Education

What's truly astounding is the shared background of many Paralympic athletes. Initially, when the Paralympics and parasports were relatively unknown, these athletes were often the ones overlooked in PE classes, chosen last for teams, and discouraged due to their disabilities. This mindset can lead to incredible achievements, regardless of how unlikely they may seem at first.

British Paralympic sprinter and long jumper; multiple Paralympic medals

Social anxiety stems from the fear of being judged, criticised, or scrutinised. However, adopting a mindset of curiosity—deciding to learn and ask questions—can make those fears dissipate. When you shift your focus from worrying about judgment to engaging in learning and exploration, the anxiety naturally begins to fade away.

My parents instilled in me the belief that everyone you meet can teach you something, regardless of their age, background, or education. I've always embraced every conversation as an opportunity to learn, to discover someone else's story and experiences, which are invariably different from my own.

From a young age, I was acutely aware of the exhilaration that came with play. It was an early insight, recognising that through play, I was learning by doing. Play is inherently interactive, granting agency whether indoors or outdoors. When competition was added into the mix, playing with friends introduced me to complex concepts like game theory, including strategies involving threats, promises, and bluffs.

Founder of Electronic Arts (EA) and 3DO Company

For me, sports were a sanctuary, the only place where I felt at home, could connect with others, and navigate my life and pain. Providing sports opportunities to children, women, and men in these settings is vital. Our foundation aims to complement these efforts by introducing sports, emphasising not just participation in sports but also backing these athletes significantly.

Syrian Swimmer & Refugee Advocate Who Competed in Olympics

Swimming transcended mere physical activity. It served as a conduit for life lessons, embodying the essence of its beauty. It taught me discipline, respect for others, and how to navigate the fine line between friendship and competition. Upon arriving in Germany, swimming became my sanctuary during a time when I had no other home. It provided a common language that allowed me to connect with others effortlessly, facilitating a smoother integration into German society.

Syrian Swimmer & Refugee Advocate Who Competed in Olympics

Three years ago, we were managing 20 cases, but today, that number has escalated to 70. Since our inception, we've dealt with nearly 500 cases. Hostage-taking is an ancient practice and will persist for a long time. This training initiative has developed significantly over recent years, ensuring proper care and attention are afforded to these cases.

Envoy and Negotiator Who Was Held Hostage in Lebanon

Research has shown that learning brings more joy than material rewards. In a study where participants were given money for doing well on a task, they felt happiest not when they received the money, but when they learned something new about the task.

Neuroscientist known for research on optimism bias and decision-making

Tetris also has an incredibly long learning curve, which is unique. Most games, even very successful ones, have a steep learning curve that you can master relatively quickly. But in Tetris, the learning curve is gradual and seemingly endless. You continually feel like you're improving—getting faster, more skilled, and more savvy. It's just the magic of the game.

Creator of Tetris, the iconic video game

In the 1960s, NASA commissioned a study to identify creative geniuses for hiring, and found that 2% of the adults they tested fit the bill. A few years later, someone thought to give the same test to four- and five-year-olds—and 98% of them qualified as creative geniuses. The researchers blamed the school system.

Life Coach, Author & Sociologist Known for Self-Acceptance Work

Children, because they take fewer physical childhood risks in the real world, are experiencing a decline in trust in themselves and in others. Their ability to take those risks in the world is decreasing, and that is a huge problem.

Author & Leading Expert on the Sharing Economy & Collaborative Consumption

Our brains are constantly making predictions about the world, and we learn when those predictions turn out to be wrong. So what Marshall did was deliberately redesign training so that people learned how to cope with a wide range of unpredictable challenges—turning the unpredictable into something more predictable.

Children are bought and sold like animals, sometimes at a lower price than animals. 168 million children work as child labourers, more than 200 million children who should be in education are not at school. We see two different constituencies of children. One group who enjoys their childhood, and others who are deprived of their fundamental right to be children.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner & Child Rights Activist Against Child Labor

Children are bought and sold like animals, sometimes at a lower price than animals. 168 million children work as child labourers, more than 200 million children who should be in education are not at school.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner & Child Rights Activist Against Child Labor

Right now, only 2% of Europeans have studied outside of their home country – I would want to raise that to 45%. The provincialism that reigns in so many countries would be considerably lessened if it was just considered normal that you would spend at least a year in some other country.

Former President of Estonia & Cybersecurity Pioneer

They received this 'animal' with no social upbringing and turned me into a human being.

Nobel Prize Winner for Gene Targeting in Mice