SCCCE hosts inaugural Regional Convening on "Promoting Harmony through Character Education: Asian and International Perspectives"
On 1 September 2026, the Singapore Centre for Character and Citizenship Education (SCCCE) hosted its inaugural regional convening, “Promoting Harmony through Character Education: Asian and International Perspectives”. Supported by the Global Innovations for Character Development (GICD) initiative through the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, the hybrid event brought together 87 participants from Singapore and across the region.
Across four symposia, presenters explored how character education can help individuals and communities flourish together. Harmony was examined as an active process of understanding and engaging with difference, supported by care and empathy. Drawing on Asian and international perspectives, presentations highlighted how cultural traditions, local experiences and supportive relationships shape character development, with research on wisdom, adolescent empathy and inclusive school environments providing further insights.
Presentations also connected these ideas with practice. Examples included school-based approaches and community dialogue in Singapore, holistic education through everyday school life in Japan, culturally grounded education in Indonesia, a humanities-based programme for frontline health workers in Pakistan, and a community school in Bangladesh. Together, these contributions highlighted the role of relationships, reflection and opportunities to practise values in character development.
The convening created valuable opportunities to exchange research and practical approaches across contexts. Since the event, participants have continued the dialogue through resource sharing and exploratory discussions about collaboration. SCCCE thanks all presenters and participants for their contributions.
Across four symposia, presenters explored how character education can help individuals and communities flourish together. Harmony was examined as an active process of understanding and engaging with difference, supported by care and empathy. Drawing on Asian and international perspectives, presentations highlighted how cultural traditions, local experiences and supportive relationships shape character development, with research on wisdom, adolescent empathy and inclusive school environments providing further insights.
Presentations also connected these ideas with practice. Examples included school-based approaches and community dialogue in Singapore, holistic education through everyday school life in Japan, culturally grounded education in Indonesia, a humanities-based programme for frontline health workers in Pakistan, and a community school in Bangladesh. Together, these contributions highlighted the role of relationships, reflection and opportunities to practise values in character development.
The convening created valuable opportunities to exchange research and practical approaches across contexts. Since the event, participants have continued the dialogue through resource sharing and exploratory discussions about collaboration. SCCCE thanks all presenters and participants for their contributions.
