SOT Events, Edition XVI
Guardians of the Future .
Throughout its 23 years of hosting SOT Events, Beaconhouse has advocated for the rights of children and young people to be active participants in their learning – to be guardians of the future: the next generations of mentors and leaders within their families, communities, and nations.
Our latest SOT Event retains this focus while also exploring the role of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in shaping our world going forward.
Conference Dimensions .

A Balanced Future
According to a recent comprehensive study, global warming has already bled Antarctica, which is larger than Europe, of about 2.7 trillion tons of ice. This enormous amount of ice has already raised global sea levels by as much as a centimeter (Meyer, 2018). Massive deforestation still occurs in the Amazon Basin, and across large swathes of Sub-Saharan Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia and West Papua.

An Inclusive Future
Differences based on race, colour, religion, creed, socio-economic class, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, gender and related issues have been politicised in the ideological narratives of many societies. A genuine commitment to a just and inclusive world should identify and call out examples of oppression, racism and bigotry.

An Expressive Future
Our world would be unimaginable if not for the philosophers, artists and musicians who have upturned the debate on what constitutes society, culture, expressive arts and valued social behavior. This realignment has shaped our moral compasses from that of considerations based purely on religion and ethnicity and the expected norms of a society to a movement within popular culture that has re-shaped our minds and our behavior (ACLU, 2020).

A Peaceful Future
Given the rise in global conflicts, economic instability, geopolitical rivalry of world powers, and the widening gap between the developed and developing worlds, it is now more important than ever to carve a pathway to uphold human rights, ensuring peace and security for a fairer, harmonious and prosperous world for future generations.

An Unknown Future
Scientific and technological advances in recent decades have greatly improved our capacity to predict and protect ourselves from many natural and man-made disasters. Yet, we remain extremely vulnerable both to natural elements and to the unpredictability of scientific advancements created through humanity’s hubris.
Schedule .
Our Speakers .

Amber Rahim Shamsi
Award-winning Journalist & Pakistan Editor, Nukta

Munizae Jahangir
Broadcast Journalist & Documentary Filmmaker

Hamra Abbas
Artist

Ahmed Saya
Founding Member, The Bridge School & Managing Partner, Reveal Pakistan

Ahmad Shabbar
Environmental Activist & Founding CEO, GarbageCAN, The Environmental & Climate REACH

Ali Xeeshan
CEO & Creative Director, Ali Xeeshan Theatre Studio

Ayesha Kasuri
Deputy Director Curriculum Development

Ali Ahmad Khan
Chief Operating Officer, Beaconhouse

Nazar-ul-Hassan
Actor

Hammad Naqi Khan
Director General, WWF Pakistan

Meesam Naqvi
Director & Actor

Tabinda Mazhar
Head of Education, Pakistan & MENA, Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Ali Raza
Group Director, Beaconhouse

Nassir Kasuri
Executive Director, International Division, Beaconhouse School System

Narjis Haider
Deputy Head, Beaconhouse Jubilee Campus

Deepak Perwani
Fashion Designer

Sophia K. Kasuri
Project Director, The Early Years & Gymboree Pakistan

Kasim Kasuri
Chair SOT, CEO Beaconhouse School System

Sarah Muneeb
Head, Assessment & Qualification Operations, Beaconhouse

Yasser Bashir
Founder & CEO, Arbisoft Ltd.

Vaneeza Ahmad
Model & Actor

Salima Hashmi
Artist, Curator, Contemporary Art Historian

Rashid Rana
Leading Artist & Dean, School of Visual Arts & Design, BNU

Mehmal Sarfraz
Journalist & Co-founder, The Current

Alyy Khan
British-Asian Actor

Tapu Javeri
Fashion & Art Photographer

Iram Naqvi
Psychologist & GM, Student Wellbeing Programme, Beaconhouse

Yousuf Kerai
Musician & Associate Professor, Habib University

Dr Mariam Chughtai
Director, National Curriculum Council, Federal Ministry of Education

Kamran Lashari
Director General, Walled City Lahore Authority

Isfundiar Kasuri
Tech Entrepreneur, Education Reform Specialist & Executive Director, New Globe

