The world is facing serious threats such as climate change, war and conflict, human rights abuses, inequalities, denial of science and extremism. But the Nobel Prize shows that brilliant ideas, science, compassion and hard work can improve the world. Teachers, the teaching profession, are crucial in promoting this.

The Nobel Prize Teacher Summit is an international teachers’ conference of the Nobel Prize Education Network and is supported by the Swedish Institute. The initiative is based on the Nobel Prize’s ability to inspire people to seek knowledge, to ask questions and to try to understand and improve the world. At the summit, teachers from 30+ countries will meet Nobel laureates, top researchers and peace activists to discuss a theme of great importance in education.

Rapid news flashes, complex disputes, misinformation and polarized values ​​can make the flood of facts difficult to assess. The “Nobel Prize Teacher Summit 2021” with the theme “In the river of facts” aims to provide teachers with strategies to help their students navigate knowledge between scientific facts, personal values ​​and conspiracy theories.

As part of Sweden India Nobel Memorial Week 2021, the Swedish Consulate General in Mumbai in collaboration with Idobro Impact Solutions organized a local hub for the summit where nearly 50 academic leaders and teachers from schools, colleges and educational institutions participated. Mumbai. Special Guest Prof. Ravindra Kulkarni (Pro-Rector, Mumbai University) attended the summit.

Anna Lekvall, Sweden’s Consul General in Mumbai said: “Teachers play a crucial role in helping students combat misinformation and maintain the right information. Through this hub of the” Nobel Prize Teacher Summit “, we are pleased to have the opportunity to engage with teachers about “A topic that is very important in today’s information age. We continue to nurture the long-standing tradition of deepening relations between the two countries through Sweden India Nobel Memorial Week 2021.”

In preparation for the summit, teachers shared their views on the current situation of disinformation and how to deal with it on a professional and personal level. The summit included a live display from the Nobel Prize Museum, Stockholm, addressed by Nobel Laureate Saul Perlmutter, prominent international professors and experts from the University of California, the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, the Swedish Academy, Stockholm University. The summit aimed to help teachers prepare students to distinguish facts from values, teach strategies to expose lies and use methods to encourage curious questions and critical thinking.

Karon Shaiva (Chief Impact Officer – IDOBRO) said: “Today, young people turn to social media and digital channels to gather information. In the process, they are also increasingly exposed to false news and misinformation. The Nobel Prize Teachers Summit is focused on providing tools and solutions that help teachers deal with knowledge resistance. It will also enable teachers to guide students through the “river of facts” and create awareness based on scientific approaches and personal value systems. “

Published: Tuesday 14 December 2021, 21:53 IST