Building Global Futures Together
The Global Futures Society (GFS) seeks to foster global collaboration among foresight practitioners, thinkers, and innovators to shape a sustainable and inclusive future. GFS connects futurists individuals and organisations across sectors, regions, and disciplines, offering a platform for knowledge exchange, partnership building, and the co-creation of innovative foresight initiatives.
Advancing inclusive, collaborative, and future-focused foresight
These principles guide both what we do and how we do it - ensuring diverse perspectives are heard and partnerships are strengthened across disciplines and geographies.
Collaboration Across Boundaries
We commit to working across sectors, regions, and perspectives to foster diverse and inclusive foresight practices.
Inclusive Participation
We actively seek and include voices that have been historically underrepresented in foresight conversations.
Shared Learning & Support
We value collective learning, knowledge sharing, and supporting one another as we pursue our shared goals.
Agility & Adaptability
We embrace change and remain open to adapting our approaches as new challenges and opportunities arise.
Cultivating a global futures community
We create spaces for meaningful dialogue, amplify a breadth of voices, and embed futures thinking across institutions and sectors.
Building a Global Foresight Community
Creating spaces for international dialogue and exchange.
Accelerating Foresight Integration
Promoting foresight practices within institutions and decision-making processes across sectors.
Elevating Diverse Voices
Ensuring underrepresented groups have platforms and influence within the foresight community.
Co-developing Research Initiatives
Driving collaborative global foresight research aligned with emerging trends and challenges.
Spotlighting the conversations driving change
Get Involved with GFS
The MENA Fellowship
Now in its third year, the Global Futures Society, alongside NGFP, continues to champion and elevate the voices of the MENA region's next generation of foresight practitioners. Meet past fellows and learn more about this opportunity here. Applications close on 26 June 2026.
NGFP Young Voices Awards MENA Region
The Global Futures Society and Teach the Future are calling on youth aged 12–17 across the MENA region with bold, future-focused ideas and socially impactful projects. Discover the brightest young voices of 2025 and apply to this year's NGFP Young Voices Awards here.
LaFutura x Asia – Horizons 2049
A global online gathering bringing together futurists, foresight practitioners, academics, and innovation leaders to explore the diverse landscape of future thinking in Asia. Participants will exchange methodologies, surface best practices, and discuss how to strengthen futures thinking across institutions and ecosystems. Register here.
Beyond the Individual
Hosted by Soha Rashed, this session brought the community together to explore themes of connection and care across past, present, and future perspectives. The gathering invited reflection on how collective wellbeing and relational thinking can shape more inclusive and resilient futures, while creating space for shared dialogue and exchange.
GFS Café
The first GFS Café of the year brought members together for community updates, new member introductions, and conversations on the role of youth and AI in futures - alongside a focus on centering the margins in foresight.
Scenario Insights Dubai
Hosted by ScMI and the German Emirati Joint Council for Industry and Commerce in partnership with GFS, this seminar brought together foresight practitioners to explore possible future scenarios for Dubai and the wider MENA region.
GFS at SXSW
Members of the GFS community gathered in Austin for an informal meetup, bringing together futurists, innovators, and friends of the network for meaningful conversations and connection-building.
GFS Café
Throughout 2025, our informal online gatherings brought together both new and longtime members, focusing on turning ideas into actionable projects while strengthening the global foresight ecosystem.
Portrait of A Futurist
Held at SXSW 2025, this session offered a deep-dive into the evolving role of futurists and marked the official launch of a global survey report conducted in collaboration with Ipsos. Explore the findings here.
Leaders for Humanity
An interactive session led by Sabrina Sullivan and Meghan Donohoe that invited GFS members to reimagine leadership through a foresight lens and explore what makes a 'Foresightful Leader'. Engage with the game here.
Why the Future Needs Latin America
GFS members explored ALAF's four pillars through data, stories, and collective imagination, reframing foresight from a regenerative Global South perspective.
Empowering Youth with Futures Literacy
Led by Teach the Future, this session showcased how young people are transforming futures literacy into real-world competence, featuring the FutureWISE curriculum launch.
What Makes a Futurist?
In partnership with the Association of Professional Futurists, GFS co-created a special Compass Magazine edition for the Dubai Future Forum 2025. Contributors also joined a panel exploring what defines a futurist today - and what the role demands in an increasingly complex world.
