The Voices of Future Generations Children’s Initiative (VoFG CI) hosted a thought-provoking international online roundtable on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in celebration of International Day of Education. The event attracted over 400 attendees from around the world, sparking rich discussions on Indigenous voices*, education, children’s rights, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The roundtable also featured the official announcement of the Indigenous Storytelling Contest Winners for 2025–2026.

The event opened with welcoming remarks from Ms. Diane Litman, Indigenous Education Consultant with VoFG, who invited participants to recognize their deep connections to land, culture, and community, and to reflect on their own relationships with the places they call home. Participants joined from across the globe, from lands with long and complex histories—many of which are the traditional and present-day homelands of Indigenous peoples.

Ms. Litman then introduced the keynote speaker, Ms. Kitty Lickers (Six Nations of the Grand River), a grandmother, auntie, mother, and storyteller. In her keynote address, Ms. Lickers shared powerful teachings grounded in Haudenosaunee perspectives, emphasizing the importance of listening to youth and thinking seven generations ahead. She reminded participants that “each and every one of you is an ancestor,” and encouraged young people to see their words and stories as gifts of ancestral knowledge. “Every time you write down your words, you are offering your thankfulness and your knowledge to the world,” she shared. Ms. Lickers highlighted that Elders are living libraries, youth are bridges between generations, and sustainability is reflected in how we live our daily lives.

Following the keynote, VoFG CI announced the winners of the Indigenous Storytelling Contest*, made possible through the generous support of the National Sixties Scoop Healing Foundation of Canada. The contest invited young Indigenous storytellers to share their voices while highlighting the resilience and cultural heritage of their families and communities.

Honourable mentions were awarded to Selah Freund (I Still Remember the Knock), Josh Sampson (The Canyon: Where the River Listens), and Ethan Malchuck Benner (The Sash). The Bronze Award was presented to Ella Lopes for The River Between Us, the Silver Award to Makayla Smith for The Buffalo Jump, and the Gold Award to Ellamae Smith for Bridges We Build, which will be published as a beautifully illustrated children’s book.

Child Author Inayah Faeez launches her book Nursing the Future.

The event also celebrated the launch of two new books by young authors from the Middle East: The Ocean Magic Adventure by Nourah Almustaghil Alnaqbi and Nursing the Future by Inayah Faeez. Both authors shared their experiences as child writers, and Ms. Faeez read excerpts from her book, which explores Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through the story of a young girl named Reem. Both books are now available on the VoFG website as free PDFs or for purchase from Amazon.

Nico Roman launches the global anthology Futures 2026.

Another highlight was the launch of Futures 2026, an anthology of 30 short stories by young writers from around the world. Edited by Master Nico Roman, with coordination support from Adv. Maria-Jose Alarcon of the Global Youth Council for Science, Law, and Sustainability, the anthology showcases youth perspectives on climate change and the SDGs. This year’s edition was selected from over 200 submissions from more than 60 countries—an increase from the previous year.

The roundtable discussions were enriched by insights from distinguished panelists and chairs, including Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger (CISDL, University of Cambridge, VoFG International Commission). The panel explored key questions such as:

What are some of the main concerns facing children today, and how can adults support youth-led movements?
What can we learn from Indigenous perspectives in education to advance sustainability and children’s rights?
How can children’s rights be protected now and safeguarded for future generations?

Panellists included Mr. Mario Swampy (Maskwacîs Education School Commission), Ms. Portia Garnons-Williams (Indigenous Youth Advocate and VoFG ILC member), Adv. Zunaida Moosa-Wadiawala (CISDL Human Rights Expert), Ms. Elaina Cox (Indigenous Youth Advocate), and Ms. Rehema Kibugi (VoFG Alumna, Kenya). Youth voices were also central to the discussion, including Mr. Chama Chilubanama (Child Ambassador, Zambia), Master Zachary Fathally (Child Ambassador, Canada), Ms. Emma Yu (Child Ambassador, USA), Ms. Sydnee Nisyok and Ms. Vienna Swampy (Indigenous Child Authors), and Ms. Anisa Daniel-Oniko (Youth Ambassador for the SDGs, Nigeria).

Speakers emphasized that children around the world are deeply aware of the planet’s current crises—environmental, political, and economic—and are using their voices to advocate for change. Many highlighted the importance of partnership between adults and youth, true inclusion in decision-making spaces, and the need for education systems that recognize children as knowledge holders.

Professor Ann Skelton shares closing remarks.

The roundtable concluded with closing remarks from Professor Ann Skelton (Professor of Law, Leiden University), who reflected on education as a foundation for peace, sustainability, and human dignity. She stressed the importance of future-oriented learning that prepares children with ethical reasoning, digital literacy, and the skills needed to co-create solutions for global challenges.

Partners and collaborators for the event included the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL) and the National Sixties Scoop Healing Foundation of Canada.

The event served as a strong reminder that lasting change begins with young people, and that their perspectives are vital to advancing education, children’s rights, and sustainable development worldwide.

You can watch the full recording of the event below.

Watch the event playlist to select specific parts of the event.

*Funding from this program is through a generous Gift from The National Sixties Scoop Healing Foundation of Canada