Join visionary thinkers Gerd Leonhard, Heather McGowan, and Elina Hiltunen for a day of inspiration at the "Steering Education: From Engagement to Empowerment" forum. Discover transformative insights that will reshape your understanding of human potential, organizational adaptability, and the future of learning. 

Hear from Raimonds Tomsons, the 2023 Best Sommelier of the World, as he shares the secrets of a personal learning journey to triumph and success. Elevate your impact with innovative strategies to empower organizations, employees, and yourself in creating a brighter future for adult learning and organizational development. Engage in networking and hands-on panel discussions emphasizing practicality, diversity, and implementation. 

This forum will provide valuable insights, ideas, and strategies to navigate the evolving learning and training landscape, fostering human potential and meaningful change in learning ecosystems. Leave with a renewed sense of purpose in your leadership journey and global thinking about the future of learning. 

Anda Čakša, Minister of Education and Science
Anita Muižniece  - Izglītības ministre

Moderated by Elina Hiltunen

Elina Hiltunen (Finland)

Futurist, D.Sc. Business administration, from Aalto University, School of Business and M.Sc. (chemical engineering) from Helsinki University of Technology (currently Aalto University, School of Chemical Engineering). Forbes has listed her as one of the 50 leading female futurists in the world. She is an experienced key-note speaker that has delivered hundreds of lectures about various topics of the future in Finland and abroad. Currently she is also studing at National Defence University, Finland and making her second PhD thesis on the topic of how to use science fiction in foresight process of defence organization. 

Forum Keynote Speakers

Gerd Leonhard (Switzerland) - Futurist and a Humanist

Gerd Leonhard (Switzerland)

Futurist and a Humanist, a leading global Keynote Speaker (live-on-stage as well as virtually / remotely), the Author of 5 books including ‘Technology vs. Humanity’ and a Film-Maker. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts in London, and the CEO of The Futures Agency in Zürich / Switzerland. People, Planet, Purpose and Prosperity is Gerd's credo. Since dominating the pre-pandemic conference stages around the globe and working with the likes of Microsoft, Audi, Lego, Mastercard, DELL Technologies, UBS, Electronic Arts, the European Commission, and many more Fortune 500 companies, governments and NGOs, his industry-defining presentations and commitment to digital excellence has allowed him to become the world’s leading virtual speaker and presenter for those organizations that look not only to survive but to thrive despite the Corona-Crisis and beyond. 

Heather E. McGowan (USA)

Future-of-work strategist Heather E. McGowan helps leaders prepare their people and organizations for the post pandemic world. As a keynote speaker, Heather gives lucidity to complex topics through her research rich, graphic frameworks, and powerful metaphors. In 2017, LinkedIn ranked her as its #1 global voice for education and in 2020 McGowan was listed as one of the Top 50 Female Futurists in Forbes. NYT columnist Thomas Friedman describes her as “the oasis” when it comes to insights into the future of work.  McGowan is the coauthor of The Adaptation Advantage: Let Go, Learn Fast to Thrive in the Future of Work (April 2020) and The Empathy Advantage: Leading the Empowered Workforce (March 2023). 

Raimonds Tomsons (Latvia)

This year Raimonds Tomsons has been named the world's best sommelier at a prestigious international competition at France. Currently he is the Head Sommelier at Barents Wine Collectors, Board Member at the Latvian Sommelier Association, Jury Member for the “Latvia’s Wine of the Year” contest and owner of Ltd. Raimonds Tomsons Wine Consulting.

He studied in the famous Austrian Wine academy in Rust where he passed the prestige WSET Diploma in Wines & Spirits.

 Sharing his experience with both wine enthusiasts and professionals, brings him true joy, and Raimonds hope that for each one he can reveal something new, something we have not experienced or sensed. Wine embodies knowledge, mutual respect, pleasure and vivid emotions – things I wish to share with you.