Every three years a global FORUM is organized, in which delegates from all 144 countries and territories operating the Award program are invited to participate. This year, 2015, the FORUM Award took place in Toronto, Canada, and The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Romania Foundation was represented for the first time by two delegates: the President of the Award in Romania and its national coordinator. 

For the first time, His Royal Highness Prince Edward of Great Britain chaired FORUM sessions as Chairman of the Board. The FORUM was packed with special moments such as: its opening at the Hockey Hall of Fame, the speech of Global Benefactor Margaret Fountain, the artistic moments of the young Canadian participants and, last but not least, the speech of Secretary General John May: 

“We are the people we were waiting for. I have no doubt that you have similar weekly discussions. Governments around the world are becoming increasingly aware that education is not just about the classroom, that educational reform over the past 30 years that focuses on academic success, leading to the exclusion of a non-formal curriculum, has generated the exit from school benches of young people poorly equipped for life and work’’.