World Future Day is an international day aimed at enhancing the ability of societies and governments to think forward and foresee, cope with uncertainty, and promote collective actions. It is celebrated annually on December 2 by UNESCO and aims to spread a culture of forward-looking thinking.

History

UNESCO has been celebrating World Future Day annually since 2021. In November 2022, UNESCO member states officially recognized this day, emphasizing the importance of imagining and anticipating the future in building societies together in a more inclusive and balanced manner. The day allows different social actors to develop long-term strategies and strengthen their capacities for future-oriented thinking.

Purpose and Significance

The primary aim of World Future Day is to encourage societies and decision-makers to think consciously about the future. Within this scope, the application of future-oriented thinking methods, strengthening the collective intelligence of society, and contributing to policymaking through foresight studies are targeted. The day emphasizes the understanding that the future is not only anticipated but also shaped through knowledge and imagination. The UNESCO Director-General has noted that the future represents both opportunities and collective responsibilities for humanity and highlighted the importance of an inclusive multilateral approach that respects the expectations of young people.

UNESCO’s Contributions and Programs

World Future Day is supported by various UNESCO programs and initiatives. The Management of Social Transformations Program supports the management of social transformations, while the Future Literacy Labs operate as a network of laboratories aimed at enhancing future-oriented thinking skills. Additionally, the Designing Africa’s Future Project aims to strengthen sustainable development and regional foresight capacities across the African continent. Through its future literacy program, UNESCO emphasizes that thinking about the future is based on humanity’s diversity of knowledge, culture, and worldviews, viewing this approach as a powerful tool for innovation and transformation. UNESCO promotes this program globally through its laboratories and workshops.

Future-Oriented Messages and Examples

The 2022 message highlighted the importance of future-oriented thinking and imagination, stating that this approach plays a fundamental role in shaping societies in a more inclusive and balanced way. The future literacy program aimed to enable societies to leverage current opportunities and support innovation and transformation.

The 2024 message reminded that acting with courage carries tangible hope for a better future and emphasized the need to turn uncertainties arising from climate change and technological transformations into opportunities. The message also called for strengthening an inclusive multilateral approach that respects the expectations of young people within the framework of the 2024 Future Summit and Future Pact, and highlighted regulating digital platforms and combating climate degradation as global strategic priorities.

The theme of World Future Day 2025 has been determined as “Foresight in the Age of Volatility.” The event will be held in person on December 2, 2025, at UNESCO’s Headquarters in Paris. The event will address the capacities of societies and governments to cope with uncertainty, demonstrate the application of foresight and future thinking in policymaking, and discuss emerging trends on the horizon through interdisciplinary expertise and university-based future studies chairs. It is emphasized that the future contains surprises and that these surprises must be transformed into opportunities for progress.

UNESCO notes that more effective actions can be taken through ways of thinking about the future. This approach has been evident in past initiatives, such as the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights adopted in 1997 or the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence adopted in 2021. The 2022 Transforming Education Summit is a current example of this perspective.

Philosophical Perspective and Values

Drawing on the thoughts of Beninese philosopher Paulin J. Hountondji, UNESCO advocates viewing the future as a shared promise. This approach is built on values such as respect for contemporary cultural diversity, the protection of human dignity, and the strengthening of the foundations of lasting peace.