The 26th International Conference on THE FUTURE OF ASIA will be held on Thursday, May 20 and Friday, May 21, 2021, organized by Nikkei Inc. The conference will be streamed live from Tokyo. Video archives will also be available.
This year's conference, titled "Shaping the post-COVID era: Asia's role in the global recovery," brings together various leaders in Asia, including former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
The coronavirus outbreak is changing the shape of Asia. In the midst of anxiety over the spread of the virus, populism and authoritarianism are rising, and some people worry that democracy is receding.
Will Asian leaders be able to pave the way for the post-COVID era while preserving the principles of "peace and stability" and "diversity?" Will they be able to cooperate on international issues, including overcoming future pandemics? In the 26th International Conference of THE FUTURE OF ASIA, we will discuss how Asia can enter a new era during this time of uncertainty.
In addition to speeches by the political leaders, we are planning to invite experts from various fields for panel discussions on such topics as "Asia and the new US administration," "International cooperation to fight the pandemic," "Innovation in the COVID-19 era," and "Cultural exchange in the COVID-19 era."
Title: The 26th International Conference on THE FUTURE OF ASIA
Date and Time: Thursday, May 20 - Friday, May 21, 2021 9:30a.m.-6:00p.m. (JST, tentative)
How to watch: Live streaming/Video archives
Organized by: Nikkei Inc.
Sponsored by: The Japan Foundation, Philip Morris Japan
Official Media: Nikkei Asia
About the International Conference on THE FUTURE OF ASIA
THE FUTURE OF ASIA is an international gathering where political, economic and academic leaders from the Asia-Pacific region offer their opinions frankly and freely on regional issues and the role of Asia in the world. Held by Nikkei every year since 1995 (it was canceled due to the new coronavirus pandemic last year), it is considered one of the most important global conferences in Asia.
For more information: https://futureofasia.net/asia2021/eng/
Registration: https://futureofasia.net/asia2021/eng/register.html
Speakers*Honorifics and titles omitted, names in no particular order.
Mahathir bin Mohamad Former Prime Minister of Malaysia After winning the 2018 general election, he became the world's oldest prime minister at the time. 95 years old, he continues to be active in politics.
Prayut Chan-o-cha Prime Minister of Thailand Thailand's interim Prime Minister launched the economic strategy "Thailand 4.0". After a general election in 2019, he officially became Prime Minister.
Imran Khan Prime Minister of Pakistan Graduated from Oxford University with a B.A. degree. He was a star cricket player before moving into politics. He has won public support for his "anti-corruption" policies.
K.P. Sharma Oli Prime Minister of Nepal Became Prime Minister for the first time in 2018. He steers a balanced diplomacy between China and India, which border the country to the north and south.
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar External Affairs Minister of India He was appointed Foreign Minister in the second Modi administration. As a key figure in the government, he has played a major role in India-US and India-China diplomacy.
Heng Swee Keat Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore He has served in a number of important ministerial positions. In April, he abruptly announced that he would not succeed as the next prime minister.
Abdulla Shahid Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maldives Appointed as Foreign Minister for the first time in 2007, when domestic politics changed under the new constitution.
Kenichiro Sasae President, The Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) He has served as the Chief Representative of Japan to the Six-Party Talks on the North Korean nuclear issue and as the Political Director of the G8 Summit.
Mari Pangestu Managing Director, World Bank She has served as Indonesia's Minister of Trade and Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy. In 2020 she became the second Indonesian woman to be appointed Managing Director of the World Bank.