UNESCO encourages the dissemination of futures literacy as a capability-based approach to development – a skill accessible to each and every individual. Finding and implementing more sustainable and participatory approaches to development in this decade will be key to ensure effective and inclusive decision-making worldwide.
Images of the future are a powerful force, influencing not only what we perceive and pay attention to, but also, in shaping our hopes and fears. Perception precedes action, therefore understanding the sources of our images of the future is of great importance. The need for innovation and creativity to create hopeful images of the future that inspire us to take action has never been more evident. As we have all experienced, the fundamental disruptions of our social and economic systems by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have challenged how we imagine and anticipate the future. At the same time, educational advancement bringing opportunities to youth, empowerment of scientists driving the next technological innovation inspire hopeful images of the future. Such realisations have bred broader interest in understanding how we perceive the future and its impact on our present decision-making.