Monis Rahman
Founder, Dukaan, Rozee.pk & Finja

Uzma Yousuf
Country Director, Cambridge International Examinations & Goodwill Ambassador SDGs

Aisha Amir Ahmed
Educator, Founder & Lead Consultant, Amaltas Education

Arshad Saeed Husain
Managing Director, Oxford University Press

Samar Minallah Khan
Anthropologist and Filmmaker

Amneh Shaikh-Farooqui
Social Entrepreneur, Author, Leadership Coach & CEO, Polly and Other Stories

Iain Riley
School Head, TNS Beaconhouse DHA

Taimur Malik
Founder, Courting the Law

Dr Athar Osama
Founder, INNOventures Global & Pakistan Innovation Foundation

Azam Ali Noon
Head of Academics, The Educators

Ammar Aziz
Poet, Literary Translator, and Filmmaker

Rai M. Azlan
Blogger & Sports Communication Professional

Charles Barker
Chairman & CEO Hospitality Support & Consultancy Services - HSCS

Kanwal Malik
DGM, Education Operations, Beaconhouse

Florian Ciprian Baciu
Senior Manager, IB World Schools, Global IB Centre, Singapore

Umar Nadeem
Founding Partner, Tabadlab

Jazib Zahir
Director, LUMS Centre for Entrepreneurship

Rania Amaireh
Principal, Beaconhouse Al-Khaleej School, UAE

Sean Covey
Business Executive, Author and Speaker, President FranklinCovey Education

Shaiyanne Malik
Social Entrepreneur, Trainer & Fashion Designer

Jeffrey Archer
Bestselling Author, Member House of Lords, and Former Member, House of Commons

Zufishan Anushay
Founder, JFK Animal Rescue and Shelter

Tayseer Ali
Co-founder & Chief Financial Officer, SadaPay

Tazeen Hussain
Actor, Associate Professor, Habib University & Founder, The Karachi Collective

Zahra Sabri
Lecturer, Habib University

Sikander Bizenjo
Dev. Economist & External Engagements Mng., Engro & Co-founder Balochistan Youth Action Comm.

Sajjad Parmar
Founder & CEO, The Talent Accelerator

Sidra Iqbal
Journalist & TV Host

Shah Nasir Khan
Head, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office & Senior Strategic Planner, UN Pakistan

Qasim Tareen
Co-founder, Islamabad & Karachi Farmers Markets

Mira Sethi
Actor & Writer

Syed Mohammed Ahmed
Actor, Screenwriter & Lyricist

Sheikh Waqar Ahmad
Head, Corp. Affairs & Sustainability, Nestlé Pakistan & Afghanistan

Pir Saad Ahsanuddin
Investment Expert, Co-founder Cinepax & Partner, Digital Frontier Capital

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch
Spokesperson & Additional Foreign Sec., Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Govt. of Pakistan

Jamal Shah
Federal Minister for Culture & Heritage, Actor & Cultural Advocate

Paul Hutchings
Regional Manager, Google for Education ANZ, Pakistan, Mongolia, and Vietnam

Chris Betcher
Programme Manager, Google for Education, Sydney

Dr Sohail Naqvi
CEO, Knowledge Streams, Founding Rector, University of Central Asia & Former Vice Chancellor, LUMS

Faisal Aftab
Founder & General Partner, Zayn VC

Eisha Zeb
Green Innovation Consultant , Accelerate Prosperity

Nusser Sayeed
Children's Author & Founder GoRead.pk

Muriel Summers
Educator & Author

Gavin McCormack
Co-founder of Upschool.co

Mohammad Hafeez
Former Cricketer & Captain, Pakistan National Cricket Team

Marina Iqbal
Cricket Commentator & Former Cricketer

Dr Jesse Dvorchak
Deputy-Director, Digital Products & Services, Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Amanda Munoz de Toro
Founder & Executive Director, Fenix - Humanitarian Legal Aid

