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We are very pleased to announce the publication of a special issue of the Journal of Indo-Canadian Studies focusing on the Revalidation of Ethics and Values in the 21st Century. The issue brings together a number of insightful editorials based on the international conference on the same topic organized by the Adi Shankara Group of Institutions and Globethics.net India on the 27 and 28 October 2021.

The conference aimed to guide new and experienced teachers, students and other stakeholders to recenter their curricular and pedagogical approach on ethics and values. Placing the 'Teacher as Fulcrum', its intended goal was for teacher-facilitators to function as dynamic catalysts in strengthening human values and humanistic impulses in the minds of the learners.

Throughout the two-day event, experienced administrators, teachers, and counsellors from India, Switzerland, UK, Netherlands, Philippines, Malaysia, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania shared their insights into the current situation of youth, and especially students, in the 21st century and the opportunities to re-prioritise ethical values in this context.

The virtual event was a live and dynamic attempt to rejuvenate the conscious revalidation of ethics and values as the prime mission of the teaching community. Highlights from the conference included two former ambassadors from Africa addressing the participants and the lively discussions that stemmed from the fascinating presentations.

Two special sessions were dedicated to presenting the vision and philosophy of Adi Shankara, and especially on the concept of ‘Guru’ as ‘fulcrum’ which underpinned the conference, and which is articulated in the video ‘Guru Ashtakam’.

Across both days, the talks addressed various important global polemics from the responsibilities of teachers in safeguarding ethics and values to research and future trends in gender studies. The contemporary relevance of the Shankara vision was brought to light, and other local focuses - including the mention of a shocking practice in higher education institutes in Nigeria - were placed in the global context of this debate.

On the second day of the conference, Globethics.net’s Christine Housel presented the infinite possibilities for academic programmes, publications, and other activities in revalidating ethics and values in education in the 21st century.

The special issue of the Journal of Indo-Canadian Studies, available to read for free, contains the full texts of selected talks and research papers presented at the conference.