A three-day world symposium titled 'Ancient Wisdom for Modern Challenges' drew a distinguished gathering of global academicians, philosophers, and economists to Varanasi on 2 November 2026, with participants unanimously backing the application of civilisational knowledge to address contemporary problems ranging from inequality to conflict. The event, held in one of India's oldest spiritual cities, is being hosted in India for the first time.

Keynote Address and Core Theme

Dr Priti Adani, Chairperson of the Adani Foundation, delivered the keynote at the inaugural session, articulating the symposium's central premise. 'Ancient wisdom does not become valuable simply because it is ancient. It becomes valuable when we discover its relevance to contemporary problems,' she said, calling for civilisational knowledge to be preserved and actively applied to reduce suffering, inequality, and conflict.

Global Voices on Dialogue and Education

Chiara Robbiano, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, underscored the transformative power of dialogue. 'We need to be able to spend time with one another and realise that who we are at any given moment is shaped by what happens between us. Through dialogue, we emerge as new people,' she said, stressing the importance of remaining receptive to the wisdom of others.

Zahraa McDonald, Professor at the University of Pretoria, argued for integrating indigenous and traditional knowledge systems into mainstream education. 'It is about bringing these cultures into modern education. We have been focusing on teaching mathematics and reading, and that is important. We cannot neglect these subjects,' she noted, pointing to the need for balance rather than replacement.

American philosopher Thaddeus Metz offered a philosophical justification for drawing on ancient traditions. 'If a body of thought has remained relevant for many centuries, there must be valuable insights in it about the human condition and how to make things better,' he said.

Adani Group's Role Highlighted

Jeffrey Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), spoke to India's economic trajectory and the Adani Group's contribution to it. 'The Adani Group is an enormous business, and it's one of the great progenitors of change in India. So, when we look at India's very rapid economic growth — the fastest-growing large economy in the world — it is fuelled in significant part by the advance of infrastructure, and the Adani Group is playing a huge role in that,' he stated.

Why Varanasi, and What Comes Next

Nirupam Bajpai, Economist and Professor at Columbia University, explained the significance of the venue. 'This is the third edition of the symposium. We have previously held two symposiums, one in Greece and the other in China. This is the first time it is being held in India. Varanasi was chosen because of its focus on Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism,' he said. He added that Varanasi had been under consideration from the outset given the city's unique convergence of these three religious and philosophical traditions.

Gauri Mahulikar, Academic Director of the Chinmaya International Foundation (CIF), offered a social lens, drawing on the idea of extended family relationships as a model for reducing inter-community conflict. With speakers representing institutions across four continents, the symposium signals a growing international appetite for re-examining ancient knowledge systems as practical tools — not cultural relics. The remaining sessions are expected to produce a set of recommendations for incorporating traditional wisdom into policy and educational frameworks.