Penn Club of New York, September 24, 2025

The grand halls of the Penn Club of New York glistened with prestige as international leaders, educators, and business figures convened for the FWE Education for Global Diplomacy and Peace Conference 2025. The highlight of the day was the presentation of the Princely Awards Schaumburg-Lippe-Nachod Diplomatic Royal Achievement Award, bestowed upon FWE President Cheng Y. Davis for his extraordinary contributions to Global Leadership in Education and Science.

A Royal Recognition

The award was formally presented under the patronage of the House of Schaumburg-Lippe-Nachod, represented by H.H. Dr. Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe, Global Peace Ambassador, alongside his parents H.H. Dr.h.c. Prince Waldemar of Schaumburg-Lippe and H.H. Dr. Princess Antonia of Schaumburg-Lippe.

This recognition carries royal significance. The Schaumburg-Lippe family, with its historic ties to Hamburg, Lübeck, and Kiel, and its connection to H.R.H. Princess Feodora of Denmark, embodies a tradition of statesmanship and cultural patronage. By presenting the honor, Prince Mario-Max emphasized the alignment between diplomacy, education, and peace.

“In President Cheng Y. Davis, we see the embodiment of what global leadership should be—visionary, inclusive, and dedicated to knowledge as the path to peace,” the Prince declared during the ceremony.

President Cheng Y. Davis: Leading by Example

As President of the Forum for World Education (FWE), Cheng Y. Davis has championed educational exchange as a vehicle for understanding in a time of fractured geopolitics. His initiatives have connected policymakers, academics, and business leaders from across the globe to foster mutual respect and collaboration.

The award highlights not only his institutional leadership but also his personal commitment to ensuring that education is seen as diplomacy in action. His guidance has enabled FWE to become a trusted platform where East meets West, particularly in fostering dialogue between the United States and China.

A Day of Global Dialogue

The award ceremony was woven into a day of robust discussions at the conference.

• Opening Session: International Education as a Bridge to Peace featured Edric Guo, Bin Yang, Fred Teng, Zhimin Chen, and Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe.
• Panels explored themes such as How International Education Fosters Global Understanding (with Andreas Schleicher, Serguei Netessine, Lan Xue) and Business Leaders’ Perspectives moderated by Yin Luo with industry leaders Gang Hu, Cindy Liu, Melina Denebeim, Andrew Chin, Elaine Chou, Lei Huang.
• Luncheon inspiration came from Ariel and Ellis Bach of Bach Bros Studio, reminding attendees that “The World is Our Classroom.”
• Afternoon sessions focused on Global Cooperation and Talent Development with Qian Xiao, Feng Ding, Shijun Tong, and culminated in a Keynote by Professor Jeffrey Sachs on Education for Global Citizenship.

This rich program underscored the spirit of the award: recognizing education as the cornerstone of peace.

Legacy of the Award

The Princely Diplomatic Royal Achievement Award symbolizes more than ceremonial honor—it signifies a global endorsement of leaders who dedicate their lives to bridging divides. By honoring President Cheng Y. Davis, the House of Schaumburg-Lippe-Nachod reaffirmed that education and science remain humanity’s greatest tools for diplomacy and progress.

The day will be remembered as a milestone in the history of the Forum for World Education. President Cheng Y. Davis’s award reflects not only his individual excellence but also the collective hope that through education, leaders can write a new chapter of peace.

With the royal recognition of the Schaumburg-Lippe-Nachod family, this honor shines as both a personal triumph and a global call to action: to lead with knowledge, to govern with empathy, and to build peace through education.