4 . Denmark has one of the lowest rates of bullying (欺凌) in schools. But this is something that didn’t happen overnight. Anti-bullying programs were introduced in Danish schools over 15 years ago, according to Euronews, but it’s something that has to be constantly updated to meet the changing times.

Programs begin in primary grades where children are taught empathy (共情) and how to avoid bullying. At the Sluseholmen Skole school in Copenhagen, meditation and hugs are part of the morning routine. According to Maja Hindsgaul, a teacher at the school, this is the key to well-being.

“I’m the one they can talk to if something is difficult. And I’m actually talking a lot about who I am and what I like and it’s OK if they like to hug. I like that, too,” she told Euronews. “Of course, they have to learn to read and write and things like that, but they can do that if they feel safe. It’s my task to make them feel safe so that they can develop social skills at school.”

Learning how to live with one another is a large part of the anti-bullying programs and this appears to be working well in the younger grades. “We’re always trying to get the kids to work together in different types of groups, across genders and not always with their best friends,” said teacher Louise Ibsen. “They’re also practicing social skills for how to communicate.”

A new program was rolled out in the 2021/22 school year according to a Mary Foundation news release. Our School Strength is a joint effort from the Mary Foundation, Borns Vilkar, a Danish child organization, and Save the Children Denmark. The program is the result of four years of research and cooperation by the nonprofit groups. It’s designed to deal with bullying up to grade 10 and focuses on students’ well-being and to help the youth feel that they are accepted and play an active role in the community. Anti-bullying programs that teach children empathy for others at a young age can make a big difference when these students become teenagers.

6 . To build a prosperous (繁荣的) society, a fundamental understanding of the modern economy as a driving force in today’s world is essential.

What kind of prosperity have we achieved so far? The widespread definition of prosperity focuses on economic power and growth as measures of success. Let’s take a look at history. The Second Industrial Revolution enabled mass production and created a sufficient supply of goods. This has greatly increased the importance of money in its role as “a store of value, ” and “a medium of exchange. ”As a result, we have pursued economic power as the only indicator of prosperity, such as GDP. Waves of globalization and technological evolution have promoted overall economic growth, but have allowed the few who are strong to achieve greater power while exploiting the many who are weak. Consequently, inequality has worsened, and disunity has intensified.

The path to a truly prosperous world requires a shift in focus towards the most suitable happiness for all, in addition to economic power. Defining happiness, however, is a complex task. What makes people happy? The degree to which the same thing creates happiness differs from person to person. Happiness is subjective and complicated. This is a world of “multiple values” where each of us determines worth as opposed to “one fixed price” based merely on an economic perspective. Individuals shouldn’t be defined by a single identity or role but by multidimensional nature as well as multiple roles making independent choices and taking actions for their happiness in different aspects.

Businesses must be pioneers in pursuing not only economic growth but also the happiness of all citizens of society. Companies can contribute through the pursuit of social value as well as economic profit. At the heart of this lies “purpose”. A company’s purpose defines the value it brings to society. The true worth of a company should be determined not just by the return s it creates for shareholders but by the value it creates for society as a whole.

7 . A 12-year-old girl from Virginia, US, never thought that a simple message she put online could bring her big problems. She posted the words, “Killing. Meet me in the library Tuesday”, with three emojis (表情符号) of a gun, a knife and a bomb (炸弹) on Instagram, a social media (社交媒体). She was told that she broke the law because of threatening (威胁) her school.

This problem is not far away from us. Not long ago, Ni Hanxiang, a Chinese student at a university in the US, was sent back to China after expressing on social media that he would kill his teachers if he failed to pass his exams.

In China, posting threatening words online is also against the law. In 2013, Wu Hongfei, a singer, got into trouble for saying on Weibo that she wanted to blow up a building.

“Threatening happens not only face to face but also through the Internet, social media and the telephone,” said Mr. Cao, a lawyer from Chongqing. “Although the law of China protects people’s right of free speech, it doesn’t include words that threaten others’ lives and national safety.”

