WFWPI Global Webinar: “Education is Freedom - The Future Is in Your Hands” — Women's Federation For World Peace International

The Women’s Federation for World Peace International (WFWPI) successfully hosted a powerful global webinar titled “Education is Freedom: The Future Is in Your Hands,” featuring world-renowned business leader, philanthropist, author, and educator Jim Keyes. About 70 participants from different continents gathered on Zoom with great excitement, proving once again that learning has no borders, no limits, and no age.

The webinar was moderated by Kefilwe Lebepe, leader of the WFWPI Young Professionals Team and Sub-regional Director for WFWP Central Europe, who created a warm, engaging, and high-energy atmosphere for the online event.

Keyes, former CEO of 7-Eleven, Inc. and Blockbuster, Inc., captivated participants with his inspiring life journey. From childhood adversity and poverty to leadership at two globally recognized Fortune 500 companies, his message served as a living testament that education is the greatest equalizer and the true key to freedom.

His foundation, Education Is Freedom, has helped thousands of youth pursue higher education, raising more than $450 million in scholarships and fellowships, amplifying the idea that empowered learners can change not only their own lives, but also their communities and nations.

One of the most unforgettable moments of the event was when Mr. Keyes confidently declared: “Today, I want to teach you how to fly.”

He revealed three powerful principles and his personal life gifts that shaped his success. First, he emphasized the power of embracing change, explaining that although change is often uncomfortable and unpredictable, it is precisely where new opportunities begin. Second, he highlighted confidence, not as something a person is born with, but something that can be learned, strengthened, and proven through action, curiosity, and the courage to try. Finally, he spoke about clarity, the ability to take something complex and simplify it into meaningful, understandable steps that lead to a solution and progress.

Together, these three elements form the mindset that allowed him to overcome fear and rise beyond circumstances many would consider limiting. He further emphasized that fear, not failure, is humanity’s greatest limitation, and knowledge combined with faith is the antidote that allows individuals and societies to rise and thrive.

The interactive Q&A session covered crucial questions related to overcoming fear, maintaining inner peace, and the future of global education, especially in the age of AI. Keyes encouraged daily purpose, meditation, learning, and gratitude as tools for emotional resilience and spiritual groundedness.

He also shared his belief that universal literacy is now possible through digital tools, AI-based learning, and global cooperation, urging the world to imagine every child, especially girls, equipped with knowledge and confidence to shape their own destiny.

Keyes closed his talk with a memorable message : “Educate a woman, and you educate a family. Educate a family, and you educate a community, and eventually the world.”

WFWPI appreciated Keyes for sharing his deep wisdom, hope, and empowerment with women, youth, educators, and peace advocates worldwide.