Leadership in Thought That Leads to Action

A global organization addressing humanity’s urgent challenges and emerging opportunities

560
Fellows

90
Countries

12
Programs

About The World Academy

WHO WE ARE

WAAS is an association of committed individuals drawn from diverse cultures, nationalities, occupations and intellectual pursuits conscious of the profound social consequences and policy implications of knowledge, and united by a common aspiration to address the urgent challenges and emerging opportunities confronting humanity. Today the Academy includes more than 560 elected Fellows from more than 90 nations collaborating with a global network of partner organizations founded on faith in the collective power of human aspiration and values.

HOW WE THINK

The Academy strives to evolve solutions to the world’s pressing challenges by transcending the limits of national self-interest, disciplinary perspectives and conventional thinking while integrating knowledge with universal values and social responsibility. The inclusion of Art in the title of the Academy is intended to foster a marriage of the objective and subjective dimensions of knowledge essential for cracking the ‘genetic code’ of consciousness and social evolution. Great Art and Science are supreme expressions of humanity & creative imagination.

Featured Projects

Global Turbulence
Exploring events related to the rising levels of global turbulence, highlighting the underlying factors and generating solutions.

The Global Peace Offensive
A proactive, dialogue-driven peace-building approach within civil society, spearheaded by the academic community.

Trauma Informed Care
Developing a trauma-informed, online chabot designed to provide reliable, scientifically grounded answers.

Upcoming Events

The Bakashimika International Photography Festival 2026 tells the future stories of the African continent

Lusaka, Zambia / 18–24 June, 2026. The Bakashimika Photography Festival 2026 gathers emerging African artists to harness visual storytelling against colonial legacies, inspiring a self-defined and thriving future for the continent.

21st Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems

Spain | 30 Aug to 3 Sep 2026 | Special session: “Sustainability Science and Technology for Human Security” focuses on sharing knowledge about methods, policies, and technologies that promote sustainable development by reducing reliance on natural resources and supporting a shift to a knowledge-based economy.

64th Sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies – Climate Change and Women’s Reproductive Health: Bridging Ground Evidence and Climate Arts Research

Join us on June 15, 2026, in Bonn for an SB64 side event exploring the intersection of climate change and women’s reproductive health. A community-led research, gender-responsive adaptation strategies, and the innovative integration of arts and science to translate critical health data into actionable climate policy.

Averting Water Bankruptcy: Global Water Supply Risks and Countermeasures

Online Webinar / 10 June, 2026. As the world approaches "water bankruptcy"—a structural collapse of our most vital resource—experts warn that current management systems are failing to meet the competing demands of agriculture, energy, and the rapidly expanding AI sector.

PLANETARY ARTS WEBINAR: Ethical Arts on a Planetary Scale: How Can We Achieve Well-Being for Everyone?

Online Webinar / 06 June, 2026. As the global community faces unprecedented challenges, the intersection of art, ethics, and sustainable development offers a vital pathway toward collective well-being. This webinar examines how creative expression and embodied practices can foster planetary harmony, bridging the gap between individual action and shared future prosperity.

WAAS Talks on Science for Human Security: Future with Fusion Energy

Online | May 27, 2026. WAAS had initiated the Program of Sciences for Sustainable Development, which became a specific initiative of the Coalition. The WAAS Talks on Science for Humans Security: Future with Fusion Energy is the nineth webinar within the Program.

Cognitive empires, Colonising the mind

Online / May 20, 2026. A new form of power is emerging, one that operates not through territory or industry, but through the human mind itself. In this next phase of the Information Age, the primary strategic asset is no longer land, labour, or even data, it is cognition. As digital platforms evolve into AI-driven environments, they no longer simply distribute information; they shape perception in real time.

PLANETARY ARTS WEBINAR: Aesthetic Rights in the AI Era: Arts, Human Agency, and the Governance of Human Experience

Online Webinar / 15 May, 2026. Humanity is entering a civilizational transition in which artificial intelligence increasingly shapes not only information and economies, but also perception, identity, representation, and the conditions of human experience itself. This webinar introduces the concept of aesthetic rights as an emerging framework at the intersection of human dignity, arts and culture, AI governance, and democratic futures.

Stop Gambling Away Our Future: Seeing Existential Risks Through the Eyes of Youth

Online Webinar / 12 May, 2026. Global youth face the near-certainty of a polycrisis—from catastrophic warming to AI disruption—while aging leaders gamble with their future for short-term gain.

PLANETARY ARTS WEBINAR: Art as a Catalyst for Human Security and Planetary Peace

Online Webinar / 30 April, 2026. As global threats, conflict, and social fragmentation increase, traditional security and peace-building methods show clear limitations. This webinar will examine how artistic expression can transform approaches to human security and planetary peace. Art bridges emotional and ethical gaps often missed by conventional frameworks, offering new ways to build resilient communities and foster global empathy.