Abdullah Mustafa
Co-founder, BreatheEasy

Tughral Ali
Digital Finance Expert

Zara Shahjahan
Fashion Designer

Sana Yasir
Fashion Designer

Nilofer Afridi Qazi
Public Policy Specialist & Philanthropist

Ayesha Chundrigar
Founder & CEO, ACF Animal Rescue

Ali Tareen
Businessman & Social Entrepreneur, Owner & MD, Multan Sultans

Dr Matthew Glanville
Director of Assessment, International Baccalaureate

Kathryn Booth
Director School Qualifications, Pearson Middle East

Dr Moeed Yusuf
Vice Chancellor, Beaconhouse National University & Former Adviser to PM on National Security

Syeda Khadija Imam
Head of People & Culture, Switch Communications

Erik Stromquist
CEO, CTL

Abdul Moiz
Student, BCP Margalla Campus

Hamza Tarar
Interior Designer, Owner & Creative Director Casa Hamza

Dr Osama Siddique
Author, Academic, and Legal & Policy Reform Expert

Salman Parekh
Founder, Manto; Content Creator & Founder, Maansal Studios

Rania Faisal
Student, BCP Karakoram Campus

Sadaffe Abid
Founder & CEO, Circle & Former CEO, Kashf Foundation

Dr Sara Saeed Khurram
Co-founder and CEO of Sehat Kahani

Philip Muscott
Director of Curriculum, WeLearn Academy

Mariam Nusrat
Founder, Breshna.io

Maroof Ali Syed
President & CEO, Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP)

Taha Kehar
Novelist, Journalist, and Literary Critic

Aleena Naqvi
Fashion Photographer

Dr Fahad Umer
Assistant Prof Operative Dentistry & Endodontics, Aga Khan University Hospital

William McIntyre
Senior VP & International GM, Franklin Covey Education

Raheen Fatima
Social Activist & Podcaster

Sarah Rajper
Curator & Graphic Designer

Jose Alonso
Founder, Spanish Football Academy Pakistan & FIFA Certified Football Coach

Sabahat Bokhari
Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Jazz

Zeba Masood
Founder, Lucky Animal Protection Shelter (LAPS)

Asma Chishty
Editor In Chief, Destinations

Maha Chishti
Lawyer, Activist & Founder, Mahnush

Muhammad Ibrahim Rashid
Student, TNS Beaconhouse

Ahmer Farooq
Artist

Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi
ASP, Punjab Police

Todd Shea
Founder and CEO, CDRS

Andrew Coombe
Managing Director, OxfordAQA

Dr Tariq Banuri
Professor of Economics, University of Utah & Fmr. Chairman HEC

Khadija S Bakhtiar
CEO & Founder,Teach For Pakistan

Haris Shahzad
Lawyer & Owner, Rafiq Law Chamber

Dr Farid Panjwani
Dean, Aga Khan University - Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED)

Kim Insley
Associate Professor, University College London

Nadeem Jafar
CEO, JB Hotels & Resorts, Gilgit-Baltistan & GM, Roomy Signature Hotel, Islamabad

Shahbaz Taseer
Businessman and Author

Kevin Hiatt
Head, International Teaching and Learning Resources, Pearson

Roshaneh Zafar
Development Activist

Ali Safina
Actor

Ryan Hickman
Founder, Ryan's Recycling & Project3R

Tim Oates (CBE)
Director of Assessment Research and Development, Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry
Federal Secretary, Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training

Dr Basit Riaz Sheikh
Founder Forloops Inc., Capital TV & InstaWorld Inc.

Jill Ackers
Director Of Education, VS America

Dr J. D. LaRock
President & CEO, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)

Moneeza Butt
Partner, KPMG Pakistan

Valerie Khan
Social Activist

Nighat Dad
Lawyer & Founder, Digital Rights Foundation Member of UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on AI

Muhammad Saqib Tanveer
Journalist & Social Media Editor, Independent Urdu

Melissa McBride
Co-founder & CEO of Sophia Technologies and Sophia High School

Shahnaz Minallah
Life Coach of Mindfulness and Self-mastery

Wusat Ullah Khan
Journalist & Co-host

Fazal Niazi
Practice Lead, Motivational Speaker, and Trainer
