We launched the Climate Action Project for the fourth time. This time with 10,000,000 participants across 130 countries. Supported by Ministries of Education in 15 countries, UNEP, Jane Goodall Institute, Education International, Club of Rome, BETT show and many others.

This year we decided to launch Climate Action Day, a free webinar with an impressive line-up: Jane Goodall, Sir David Attenborough, President Robinson, Lord Knight, WWF, NASA, UNEP, Kumi Naidoo and many others.

climate-action.info - climateactionday.net

I had the honor of interviewing Jane Goodall as part of EI's World Teacher's Day event.

Due to the Corona virus all of the sudden Distance Learning is not that buzz word anymore. It now replaces classrooms globally but not... a teacher.
I have been teaching online for 15 years and the Kakuma project is a great case too. Here some interviews and articles/reports I wrote:

• UNESCO report
• Microsoft EDU
• Varkey Foundation (Global Teacher Prize)
• Knack Magazine [NL]
• Blog
• OVSG webinar [NL]

Watch this video

In 2015 I shipped my laptop to the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. I started to teach refugee students via Skype. 5 years later we were able to bring the project to a next stage: I traveled to the camp with the UN and was able to build 2 schools with the Maggie team. Those schools will allow us to train teachers, have more virtual interaction with students across the world, teach coding to young adults and allow to learn on demand via offline videos.

During the launch of our school we had NASA and WWF doing a webinar for the students. We also have a partnership with UNHCR, University of Nairobi and... we had a film crew. More about that later!

Watch this video

Koen was invited by Inspire Citizens and an international school in Beijing to work with 900 students and teachers. Koen did a keynote and 16 workshops with students focussing on the Climate Action project and the Innovation Lab Schools.

Koen was invited by UN Foundation to be part of the Youth Climate Summit and the Social Good summit in New York City. During his stay he was able to walk through the city during the climate strike with Greta Thunberg, Kumi Naidoo (Amnesty International) and princess Esmeralda of Belgium.

The best known way to compensate emissions of the greenhouse gas CO2 is by planting trees. 1 tree will absorb on average around 24 kg (53 pounds) per year. We have a huge community of teachers who are passionate about Climate Action. 1+1=2.
In September I launched PlantED, a global tree planting initiative. Across 100 countries students planted more than 1,000,000 trees. Flabbergasted!

Dr. Jane Goodall recorded a video with a powerful message.

The first Innovation Lab in Pugu, Tanzania was opened in presence of Dr. Jane Goodall and 2 National Geographic crews. This lab will initially offer free quality eduation to 60 students. The project involves our own curriculum, the Global Goals book which is available for free in 6 languages. Download our book.

Last year I launched the Innovation Lab Schools in which we currently are building schools in 12 countries, 3 of those in collaboration with Dr. Jane Goodall. The project also involves a new curriculum, our Global Goals book. The Innovation Lab Schools was recently announces being a finalist in the UNESCO prize for innovation in education.

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I had the opportunity to speak twice at GESF 2019 in Dubai. First I explained what teachers want from EdTech. Second I focussed on how innovations can be scaled globally. During these 2 days I was followed by Radio 2.

During the conference I had meetings with the ministers of education from Argentina, Uganda, Palestine and Kenya. They were all supportive about a collaboration in the Innovation Lab Schools. I also met president Bio (Sierra Leone) and president Santos (Colombia).

Koen and Dr. Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots are currently in partnership while developing Innovation Lab Schools in Tanzania. During a lunch meeting Jane and Koen discussed the curriculum and pointed out the progress of the Pugu lab.

During Dr. Goodall's gala event in the evening Koen presented the project. Koen had the opportunity to spend one day with Jane Goodall while visiting a tree planting and a gathering with volunteers.
During the evening Koen met Princess Marie-Esméralda of Belgium and they had a long conversation about how refugees can be educated.

Koen has been granted a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts and is joining a select group including Dame Judi Dench, Bob Dylan and Tim Berners-Lee; former fellows of the RSA include Marie Curie, Stephen Hawking, Charles Dickens and Benjamin Franklin.

