Education
Great minds lead to great solutions. Our education section features solutions and innovations directed at strengthening educational systems around the world.
Hands United: Where language meets love for Deaf immigrant families
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Language, Identity & Belonging Welcome to the second week of The Optimist Daily’s Annual Local Changemakers series. This week, we celebrate those bridging communication gaps and fighting for inclusion. Join us as we learn all about changemakers whose Read More...
How Swim Sista Swim Is Redefining Water Confidence for Black Women in the UK
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Language, Identity & Belonging Welcome to the second week of The Optimist Daily’s Annual Local Changemakers series. Each Friday, we highlight people who are quietly transforming what it means to feel seen and included. This week, we focus on voice, Read More...
A novel idea: how one D.C. book vending machine is uplifting local authors
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Just steps from the White House and tucked beside the bustle of Western Market food hall, a brightly lit vending machine is turning heads. But it’s not dispensing snacks or sodas. This one offers up something a little more nourishing: books. It’s Read More...
Ireland makes basic income for artists permanent, signaling support for creative economy
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Ireland is preparing to make a fresh cultural experiment permanent. Starting in 2026, the country will officially launch a permanent basic income program for artists, following a three-year trial that showed strong economic and social returns. Under the Read More...
The surprising history of pumpkins: from ancient staple to autumn icon
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Pumpkin spice lattes, jack-o’-lanterns, and Thanksgiving pies: pumpkins are the unofficial mascots of fall. But behind their seasonal charm lies a deeper, more complicated story that winds through language, history, agriculture, and even a little insult Read More...
Sweden sets nationwide mobile phone ban in schools starting 2026
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Sweden will introduce a nationwide mobile phone ban in schools and after-school clubs beginning in autumn 2026. The measure, which requires students to hand in their devices until the end of the school day, is designed to improve focus and create safer Read More...
Underground library in Warsaw metro invites commuters to trade scrolling for stories
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In Warsaw's Targówek district, a metro ride has become more than a daily routine. Now it offers a chance to escape into a story. Thanks to Metroteka, a newly opened subterranean library inside the Kondratowicza M2 metro station, commuters can now trade Read More...
Breaking free: the Indian retreats helping women heal from divorce and rediscover hope
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM On a bus winding through Kerala’s misty hills, 15 women sing softly together, their voices rising above the tea plantations. For many, it’s the first time they’ve felt this light in years. They aren’t here for sightseeing. They’re here for Read More...
Palo Santo explained: history, meaning, and mindful ways to use it
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM If you’ve ever caught a sensual whiff of the warm, grounding scent of palo santo smoke, you know why people call it magical. In Spanish, the name means “holy wood,” and for centuries it has been treasured across South America for both healing and Read More...
UK-based bookshop Waterstones grows as young readers rediscover the joy of books
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Amid a challenging retail climate, one familiar sight on British high streets is not just surviving but thriving. Waterstones, the country’s largest bookshop chain, is finding renewed momentum as young adults reach for books as a wholesome alternative to Read More...