Events^ from the Rest of Us (08.10.25)
Policy-shaping knowledge moments from outside the mainstream
Today’s Events^ dispatch contains curated posts — currently through July 2026 — to keep you updated on knowledge shaping moments outside the mainstream Northern discourse. Please note that (margin*notes)^squared will initially focus on knowledge events in the Asia Pacific Region and from historically underrepresented groups. Please feel free to submit any upcoming events — seminars, conferences, webinars, workshops, etc — that you feel are relevant by dropping me a note.
I also believe it is vitally important to understand who funds knowledge moments that shape our public policy discourse. Events indicated with an (*) indicate activities that seem to be funded in part or in whole by a private sector entity (or the convening organisation receives private sector funding) and you are encouraged to investigate further.
Calendar (October 2025 - July 2026)
October 2025
08-10 October 2025 | venue TBC | Enabling Accessibility and Inclusion through Digital Trade and E-commerce, organised by Asian Development Bank (ADB), ADB Institute and UN ESCAP
08-09 October 2025 | Singapore | Tech Week Singapore, organised by CloserStill (*)
09 October 2025 | virtual | Launching RAIDAR Research Hub, Challenges to Funding Independent Internet Research, organised by The Asia Foundation, Chulalongkorn University Institute of Asian Studies, and IDRC-CRDI Canada
DEADLINE: 09 October 2025 | Virtual | WORKSHOP: Internet Rules, Understanding digital rights & policies in South and Southeast Asia Workshop 2025, organised by the Association of Progressive Communications; training to take place in late November and early December.
11 October 2025 | New York, USA and Virtual | New Burma Strategic Dialogue: Diaspora and International Engagement in Myanmar’s Future, organised by NYSEAN, the US Immigration & Resettlement Directive, and the Southeast Asia Program at Cornell University
10-11 October 2025 | Singapore | International Conference on Disability and Diversity, organised by Scholars Forum
11 October 2025 | Manila, Philippines | Asia Pacific Youth IGF 2025 NetMissionAsia Local Hub, organised by NetMissionAsia
11 October 2025 | Islamabad, Pakistan | Asia Pacific Youth IGF 2025 NetMissionAsia Local Hub, organised by NetMissionAsia
13 October 2025 | Singapore | TSPA APAC Summit 2025, organised by Trust and Safety Professionals Association (*)
13 October 2025 | Singapore (in-person) | Singapore Future AI Summit: AI & Humanity: A Harmonious Future, organised by Secreative Kita (*)
11-14 October 2025 | Kathmandu, Nepal | Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) 2025, organised by the Internet Governance Institute and co-hosted by Internet Society Nepal Chapter, World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) Asia Pacific, UNESCO and Internet Exchange Nepal (NPIX).
14-15 October 2025 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | ASEAN Civil Society Conference / ASEAN People’s Forum 2025, organised by ACSC/APF (APPLY BY 31 AUGUST; See Facebook page.) ** UPDATED: Registration still seems to be open**
15 October 2025 | London, United Kingdom | A Conversation on Big Tech & Genocide, organised by MAKAN, 7amleh, and Al-Kindi Club
15-16 October 2025 | Virtual | iSMG Summits: Southeast Asia Summit (Cybersecurity), organised by iSMG (*)
15-16 October 2025 | Brussels, Belgium | The Future of Democracy: Speech, Thought, Sovereignty, and Power in the Age of Platforms and AI, organised by the Open Markets Institute and Article 19
16 October 2025 | Virtual | Webinar: The Subtle and Covert Censorship of Major Tech Platforms, organised by OBSERVACOM and Digital Action (focused on Latin America but relevant globally), register for Zoom access for English interpretation
16-17 October 2025 | Oxford, UK | Oxford Generative AI Summit 2025, organised by OxGenAI (*)
17 October 2025 | Manila, Philippines | AI Revolution Summit 2025, organised by Traicon Events with the Philippines Department of Science and Technology Advanced Science and Technology Institute, Department of Information and Communications Technology
21 October 2025 | Global, Online | Global Encryption Day, organised by the Internet Society
22-23 October 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand Virtual | Virtual Expert Group Meeting on Assistive Technology and Economic Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific, organised by UN ESCAP
23-25 October 2025 | Macau SAR | AI for SDGs - Global Youth AI Future Innovation Competition 2025, organised by United Nations University Macau, Venture Cup China, and IAIGG Institute for AI International Governance Tsinghua University (*)
23-25 October 2025 | Macau SAR | United Nations University Macau AI Conference 2025: AI for Humanity - Building an Equitable Digital Future, organised by UNU Macau. (*)
25-26 October 2025 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, organised by ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) (*)
25-26 October 2025 | Singapore | Digital for Life Festival 2025, organised by the Government of Singapore
27-28 October 2025 | Yogyakarta, Indonesia | The 19th International Conference on Quality in Research: Empowering Indonesia through AI-Driven Innovation and Solutions for a Better Future, co-hosted by Universitas Indonesia Faculty of Engineering and Universitas Gadjah Mada Faculty of Engineering.
