ISB Hosts Families in Global Transition Conference 2020

International School Bangkok (ISB) is pleased to announce that we will be hosting the Families in Global Transition (FIGT) Conference from March 13th to 15th, 2020.

What is Families in Global Transition?

Families in Global Transition (FIGT) is a welcoming forum for globally mobile individuals, families, and those working with them. Their mission is to promote cross-sector connections for sharing research and developing best practices that support the growth, success, and well-being of people crossing cultures around the world.

The idea of the first conference was born in 1997 by Ruth van Reken – who co-authored Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds with David Pollock – alongside Margie Becker, Christine Dowdeswell, and Janet Fischer, who all had experience being expatriates and could appreciate the needs of families crossing countries and cultures. The first Families In Global Transition conference was held on May 16, 1998 and after its second year, FIGT was formally recognized as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Initiated in Texas – home to corporate headquarters of several multinational companies, particularly in the petroleum industry – FIGT developed into a hub for individuals and organizations supporting employees, their spouses and children during international relocation. Conferences have since been held in Europe and now, for the second year, in Asia.

FIGT actively challenges itself to ask who is missing from the table, defining the globally mobile community as including the diplomatic/corporate/military, mission, research and arts and those beyond, such as people involved in refugee and immigration work and those living or raising children in uncommon situations and other diverse cross-cultural representatives. FIGT also represents a thriving online community and resources, a robust and active membership base and a growing, global affiliates program.

What’s in store at #FIGT2020?

The theme for the conference is Embracing and Bridging Differences and welcomes those who have experienced or are currently experiencing the challenges that stem from encountering difference and who are open to learning for personal, family, community or global growth, success and wellbeing. The conferences feature speakers from various industries and usually draw in over 200 people from across the region.

FIGT at ISB

With our highly mobile, transient community at ISB, we believe this conference and its focus areas will be valuable to our parents, our educators, our students, HR and relocation professionals as well as to the many organisations in Bangkok that serve a highly mobile, expatriate workforce.