Effective dialogues beyond Zero-Covid

As Covid-19 becomes part of our everyday life, debates over prevention policies—whether to “eliminate” the virus or “coexist” with it—continue to divide opinions. But how effective are these conversations really? Are people with different viewpoints genuinely listening to each other? Can dialogue actually shift perspectives?

In her talk, critical thinking educator Grace Guo breaks down the common blind spots in both the “Zero-Covid” and “Coexistence” camps. She then explores what it takes to have truly meaningful conversations—ones that don't just repeat positions but open space for deeper understanding and change. Grace Guo graduated from Tsinghua University and the London School of Economics. Drawn to education, she spent time visiting dozens of schools experimenting with reform, closely observing how students’ lives changed in different learning environments. These experiences revealed to her a deeper issue: how little attention is given to cultivating critical thinking. That realization led her to co-found Project C, an organization dedicated to making critical thinking an accessible and essential part of youth education.