28 October 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand | #SEABlings: An Emerging Solidarity Movement in Southeast Asia?, organised by SEA Junction
27-29 October 2025 | Bali, Indonesia | 4th Global Women’s Empowerment & Leadership Summit: Break Barriers, Build Futures, organised by Scholars Conferences.
30 October 2025 | Virtual | Virtual Roundtable: AI-Accelerated Biological Risk: Delving into Asia’s challenges and Emerging Solutions, organised by AI Safety Asia
28-31 October 2025 | Busan, Republic of Korea | Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities, organised by the Government of the Republic of Korea (*)
29-30 October 2025 | Paris, France | Paris Peace Forum, organised by the Paris Peace Forum (*)
29-31 October 2025 | Tokyo and Beppu, Japan | Inclusion International Conference 2025, organised by Peace Inclusion Piece
29-31 October 2025 | Copenhagen, Denmark | Asia-Europe Foundation 23rd Informal ASEM Seminar on Human rights (ASEMHRS23): Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence, organised by Asia-Europe Foundation (*)
29-30 October 2025 | Singapore | 2025 Sustainable Asia Conference, organised by Singapore University of Social Sciences and hosted by the School of Business
29-31 October 2025 | Ulsan, Republic of Korea | Asia & Pacific Disability Forum (APDF), organised by APDF
30 October 2025 | Singapore | Digital Work, Mobilities and Changing Cities in Asia Workshop, hybrid event (in-person and online), organised by the National University of Singapore, Asia Research Institute
November 2025
03-04 November 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand | First Southeast Asia Regional Conference on Academic Freedom, organised by Kaukus Indonesia Kebebasan Akademik (KIKA) and the Southeast Asia Coalition Academic Freedom (SEACAF)
04-07 November 2025 | Bangkok and Pattaya, Thailand | 2025 ANPOR-APCA Annual Conference: Voices and Visions in Transition: Public Opinion, AI, and Digital Citizenship for Sustainable Futures in Asia, organised by Asian Network for Public Opinion Research (ANPOR) (*)
05 November 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand | AI, Disinformation, and Democracy: Global Trends, Southeast Asian Futures, organised by Chulalongkorn University Institute of Asian Studies, The Asia Foundation, and IDRC-CDRI
05-07 November 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand | APCOM Community Summit, organised by Apcom Foundation
05-08 November 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand | “2025 AGLE Conference on Technological Advancement and Social Innovation for Rural and Agricultural Resilience”, organised by the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Thailand and the International Geographical Union (IGU) Commission on Agriculture Geography and Land Engineering (AGLE).
06-07 November 2025 | Yogyakarta, Indonesia | International Conference on Information Technology and Digital Applications: AI for Digital Equity: Bridging the Divide in the Digital Era, organised by Universitas Islam Indonesia
07 November 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand | 2026 APCOM Hero Awards: Honouring outstanding HIV and LGBT advocates and allies from across Asia and the Pacific, organised by APCOM