Events
Events
Events
Events are essential for building community, sharing knowledge, and inspiring collaboration. The Villars Institute hosts a wide range of programs—from summits and conferences to cultural activities—including three flagship events: the Villars Summit, the Villars Symposium, and the Global Learning Conference, along with several partner events. Together, these gatherings bring diverse voices from Switzerland and around the world to advance planetary health, sustainable development, and education.
Upcoming Villars Institute Events
The Global Learning Conference in Africa convenes leading educators, thought leaders, policy and decision makers, entrepreneurs and multi-generational learners to address these systemic issues, to reshape the future of learning, and to drive impact at scale. The conference was co-founded by the Global Learning Council, the Villars Institute and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), and the 2026 edition in Africa is co-hosted by the Rwanda Ministry of Education. This gathering offers a unique opportunity to collaborate across geographies, sectors and disciplines, to design resilient pathways for the future of learning and education, and to spark innovations that respond to our most pressing global challenges.
The Villars Institute Summit 2026 will take place on 18-20 March at the Villars Palace Hotel with 300 experts, conservation leaders, chief sustainability officers, entrepreneurs, investors and philanthropists. The aim of the Summit is to address the climate and biodiversity crises holistically through interdisciplinary collaboration to accelerate systems transformation.
The Villars Symposium will take place on 14–17 June at the Villars Palace Hotel, bringing together over 200 Villars Fellows alongside the Institute’s partners, leading experts and innovators. The aim of the Symposium is to initiate the Fellows’ lifelong journey as systems leaders through interdisciplinary learning, intergenerational collaboration and exposure to real-world challenges.
Experience an unforgettable two-day celebration of classical music featuring leading international musicians performing alongside rising talents and prize-winning artists from the Villars Music Academy. The program also includes the announcement of the Robert Dunand Prize finalist, an exclusive distinction awarded to one of the Academy’s outstanding young performers.
Upcoming Partner Events
FIFAD @ Villars — 3rd edition
Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland | 27 Feb–2 March 2026
The Diablerets International Alpine Film Festival (FIFAD) returns to the Villars Palace for its third winter edition, offering a dynamic mix of film screenings, discussions, and encounters celebrating our mountains and the people who protect them. In partnership with the Villars Institute, the festival highlights key issues of sustainable development, climate change in alpine regions, and the preservation of natural heritage. The 2026 program features a Best Of selection from FIFAD 2025, exclusive meetings with directors, athletes, scientists, and a special environment and climate day dedicated to young audiences.
Edufest
Rolle, Switzerland | 5 June 2026
EduFest— Institut Le Rosey's annual education festival—celebrates learning that is inspiring, engaging, and for everyone. Rather than promoting a single viewpoint, it showcases a lively mix of current ideas in education: something to challenge, excite, try anew, or reinforce existing strengths. In a relaxed, festive atmosphere, educators come together to explore cutting-edge research and bold, thought-provoking perspectives. In 2026, the Villars Institute is proud to join as a main partner, supporting this vibrant celebration of curiosity, collaboration, and the evolving future of learning.
Past events
Expand to view 12 past Events
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