2008 International Brain Education Conference

• Theme: The Future of Education and Hope for the Earth
• Host: Korea Institute of Brain Science, IBREA-USA
• Date: June 20, 2008
• Venue: United Nations Headquarters in New York, Conference Room #2
• Attendees: UN representatives from 10 countries and 500 educators and scientists

Presentations

Education, Human Rights and Dignity

– H.E. Mr. Raymond Wolfe, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the UN

Education for a Culture of Peace

– Helene-Marie Gosselin, Director, UNESCO New York Office

Update on training and education for Millennium Development Goals

– Hanifa Mezoui, PhD, Chief, NGO Section, Dept. Of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)

Application of Brain Education 1: Brain Education for Successful Aging

– Jessie Jones, Ph.D., Co-Director, Center for Successful Aging, Cal State University, Fullerton

Application of Bain Education 2: Brain Education in US Schools

– Warrington Parker, Ph.D., Vice-President, IBREA USA

Neuroscience, Education, and Culture

– Antonio Damasio, MD., Ph.D (▶Watch the presentation on Youtube)

How to Use the Brain Well

– Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D, neuroanatomist and author of My Stroke of Insight (▶Watch the presentation on Youtube)

Brain Education: Our Hope for the Earth

– Ilchi Lee, President of IBREA (▶Watch the presentation on Youtube)

The theme of the conference was “The Future of Education and Hope for the Earth” in commemoration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The goal of the conference was to reflect upon the various problems humankind faces today and to share the status of Brain Education in Korea, which is receiving attention in the United States as an alternative educational model, and its prospects for the future.

The conference focused attention on world peace for humankind, the ultimate goal of the United Nations, which can be achieved through education. It was a large-scale international event held at United Nations headquarters with “brain” as the theme.

The conference was attended by Hanifa Mezoui, Chief of NGO Section in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs; Liberato Bautista, President of Conference of NGOs in Consultative Status with the UN (CoNGO); Helene-Marie Gosselin, Director of UNESCO New York Office; Park In-gook, UN ambassador of Korea; and other 50 prominent UN officials. Also, Oscar Arias Sanchez, President of Costa Rica; Hilary Clinton, United States senator; and Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City, sent congratulatory messages, showing their interest.

The conference was divided into “Brain Education and Human Rights” and “Application of Brain Education” sessions and diverse presentations were made. In the special sessions in the afternoon, Antonio Damasio, the world-renowned neuroscientist; Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, the author of My Stroke of Insight; and Ilchi Lee, President of IBREA, presented lectures and panel discussions. This event was the first to introduce Brain Education to the international community. As a result, IBREA USA (the predecessor of the IBREA Foundation) was established, initiating activities to spread Brain Education to developing countries like El Salvador through the UN.