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What becomes possible when we center young people in our conversations about the future?
This month, the W.K Kellogg Foundation will bring together youth, families, educators, community advocates and artists from around the world for the inaugural Every Child Thrives Festival, a three-day gathering rooted in a shared dedication to reimagining the future of education and community.
Taking place June 23-25, 2026, at the newly opened Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, the festival offers a range of experiences designed to elevate youth leadership, strengthen intergenerational collaboration and turn ideas into action.
At a time when many of the challenges facing children and families can feel increasingly complex and urgent, the Every Child Thrives Festival is creating a space to build toward new possibilities.
The festival will focus on the themes of inspiration, activation and celebration. Speakers will include a Pulitzer Prize winner, filmmakers, CEOs, culture makers, grassroots community leaders and poets, to name just a few. Through panel discussions, hands-on labs and immersive experiences, our conversations will ask hard questions and push creative boundaries, all in the effort to imagine a future where every child can reach their full potential.
The festival is designed intentionally to look and feel different than the traditional conference. That starts with placing young people at the heart of the experience.
Every Child Thrives Festival recognizes that the people most impacted by the future must be the ones to shape it. Rather than simply attending the festival, youth leaders are leading the charge. As facilitators, storytellers and co-creators, our youth participants are helping to shape the discussions, challenge assumptions and define the outcomes that emerge from this gathering.
While in-person attendance is at capacity, people around the world are invited to join the Every Child Thrives Festival virtually. Registration for the free virtual experience is now open at everychildthrivesfestival.com/live.
Whether tuning in from afar or participating in Chicago, attendees will leave with a renewed connection to community-building and a shared commitment to creating the conditions every child needs to truly thrive.