This year's festival debuted the first-ever parent panel discussions. Many Wellington College China parents are leaders in academics, finance, biotech, AI and robotics, sharing unique perspectives on how to equip children for an increasingly complex future.

The day was therefore punctuated with panels featuring parent representatives from around the Wellington College China group, discussing salient issues around preparing children for the revolutionary technological changes they are to face in the future.

AI and its profound implications for education was a key theme of the day. Zhao Yong, a professor at the University of Kansas in the United States and the Melbourne Graduate School of Education in Australia, delivered a keynote address, emphasizing the importance of leveraging AI's capabilities while at the same time developing unique human skills that machines struggle to replicate.

Beyond AI, the festival featured a wide range of sessions that tackled important issues in education, such as nurturing empathy and belonging, leadership, developing global competence, and climate and environmental sustainability.