IIMPACT 2019: LIFE 4.0 - Reimagining Our Future
IIMPACT 2019 ignited minds and transformed perspectives as over 500 visionaries, thought leaders, and changemakers came together to explore the frontiers of “LIFE 4.0” – a powerful concept inspired by the Fourth Industrial Revolution that’s reshaping our world.
Throughout this landmark day, attendees were treated to thought-provoking talks and dynamic panel discussions that pushed the boundaries of conventional thinking:
- Geopolitics 4.0: Navigating the shifting global landscape
- Money 4.0: The transformation of finance and value exchange
- Work & Family 4.0: Balancing professional evolution and personal fulfillment
- Cybersecurity 4.0: Protecting what matters in an interconnected world
- Planet 4.0: Creating sustainable futures for generations to come
The innovation continued with our inaugural DiscoveryZone – an immersive, experiential space offering glimpses into tomorrow’s possibilities – and a meaningful case study competition for local students focused on sustainable waste management, developed in partnership with NEA.
“IIMPACT 2019 transcended the traditional conference experience – it became a living laboratory where ideas collided, networks flourished, and the seeds of innovation were planted for our shared future.”
“I am here to remind you that there is a tiny hummingbird inside each one of you. I am here just to awaken your hummingbird and tell you: don’t stop, globalize compassion, march with me.”
In his inspiring keynote at IIMPact 2019, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi shared his personal journey of transformation from electrical engineer to child rights activist. He described his life’s evolution through different phases: from engineer (Life 1.0), to journalist raising awareness about child slavery (Life 2.0), to activist freeing enslaved children (Life 3.0), and finally to Nobel laureate advocating for global compassion (Life 4.0).
Satyarthi’s activism began when, as a schoolboy, he questioned why a cobbler’s child couldn’t attend school. The father’s response—”you are born to go to school, we are born to work”—sparked his lifelong mission. He emphasized that compassion is deeper than sympathy or empathy; it’s feeling others’ suffering as your own with a drive to change it.
Despite technological advances that allow us to reach Mars, Satyarthi lamented that we haven’t reached millions of children who remain enslaved, trafficked, and denied education. He shared how technology can help solve these issues, citing the example of facial recognition reuniting over 11,000 missing children with their families in India.
In a touching moment, Satyarthi revealed that after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, he donated his medal to India—the first time in history a Nobel laureate had given their medal to their nation—because he believed “it should belong to every Indian.”
He concluded with a call to “globalize compassion” alongside globalized markets and technology, urging everyone to awaken the “tiny hummingbird” of compassion inside themselves to help end child slavery.
“If one single child is in danger, the entire humanity is in danger. If one single child is enslaved, we cannot call ourselves free. Our minds are not free.”
“We have globalized technologies, markets, economies, and knowledge. But the gift of compassion, which has been given by God, needs to be globalized if we are to save people, the planet, and install peace in the world.”
Family 4.0: We may live to a 100! Are we ready?
This diverse panel on Family 4.0 brought together leaders in technology, insurance, and diplomacy to explore how we can thrive in a world where living to 100 becomes the norm. Panelists discussed how technological innovations are transforming healthcare monitoring, insurance accessibility, work patterns, and sustainable farming, while emphasizing that preparing for longer lives requires balance between digital advancement and human connection.
“We’re happy and engaged when we love what we do, we’re happy and engaged when we love the people that we’re working with. It’s not the flexibility of work that drives happiness – it’s the engagement around the work.” – Walter Theseira, Founder and CEO of Singapore Life
“I see a shift in sustainability attitude. It starts with the younger generations wherever you are in the world, but it’s picked up by their parents because your kids are asking you: What are you doing about the plastics?” – Ambassador Margriet Vonno, Netherlands Ambassador to Singapore
“We focus entirely on enabling people to do amazing work that they could be proud and brag about to their colleagues… when you talk about the application of deep learning to improve quality of life, that’s something to be proud of.” – Darryl Arnold, Founder of Ocean Protocol and Connected Life
IIMPACT 2019: Minister Chan Chun Sing
“My dream is that Singapore will go down in history as the first small nation-state that defied the odds of history, that has not relied on a conventional hinterland to survive, but instead will survive with the world as our hinterland.”
Minister Chan outlined Singapore’s approach to thriving in a potentially fragmented world by remaining relevant to all parties without choosing sides. He shared Singapore’s five-pronged talent strategy and expressed optimism about Singapore’s economic future despite global headwinds, emphasizing the country’s commitment to being a trusted hub with superior connectivity.
“For us to survive and thrive, we need to be connected to the different parts of the world because the world is our hinterland. Our challenge is to make sure that we can connect to different parts without choosing sides.”
“We define our identity as a forward-looking identity based on a set of values: meritocracy, incorruptibility, multiracialism. I think it’s a more powerful way to define a national identity than just a backward-looking identity.”
By The Numbers
Speakers
Ida A. Spoon
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