“Some people may not mean to threaten. They may just be trying to say ‘I’m strong’,” said Fred Pratt, a lawyer from the US.

The girl’s mother said her daughter was a good kid who had never been in trouble before. Ni Hanxiang also said he didn’t realize that what he put online was so serious.

“But not knowing the law doesn’t mean the law will treat you any differently if you break it,” says David Allen Green, a lawyer from the UK. So, do you think we’d better spend a minute or two thinking about the words or emojis we use on social media before we press “send”?

8 . Proper questioning has become a lost art. The curious four-year-old asks a lot of questions-incessant streams of “Why?” and “Why not?“ might sound familiar-but as we grow older, our questioning decreases. In a recent survey of more than 200 of our clients, we found that those with children estimated that 70-80% of their kids’ dialogues with others were comprised of questions. But those same clients said that only 15-25% of their own interactions consisted of questions. Why the drop of?

Think back to your time growing up and in school. Chances are you received the most recognition or reward when you got the correct answers. Later in life, that motivator continues. At work, we often reward those who answer questions, not those who ask them. Questioning conventional wisdom can even lead to being distanced, or considered a threat.

Because expectations for decision-making have gone from ”get it done soon“ to ”get it done now“ to ”it should have been done yesterday, “ we tend to jump to conclusions instead of asking more questions. And the unfortunate side effect of not asking enough questions is poor decision-making. That’s why it’s vital that we slow down and take the time to ask more and better questions. At best, we’ll arrive at better conclusions. At worst we’ll avoid a lot of rework later on.

Aside from not speaking up enough, many professionals don’t think about how different types of questions can lead to different outcomes. We should lead a conversation by asking the right kinds of questions, based on the problem we’re trying to solve. In some cases, we’ll want to expand our view of the problem rather than keeping it narrowly focused. In others, we may want to challenge basic assumptions or confirm our understanding in order to feel more confident in our conclusions. Therefore, asking the right kinds of questions is what counts in achieving a goal.

10 . Do you have any travel plans for 2024? Tour agencies like Contiki in New Zealand and Booking, one of the largest online travel agencies, have provided their predictions for travel trends in 2024.

Embracing the unknown

While many people like to make a perfect plan for their trips, more travelers are interested in booking trips where the destination remains a mystery until later, according to a global study of Booking involving 27,000 travelers across 33 countries and regions. By doing it this way, they seek a chance to escape from their everyday lives and explore places that few people have been to. A majority want to go on trips without any set plans, enjoying the spontaneity (自发性). Surprisingly, 34 percent are even open to traveling with strangers.

AI travel

With the rise of AI, especially with services like ChatGPT becoming accessible to people, there’s been a growing interest in AI-assisted travel. According to Contiki, both tour companies and travelers are increasingly turning to AI. For companies, AI serves as an efficient tool to plan trips based on clients’ preferences, such as the duration of their vacation, preferred hotel types and budget. Similarly, travelers are showing a willingness to let AI select their next holiday destination, particularly if it comes with discounts on travel and hotels.

Mouth feast

Regarding food exploration, most travelers prefer experimenting with new and fresh flavors rather than sticking with familiar dishes, according to Booking’s study. They also love to discover the origins of well-known local specialties. Additionally, technology is transforming our dining experiences. A significant number of people are drawn to eating experiences that combine the physical and digital realms, using technologies like virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR). There’s also a growing curiosity in creative plant-based alternatives, such as 3D-printed vegan steaks.

Sustainable (可持续的) trip

The travel industry is ready for a sustainable revolution. According to Contiki, a substantial majority of travelers now actively look for accommodations that offer both comfort and innovative sustainability features. There’s a growing desire for natural peace even indoors, with many seeking green spaces and plants in their lodging. Adam Armstrong, CEO of Contiki, noted, “People are traveling closer to home to reduce their carbon footprint. They are using alternative transportation such as coach rides and train trips, and traveling off-season to avoid large and potentially destructive crowds. ”