Asia Events

The international community today faces an unprecedented convergence of challenges—deepening geopolitical conflicts, economic and technological fragmentation, exclusive nationalism, and the erosion of multilateralism. Strategic competition between the United States and China now spans all domains, while recurrent wars and crises expose the limits of international norms and collective security. Protectionism, the reordering of global supply chains, and the securitization of energy and food further erode the foundations of co-operation. As the international order reaches a structural turning point, the world must seek new approaches to partnership and governance. This requires both a sober assessment of institutional limits and concrete efforts to foster inclusive and practical collaboration. Only through such innovation can the global community restore trust and renew multilateral co-operation in a fragmented world.

In this defining moment, the 21st Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity builds on its enduring mission to bring together voices across sectors, generations, and regions to foster meaningful dialogue and collective action. The Forum will explore new pathways to sustain peace, advance shared prosperity, and mobilize global efforts toward a more sustainable future.

This year’s key objective is to examine how breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and the energy transition are reshaping economies and societies, while underscoring the importance of both global governance and local leadership in ensuring that collaborative progress remains ethical, inclusive, and resilient.

Under the theme Reinventing Cooperation in a Fragmented World, the Forum will explore five core agendas:

1. Co-operation for Peace and Prosperity amid Geopolitical Uncertainties: Navigating geostrategic dynamics to foster collaborative action.
2. Prosperity through Economic, Educational, Climate, and Energy Transitions: Building a common future through transformative change.
3. Global Governance and Cooperation in the Age of AI and Digital Innovation: Shaping ethical and sustainable technological norms.
4. International Action for a Sustainable Future: Mobilizing collective commitments to long-term environmental and social resilience.
5. The Role of Local Governments in the Glocal Era: Empowering sub-national actors in an interconnected world shaped by both global and local dynamics.
    

As ASEAN countries accelerate efforts to strengthen energy security, modernize infrastructure, and transition to more efficient energy systems, the need to identify practical partnerships to bolster regional resilience is more urgent than ever. 

While Southeast Asia has announced ambitious energy transition and climate goals, many projects continue to face obstacles moving from planning to implementation due to financing gaps, regulatory uncertainty, infrastructure limitations, and investment risks. 

Against this backdrop, the ASEAN–Canada Strategic Dialogue will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, financial institutions, researchers, and development partners to explore how regional governments, international financial institutions, and partners like Canada can work together to strengthen international co-operation, diversify partnerships, and build resilient energy systems capable of withstanding external shocks and safeguarding energy security.

Featuring an interactive panel discussion and an intimate fireside chat, the Dialogue will examine the structural and policy challenges that continue to complicate the energy transition in Southeast Asia, including regulatory conditions, investor confidence, risk-sharing mechanisms, and infrastructure readiness. Discussions will also explore how public and private financing can work more effectively together to support long-term energy transition goals, and what lessons can be drawn from successful partnerships and projects already underway in ASEAN and Canada. 

Co-organized by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Indonesia, and co-hosted by the Mission of Canada to ASEAN and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to ASEAN, the event aims to foster candid and forward-looking exchanges while strengthening practical co-operation on energy security and regional resilience.

Creative industries contribute approximately 2.7% of Canada’s GDP, underscoring their economic and strategic importance. Through the Creative Export Canada program, $33 million has been invested to support the internationalization of Canadian creative content, with Asia emerging as a key hub for export diversification. As Canadian companies increasingly look to expand across emerging Southeast Asian economies, Indonesia stands out, driven by recent free trade agreements, a rapidly growing digital economy, and a rising middle class with growing demand for cultural and creative content. Together, these dynamics position Indonesia as a promising, yet still underexplored market for Canadian and Quebec creative firms.