GFS Pitch Session
A 360° workshop at the Dubai Future Forum 2025 exploring how connections can evolve into meaningful commitments through collaborative pitches and dialogue within the global foresight ecosystem.
Building a Star Alliance in Futures Studies
This workshop facilitated by Sohail Inayatullah explored how to strengthen quality and collaboration across the rapidly expanding field of futures studies. It convened leaders to shape a 'Star Alliance' - advancing networks, standards, and learning pathways. Read the report here.
Building the Shared Foundations of the Discipline of Anticipation
Led by Riel Miller on Learning Day, this workshop explored emerging theories and practices shaping the "discipline of anticipation," bringing together global perspectives on anticipatory systems and futures research. Participants exchanged insights on current research and approaches to anticipation.
Scenarios for Strategic Leadership in Business
This exclusive workshop hosted with Dr Jan Oliver Schwarz at Capital Club Dubai explored how business and civic leaders can use scenario planning to navigate uncertainty. Participants examined technology shifts and societal megatrends to build future scenarios and strengthen strategic thinking.
The Futures Within
This workshop explored the personal dimension of futures thinking through immersive methods including LEGO® Serious Play®, zine-making, and rapid prototyping. Participants tested a Personal Futures Readiness Tool and reflected on making foresight more human-centered and actionable. Facilitated by Anticipate and pxd Labs.
Tomorrow’s Children, Today’s Voices
This youth-led “unconference” explored the futures of childhood through intergenerational dialogue and collaborative foresight exercises. Using the Future Child Persona methodology, participants - which included renown futurists Dr Peter Bishop and Bill Sharpe - imagined alternative futures for children. Facilitated by GFS member Teach the Future alongside UNICEF and Future Stewards.
A Global Foresight Standard
Facilitated by Ascent Growth Partners, this Learning Day workshop explored how foresight standards help organizations navigate rapid change and “quantum shifts.” Participants examined how shared standards strengthen innovation, collaboration and adaptability across AI, space and health.
Editing the Future
This workshop convened editors from leading futures journals to examine how publishing shapes whose voices are amplified – exploring AI, inclusion, and emerging knowledge forms. Read the summary and explore a curated selection of standout essays recommended by the editors here.
GFS Action Jam
Hosted by Victoria Mulligan and Nils Müller at DFF 2024, this gathering brought together GFS members to connect, share ideas, and explore collaboration opportunities.
Unconventional Futures
Hosted by the Association of Professional Futurists, this workshop offered a deep dive into non-traditional, human-centred approaches to futures thinking.
2071: The Age of Humility
4CF launched their first foresight gamebook in collaboration with GFS at the Dubai Future Forum 2024 - an interactive experience for futurists to navigate complex scenarios.
ALAF Official Debut
This event spotlighted the 'Latin American way' of foresight - merging conventional methodologies with ancestral wisdom. It also highlighted the importance of embedding future generations into today's foresight practices.
Global Energy Scenarios
This energy insights session gathered 30 participants to explore future energy scenarios and impacts on climate, development, and geopolitics. Discussions focused on transition planning, biophysical limits, and creating value for fossil fuel–producing states in a zero-carbon future. Hosted by 4Sing and Sproule, read more here.
Global Futures Research
This session explored the Millennium Project’s State of the Future 20.0, focusing on AGI governance, global challenges, and the role of foresight in decision-making. Participants discussed pathways for managing AGI transitions, strengthening futures research, and advancing parliamentary committees for the future.
How do Futurists View the World?
A global survey conducted by Ipsos inviting GFS members to share their perspectives alongside 52,000 people from 50 countries. Explore the findings here.
Unlocking Africa's Potential Through Foresight Modelling
The Institute for Security Studies convened experts to explore three critical global issues, facilitating meaningful information exchange and collaboration.
Dreams & Disruption
Led by Sherman Cruz, this session invited GFS members to explore alternative futures through storytelling, strategic thinking, and collaborative play. Explore the game here.
Reimagining Future Tools for Local Context
Hosted by Sara Kichly from Women Who Future(s), participants created future worlds grounded in their own language, culture, and local symbols.
The Global Futures Society Network Map
Explore the Map