Dr. Helga Nowotny, Former President of the European Research Council and Professor Emerita of Science and Technology Studies, ETH Zurich, recently authored: “In AI We Trust: Power, Illusion and Control of Predictive Algorithms “ in which she suggests that we have embarked upon an open-ended co-evolutionary process of humans and digital machines at a time when humanity faces an unprecedented sustainability crisis, not to mention that some media platforms have immense control over messaging, both positive and negative.

Dr. Ashok Gangadean, a world-renowned philosopher, spiritual activist and founder and director of the Global Dialogue Institute highlights the significance of his 1776 Now program, and how the great religious leaders and philosophers, such as Mohammed, Jesus, Plato, Socrates, Buddha and Aristotle, if alive today, would use their teachings to assist in the battles against climate change, gender inequity, assault on democracies, systemic racism and other current problems.

Carol Bellamy, former Director of the U.S. Peace Corps and past Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), highlights a panoply of important issues ranging from child prostitution and trafficking, preventing violent extremism, the crucial role of women in development, as well as defining the importance of how the US Peace Corps and UNICEF are working to promote economic and social development and maternal and children’s programs and how the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals will assist in creating a better world.

Tom Osborne, International Correspondent and former ABC Bureau Chief to the United Nations, discusses his latest book “The Politics of War: My Ten-Year Journey with Peter Jennings,” as well as a variety of other topics such as Desert Storm, the Gulf War, the Balkan conflict in the 1990s, role of the UN in promoting peace and security, and the debasement of professional, journalistic ethical standards by many of the far-right media outlets in the US and worldwide.

John Seager, President and CEO of Population Connection, explains the importance of focusing on family planning, population growth, the Earth’s finite resources and the climate crisis, which has been predominantly caused by humans. Population discussions must identify the critical role that women and entire families play, how population growth or contraction could affect economic systems and the linkage between population growth, economic activities and climate change.

Dr. Celine-Marie Pascale, a renowned Sociologist, leading scholar in the field of language and society, and author of “Living on the Edge: When Hard Times Become a Way of Life,” draws upon her interviews with people from Appalachia, American Indians and inner-city dwellers on a number of issues such as the viability of The American Dream, poverty, systemic racism, income inequality, military-industrial complex and corporate Socialism.

Dr. Alex de Waal, Executive Director of the World Peace Foundation at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, discusses his recent Book “New Pandemics-Old Politics: Two Hundred Years of War on Diseases and Its Alternatives,” as well as other major issues such as the climate crisis, famine and conflicts in Africa, gender equity and the role of United Nations agencies and its Sustainable Development Goals to confront these problems.

Dr. Raphie Kaplinsky, an Honorary Professor at the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex and Author of “Sustainable Futures: An Agenda for Action,” proposes to achieve a sustainable world we must re-orient financial systems away from a casino mentality, reduce power of plutocrats, need a Green New Deal, move government from national level to local level and assist developing countries to develop economically, while minimizing the negative influence of fossil fuel industries and the Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex.

Dr. Frank W Maletz, MD and founder of the HEALTHspital Family Foundation, highlights the unique differences between a hospital and HEALTHspital, especially by enumerating his 8- transformational pillars to eliminate health care waste and abuse, improve chronic care methodology and patient-doctor collaboration, revamp disease prevention and develop a holistic approach to comprehensive health care, to mention just a few.

Chuck Collins, author of “Is Inequality in America Irreversible?” discusses how inequalities in the US have made America more vulnerable in many areas, such as confronting the Covid-19 pandemic, evading taxes, and how the US is becoming a more inequitable country with wealth flowing to the top .1 of 1%. Mr. Collins is also the director of the program on Inequality and the Common Good at the Institute for Policy Studies in D.C.

Randy Patrick, City Manager of North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada, shares his observations regarding the advantages and disadvantages of living in a small, micro-city, especially when confronting the challenges of climate change, reverse economic investment, educational and health care systems and job creation. Futuristic foresight is critical in identifying and confronting potential challenges.

Forrist Lytehaause, Chief Enabling Officer or CEO of Planetary CARE, is an architect, scholar, researcher, synergist and strategist, who has worked in the areas of blockchain, multi-stakeholder collaborations and cooperatives, and an exponential organization platform development model toward accelerating “Building Global Resilience through Regenerative Agriculture.´ He stresses how proper soil stewardship is critical to confronting the climate crisis and providing future food supplies.

John Hewko, CEO and General Secretary of Rotary International, and Carol Spahn, Acting Director of the US Peace Corps, discuss a unique partnership that was fostered by the Partnering for Peace group. The emphasis is to bring Peace Corps Volunteers in over 60-countries, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and 1.2 million Rotarians to collaborate on humanitarian and development projects, as well as focus on Rotary and Peace Corps Peace Week from September 20-26.

Dr. John Arquilla, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Defense Analysis at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, highlights his recent book titled “Bitskrieg: The Challenge of Cyberwarfare,” and explains the importance of confronting cybersecurity threats and a potentially emerging international “Cool Cyber War” that could spiral out of control.

Dr. Dot Maver, educator, peacebuilder and founding president of the National Peace Academy USA focuses on a wide range of peace initiatives such as a 2021 Peace Education Conference, the UN International Day of Peace and the importance of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Jennifer Jones, who will be the first woman president of Rotary International in 2022, discusses key programs pertaining to diversity, peace, and the environment, and highlights the importance of partnerships, such as with the United Nations, US Peace Corps, the CDC and Partnering for Peace, especially on major programs such as Polioplus.

Dr. Tom Tuttle, former Director of the University of Maryland Center for Quality and Productivity in College Park, suggests rethinking the traditional approach to economic development and highlights the importance of a vibrant democracy to the success of America, especially in light of the Trump-inspired January 6 insurgency to overthrow a fair and free election and the dysfunctional role of some media outlets such as Fox, OANN and Newsmax, in weakening democratic institutions in the US and worldwide.

Tim Jackson, Director of the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity and Professor of Sustainable Development at the University of Surrey (UK), and author of “Post Growth: Life After Capitalism,” identifies the strengths and weaknesses of Capitalism in dealing with income inequality, consumerism, globalization and climate change.

Dr. Ken Conca, professor of International Relations in the School of International Service at American University and author of “An Unfinished Foundation: The United Nations and Global Environmental Governance,” focuses on the critical role of the UN in confronting climate change and the importance of the US’s strong participation in the Paris Climate Accords.

Dr. Michael Butter, Professor of American Literary and Cultural History at the University of Tübingen and author of “The Nature of Conspiracy Theories,” explains how these concepts are dangerous in spreading disinformation and undermining democratic institutions worldwide, such as the Trump Insurgency on January 6, 2021, QAnon, Fox, Newsmax, OAN and other right-wing outlets.