Kuni Summit 2024
“You can measure the depth of a person’s awakening by how they serve others.”
Kukai
In 2024, The Rumi Foundation supported the annual KUNI Summit, a unique gathering in Japan that brought together global leaders, indigenous elders, entrepreneurs, philanthropists and young changemakers to explore how ancient wisdom can help address the challenges of the modern world.
Through a pilgrimage journey from the sacred landscapes of the Kumano Kodo to Mount Koya and Kyoto, participants reflected on humanity’s relationship with nature, creativity, technology and the deeper values needed to build a more connected and compassionate future.
Rooted in the legacy of pioneers such as Kūkai, this journey reflects a timeless human impulse: to respond to periods of uncertainty not with retreat, but with imagination, courage, and vision. As today’s world moves beyond the era of endless growth and toward profound reconstruction, this pilgrimage becomes a living framework for rethinking how we create, lead, and serve.
A central focus of the summit was empowering the next generation. Lord Verjee joined more than 100 young participants in experiencing leaders in dialogue, reflection and shared learning, gaining the opportunity to explore new models of leadership and purpose at a time of profound global change.
By connecting young people with timeless spiritual traditions and inspiring role models from around the world, the summit encouraged them to become thoughtful stewards of a future rooted in meaning, collaboration and hope.