Founded in 1754, the prestigious RSA aims to share powerful ideas, carry out cutting-edge research and build networks and opportunities for people to collaborate, helping to create fulfilling lives and a flourishing society.
Fellows of the RSA are elected by a panel of existing fellows who consider the nominee’s merits, creativity and alignment with the society’s ambitions.

How to bring innovation in education? I was honored to be invited to speak at the European parliament and answer questions during a panel.

Will robots replace teachers? How to use technology properly in the classroom and how about the future? To a crowd of 300 members of the European parliament and commission. During this conference Tony Wagner shared interesting insights about project-based learning.

In January 2019 Microsoft HQ sent a crew from Seattle to capture my story. The video will be revealed at ISTE 2018, USA

While at BETT London, I went live during an interview with the Skype team to talk about some of the global educational projects I launched.

I was interviewed during Zondaggasten, at the Cultural Center of Hasselt, by Guido Wevers.

Guido proved to be a wonderful man and a great moderator. I also met Koen Vanmechelen, a world renowned artist and enjoyed discovering some of his work.

I spoke in Russia about how to make learning global, using technology and the future of education.

During my stay I had some meetings with Richard Culatta (CEO ISTE), Cameron Wilson (director Code.org) and Anant Agarwal (CEO edX).

I spoke in the Netherlands about teaching in the Fourth Industrial revolution. Great group of teachers, ready for a change.

Koen Timmers made it to the 2018 top 10 as part of the Global Teacher Prize.

Education is the "master switch" for progress in society and individual lives

Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist.

Today I spoke to people from Rotary International. I shared my vision on Education and showed them some projects I launched during the past years and some future plans. They were more than excited. We'll take a look how we can collaborate in finding funds, making connections to public figures and go to the next stage. Read More

I spoke at the European Commission to policy makers including members of Europan parliament, council and commission about how to make learning effective, shifting to a variety of alternative learning approaches and focussing on UN SDGs and some of my global educational projects.

The presentation was live streamed to 3 other projects and the audience has some great questions and feedback.

In the beautiful setting of the Royal Flemish Theater Koen was able to speak to policy makers and school boards (OVSG). He spoke about innovation and creativity in education and stressed the importance of bringing the UN Sustainable Developments Goals in the classroom. He presented the Kakuma project, Climate Action project and Innovation project.

I was able to speak the Belgian King and Queen about my global educational projects including the Kakuma project. During our informal chat I offered them a book and surprisingly enough the King mentioned he spoke Klaus Schwab - who wrote our foreword - the day before.

At the end of the conversation I got I pitched my new project with Dr. Jane Goodall to the Queen who's also UN SDG Ambassador.

Top 10 finalists are requested to do a masterclass during the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai. Koen talks about the Kakuma project and the SDG projects. He also showcases the solar suitcase for the very first time.
Take a look at Koen's masterclass.

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It was a true honor to be on stage of the Global Teacher Prize. Nobody less than Trevor Noah and Lewis Hamilton announced the winner Andria. I was able to speak Charlize Theron, Al Gore and Tony Blair.

Is "I just can Google it" making us stupid? Perfect setting for a debate. Koen and his partner Andrew Lewis Smith don't think people are becoming more stupid buy using Google. The debate made the Dutch newspapers. Read the article.

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The Global Teacher Prize asked a film crew from London to follow Koen for 3 days. They came up with this video.

I was invited to speak to 1000 teachers during the ICTdag event in Leuven, Belgium. During my keynote I focussed on several educational projects.

The board of university colleges, VLHORA, wanted to feature my projects and life as a teacher during their annual event. I was interviewed and my statements were discussed by minister Tommelein and other policy makers.

Read interview (Talent voor morgen)
Watch video

I was invited by the Royal family of Abu Dhabi to speak at the QUDWA conference. During a panel talk we had to reflect on the use of social media in education: benefits, drawbacks and side effects.

During the conference I was called to be a QUDWA Fellow.