youth presentations, and hands-on workshops, participants explored innovative ways that children and youth can champion the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the rights articulated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Learning Circle created a space for meaningful exchanges between generations, where children, educators, and experts collaborated as equals to advance shared visions of justice, sustainability, and inclusion at local, national, and global levels.
To honour the exceptional contributions of the participants, a series of awards and medals were presented to school delegations and individuals, recognizing excellence in inspiration, scientific knowledge, creativity, cultural awareness, and human rights advocacy.
The event concluded with a special celebration of Voices of the Future: Stories from Around the World (Bloomsbury), an anthology featuring eight powerful stories written by VoFG Child Authors, with a foreword by former UNESCO Director-General, Ms. Irina Bokova. This publication reflects the voices and dreams of children worldwide who are envisioning a better, more sustainable future for all.
🌟 Awards and Prizes at the 2018 Intergenerational Learning Circle
🏆 Global Inspiration Awards 2018
Bloomsbury Education
Hon. Justice Prof. Marcel Szabó
🌍 Child Ambassador Medallists
Nico Roman
Cristina Manuel
📚 Child Author Awards
Child Author Gold Award 2018 – North America: Andrea Wilson
Child Author Gold Award 2016 – Asia: Ying-Xuan Lai
Child Author Achievement Award 2018: Jona David
🎖 School Delegation Awards
Gold Medals
Creativity: St. Mary Magdalene CE Primary School
Environmental Awareness: St. John’s College School, Cambridge
Global Citizenship: Millfields Community School
Promotion of Children’s Rights: Haimo Primary School
Scientific Accuracy: King’s College School, Cambridge
Silver Medals
Global Citizenship: St. Mary Magdalene CE Primary School
Creativity: St. John’s College School, Cambridge
Environmental Awareness: King’s College School, Cambridge
Scientific Accuracy: Haimo Primary School
Promotion of Children’s Rights: Millfields Community School
🍎 SDG Teaching Excellence Awards
Ms. Helen Barker, King’s College School, Cambridge
Ms. Jacqueline Graves, Haimo Primary School
The VoFG team is incredibly proud of the success of this event. It was truly inspiring to witness such powerful engagement from children, teachers, and experts alike, sharing knowledge, exchanging ideas, and co-creating solutions for a better world. A heartfelt thank you to every participant who helped make this gathering a meaningful celebration of children’s voices, creativity, and global citizenship.
