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IICC Oracy Conference 2027
From Screens to Conversation: Rebuilding Human Connection Through Oracy
IICC Oracy Conference 2027
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We are thrilled to invite you to join a transformative movement in healthcare. This annual conference explores the profound impact of sympathy in medicine, focu
The IICC is preparing its annual conference in Cyprus for educators and parents, focused on one of the most urgent challenges facing young people today: excessive screen use and the decline of meaningful human interaction.
At the heart of the conference is the concept of oracy — the ability to communicate effectively through speaking and listening. Increasingly recognised worldwide as a foundational life skill, oracy supports not only academic success, but also emotional wellbeing, critical thinking, empathy, confidence, creativity, and social connection. Researchers and educators are now highlighting oracy as an essential counterbalance to the growing dominance of digital communication and passive screen consumption.
The conference will bring together educators, parents, and specialists to explore practical strategies that help young people step away from screens and step back into real conversation, dialogue, and human connection. It will serve both as a professional training opportunity for educators and as a support platform for parents navigating the digital realities of modern childhood and adolescence.
Sessions will examine:
The impact of excessive screen exposure on communication, attention, imagination, and emotional development
How conversation-rich environments strengthen learning, resilience, and relationships
The role of oracy in developing confidence, wellbeing, collaboration, and critical thinking
Practical classroom and home-based strategies that encourage meaningful discussion and active listening
The importance of modelling conversation, debate, storytelling, and reflective dialogue in a technology-driven world
How schools and families can work together to create healthier digital habits and stronger interpersonal skills
Emerging research
shows that talk-rich educational environments improve learning outcomes and support social-emotional development across all age groups. Recent studies also emphasise that structured dialogue and oracy-based teaching enhance critical thinking, inclusion, and student engagement.
The conference also acknowledges a growing international concern that many young people are losing opportunities to practise sustained conversation, interpret social cues, and develop confident self-expression due to increasing dependence on screens and algorithm-driven communication. Across education systems globally, oracy is now being recognised not as an “extra,” but as a core competency for the future.
Through keynote talks, workshops, panel discussions, and practical resources, the IICC conference aims to equip both educators and parents with the tools, understanding, and confidence to help young people reconnect — with themselves, with others, and with the world around them through conversation.
The conference will position Cyprus at the forefront of an international movement advocating for healthier communication habits, stronger communities, and a renewed emphasis on the human skills that technology cannot replace.
Oracy Conference
Interested in joining our conference and benefitting from the state-of-the-art evidence-based research on the impact and action against excessive screen use for young people.