Speaker Introductions

Founder of Hadera Democratic School in Israel, and Chief Educational Innovation Advisor to the Israeli Ministry of Education for six terms, Yaacov Hecht is widely recognized as the father of educational innovation and democratic education worldwide. He is one of the founders of the International Democratic Education Conference (IDEC) and the author of the book "Democratic Education: A Beginning of a Story." In 2005, he was named one of the top ten most influential figures in Israel's social education sector by The Marker, the country's leading financial magazine.

A renowned Japanese educational sociologist, Kageki Asakura is the founder of Tekisen Democratic University (TDU) and is known for his research on the phenomenon of "school refusal." He has been invited multiple times to serve as an educational advisor to both the Korean Parliament and the European Parliament and has authored numerous educational books. As an advocate for democratic education, Asakura is dedicated to promoting its importance and integrating it into the Japanese education system.

A researcher and educator in the field of democratic education, Tae-Wook Ha is a professor in the Alternative Education Department at Asian Life University. He established Korea's first graduate program dedicated to democratic education. In March 2022, he was appointed as the principal of Korea's first fully democratic national school, Sinnaneun "The Exciting," for which he also designed the theoretical framework. Tae-Wook was also the host of IDEC in 2009 and 2014.

Summerhill School, the world's first progressive democratic school, celebrates independent individuals, emphasizes a human-centered approach, and advocates for an education that includes both intellectual and emotional learning. This small school in the hills of England has become a pioneer in contemporary open education, influencing educational practices globally. It has also had a profound impact on education in Taiwan, inspiring the establishment of forest schools and the rise of human-centered education. Henry Readhead is the Deputy Principal of Summerhill School, Co-Director of A.S. Neill Summerhill CIC, and an educational consultant. He is also the grandson of A.S. Neill, the founder of Summerhill School.

A disciple of John Dewey, Jerry Mintz advocates for democratic principles, believing that the essence of education is life, growth, reorganization, and transformation. He has spent decades serving as a principal and teacher in both public and independent alternative schools, and has helped establish over fifty public and private alternative schools and organizations. Mintz was the founding Executive Director of the National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools (NCACS) and a founding member of the International Democratic Education Conference (IDEC). He also founded the Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO), where he serves as the director. AERO has become one of the most important platforms for information, resources, collaborative learning, and incubation in the world for learners.

Katerina Botvinnik is the co-founder of numerous alternative and democratic education organizations in Ukraine, including "One Crazy School." She continuously works towards supporting Ukrainian democratic schools, ensuring community safety, and normalizing education. As a mother of two homeschooled children, she places great emphasis on the parent-child educational connection, respecting children's choices, and growing together through the exploration process. She was also the host of IDEC-EUDEC 2019.

Monika Irayati is the founder of Erudio Indonesia, one of Indonesia's leading democratic schools. She connects students with relevant industries, providing a friendly and inclusive space for free development. She is dedicated to cultivating graduates who seek new insights, maintaining a learning environment open to all sources, and believes in equal learning rights for everyone. Monika is also a co-founder of the Indonesian Network of Alternative Education (JPA) and represents Indonesia in the Asia-Pacific Democratic Education Community (APDEC).

Imron Zuhri with his wife Monika Irayati, are the founders of Erudio Indonesia, a democratic school in Indonesia. Both also founded the Research Center for Future Education and initiated the Indonesian Alternative Education Network, which aims to promote and advocate the Indonesian Government on alternative and democratic education. Additionally, Imron also serves as the Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Dattabot, a startup technology company focusing in big data analytics and artificial intelligence. Imron also active as board members of several cultural and social organizations, from contemporary dance to urban poors.

Amukta Mahapatra is a pioneer of the democratic education movement in India. She collaborated with UNICEF to develop programs promoting educational equality, which have been implemented in public schools across ten states in India. She founded the Montessori teacher training program SchoolScape in India, helping schools design comprehensive curricula based on Montessori and democratic principles, along with related teacher development and training. Mahapatra's efforts aim to foster children's autonomous learning and self-development, providing a more inspiring and personalized learning environment. She also hosted IDEC in 2004 and 2018.

Principal/School Director of Sri Matri Aurobindo Vidyalaya, the school in Sri Aurobindo Yoga Mandir Ashram, which provides comprehensive care—including education from early childhood to secondary school, as well as food, accommodation, physical and mental health, and spiritual well-being—for underprivileged children in Nepal. He is dedicated to democratic education, fostering mutual growth between students and teachers, and equipping students with the skills needed to become complete and dignified individuals. Vedananda encourages students to engage in service at hospitals, engineering firms, and various other fields of interest, promoting the idea that education should go beyond theoretical knowledge to include practical experience and community involvement. An early student of the ashram, Vedananda completed his degrees in mathematics and physics in Germany before becoming the school's principal at the age of 24.

Marko is the founder of Phoenix School, an online school centered around learners. He also served as the organizer of IDEC in 2016.

I'm Tania Corbett, an educator of Māori descent from Motueka, South Island, New Zealand. My ancestral mountain is Hikurangi, and my tribe is Ngāti Porou. I am dedicated to revitalizing indigenous identity, language, and culture through education and promoting Māori cultural programs in local secondary schools. As a founding member of the "Ako-ā-Rongo" charitable organization, I helped organize the 2015 IDEC conference. I look forward to attending the 2024 IDEC in Taiwan to explore the historical connections between the Māori and Taiwan, and to engage and learn with people from around the world. I believe in the importance of being a good ancestor and am committed to nurturing caring, interconnected communities

Mike is a co-founder of Netzwerk-Schule in Germany and the children's rights organization KRä.TZä. He is also the author of several books and organized IDEC in 2005.

Founder of FilmsFarmSchool (Suansilp Binsi), an institution dedicated to creating alternative learning spaces where the local community can unleash their imagination, play together, and explore learning. Nao has traveled to various countries around the world, exploring local alternative education for over 20 years. She hopes to share her experiences with grassroots educational movements and practices from Thailand.

Founder and proprietor of Graceland Playschool; Founder of Warmth Charity; Facilitator of Malaysia Awakened Parenting (MAP) workshops; Third-degree Reiki healer.

An educational worker from Australia, she is former staff member of Currambena school and established the Australian Democratic Education Community (ADEC). She is also a co-founder of the Asia-Pacific Democratic Education Community (APDEC).

He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. However, he found that the life of seeking research funding in the laboratory was not suitable for him. Instead, he worked at The Tutorial School in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. This school is non-coercive, non-hierarchical, and operates under a student-led management style. Moe worked here for 30 years, dedicating himself to advancing the continued development of the school.

A graduate of Shure University (TDU), he is also a co-founder of the social enterprise "Creation Group 440Hz," which was established by individuals who were formerly school refusers or "hikikomori," aiming to enable people to "live the lives they envision for themselves."

Principal of the Heartland Academy's Center for Women.

He serves as the representative chairman of the People's Solidarity of Alternative Education (PSAE), the largest alternative education alliance organization in South Korea. Additionally, he holds the positions of Dean of the Teachers' College for Life and Principal of Malgeunsam School. Deeply involved in alternative schools and community outreach, he believes that these two aspects are closely interconnected communities. He emphasizes the importance of personal involvement to effectively convey values, focusing on grassroots educational initiatives.