Narrative arc:
Moral purpose → Human leadership → Collective responsibility
DAY 1
March 27, 2026
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE PEOPLE
18:00-19:00
Cultural Program
Creative Reflection on Purpose: A performance-based exploration that uses the arts to ground the forum’s technical and philosophical discussions in Armenia's cultural identity. This program reminds participants that the heartbeat of education is meaning, empathy, and shared heritage
MVF Band (Miqayel Voskanyan & Friends)
Ethno-Jazz and Folk-Fusion Ensemble
Celebratory Reception and Networking
Social Fabric Building: Informal networking to solidify the new partnerships formed throughout the day. Focuses on the "Partnership" pillar—recognizing that we only succeed when we work together.
17:30–18:00
17:15-17:30
Event Hosts
Gor Nazaryan
Chief Operating Officer, Teach For Armenia
Alexander Plato Hakobyan
Managing Director of System Innovations, Teach For Armenia
Closing Ceremony
Synthesizing the Day: A reflective wrap-up of Day 1's journey from individual moral purpose to collective responsibility, preparing the ground for the systems-level "Partnership" discussions of Day 2.
16:15 – 17:15
Curated Speakers
Speaker 1
Artak Beglaryan
Human rights defender, public speaker, and consultant.
Speaker 2
Riddhi Samarth
Teach for India Alum, Chief of Staff at Teach For India
Speaker 3
Marie Lou Papazian,
Co-founder, TUMO Center for Creative Technologies; Education Leader
Speaker 4
Mariam Virabyan
11 th- grade Seroond student, Vanadzor Shahumyan school
Speaker 5
Vigen Khachatryan
Armath Engineering Lab Coach
Speaker 6
Liana Ghaltaghchyan
Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF).
Lightning Speeches
Voices of Education — Storytelling Stage
What AI and Emerging Technologies are Truly Teaching Us About Learning: A series of rapid-fire talks from diverse leaders. These speeches move beyond technical specs to explore how new tools are forcing us to redefine human intelligence, pedagogical creativity, and the essence of the learning process.
14:55 – 16:10
Moderator
Anna Khachian
Head of MA program in Teacher-Leadership at Teach For Armenia and Yerevan State University
Panelist 1
Caroline Paul
Teach For India Alum, currently serves as the City Director at Teach For India Mumbai
Panelist 2
Lara Tcholakian
Education Leader and Education Systems Advocate
Panelist 3
Aušra Rutkienė
Professor, Vytautas Magnus University, Vilnius, Lithuania
Panelist 4
Vagharshak Matikyan
Head of Education Inspection Body
Panelist 5
Tamara Sargsyan
Tamara Sargsyan is the Head of the Department of General Education at the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports (MoESCS) of the Republic of Armenia
Panel Discussion 1
Education as a Catalyst: How Teachers and Students Drive Systemic Change
How Teachers and Students Drive Systemic Change: Highlighting the "People" pillar. A showcase of real-world cases where classroom-level leadership and youth agency have sparked broader community and systemic transformation.
13:45 – 14:45
Stephen Jull
Education & Innovation Leader in AI and Emerging Technologies
Zelezny-Green, Ronda
Director of AI & Educational Technology Initiatives at Teach For All
Plenary 1
Future Learning & AI
Human-Centered Innovation in Practice: An exploration of the "Practice" pillar. Focuses on how AI, data, and collective intelligence can serve as tools for ethical innovation, personalizing learning while accelerating inclusion.
Renata Lemos
Senior Economist, World Bank Education Global Practice
13:00 - 13:40
Global Keynote 3
Classrooms Without Borders
Mental Health as a Lever for Systemic Change: Positioning mental health and child wellbeing not as standalone interventions, but as transformative levers for systemic change. This session explores how collective leadership addresses trauma and displacement—drawing on the Armenian response to refugee crises—to prove that education and social cohesion extend far beyond the classroom walls.
12:15 – 13:00
Mariam Aleksanyan
Teacher Leadership Program Alum, Learning Design Manager at Teach for Armenia
Coffee & Connection
Guided Networking and Reflection: A structured break designed to bridge gaps between sectors. Participants are prompted to discuss their personal "philosophy" and how their specific field contributes to education.
11:40 – 12:15
Larisa Hovannisyan
Founder & CEO, Teach For Armenia
Global Keynote 2
Future of Schools or the Schools of Future
Evolving Learning Ecosystems: Exploring how the "People" and "Practice" pillars intersect. This talk focuses on how school environments must change to cultivate 21st-century leadership, creativity, and human connection in every student.
10:30 – 11:30
Radha Ruparel
Education Leader & Global Education Advocat
Global Keynote 1
The Moral Case for Collective Leadership
Education as a Shared Moral Enterprise: A deep dive into the "Philosophy" pillar. This session explores how restoring trust, hope, and civic responsibility can transform education into a deeply ethical mission for every citizen.
Zhanna Andreasyan,
Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Armenia
Gor Nazaryan
Chief Operating Officer, Teach For Armenia
Opening Ceremony
The National Call to Action: Official remarks setting the stage for education as a force for national renewal. Focuses on the alignment between government vision and grassroots innovation to ensure every child in Armenia can lead.
10:15 – 10:30
10:00 – 10:15
Event Hosts
Gor Nazaryan
Chief Operating Officer, Teach For Armenia
Alexander Plato Hakobyan
Managing Director of System Innovations, Teach For Armenia
Introduction to the
Forum Concept & Orientation
Framing the Philosophy, Purpose, and Journey: An introduction to the two-day narrative. This session defines the "MindX" approach—reimagining education not as a static system, but as a dynamic space for co-creation and shared leadership.
Registration
Welcoming the Collective: Arrival and check-in for participants from all sectors. Attendees receive their forum materials and begin the journey of transforming from individual actors into a unified learning community.
09:30 – 10:00
Speakers
Session & Focus
TIME
