Events^ from the Rest of Us (12.08.25)
Policy-shaping knowledge moments from outside the mainstream
Today’s Events^ dispatch contains curated links to knowledge shaping moments outside the mainstream Northern discourse. Please note that (margin*notes)^squared will initially focus on 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 annual reports/ financial disclosures from the convening organisation indicate they receive private sector funding) and you are encouraged to investigate further.
Calendar
August 2025
11-13 August 2025, Surabaya, Indonesia: 8th Human Rights Conference (8HRC): Protecting human rights in Asia amid energy transition, technological disruption and democratic regression, organised by University of Sydney (Sydney Southeast Asia Centre), Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Jember, Sydney University Law School.
12-13 August 2025, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: inaugural ASEAN AI Summit: Driving Sustainable and Inclusive AI Development in ASEAN, organised by Malaysia Madani and Malaysia’s Ministry for Digital.
15 August 2025, APPLICATION DEADLINE: Asia-Europe Foundation 23rd Informal ASEM Seminar on Human rights (ASEMHRS23): Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence, organised by Asia-Europe Foundation (*)
15 August 2025, Melbourne, Australia: Generation Asia: Emerging Leaders Forum 2025 (centred around the challenges and opportunities of AI and technology within Asia), organised by the Asia Society Australia
15 August 2025, Quezon City, Philippines: 1st CHR Conference on International Humanitarian Law: Human Rights and the Security Sector in the Dynamic 21st Century, organised by Human Rights Policy Centers Office in collaboration with the Human Rights Promotion Office (of the Commission on Human Rights)
15-17 August 2025, Bangkok, Thailand: Regional Journalists intensive workshop, organised by the Thai Journalists Association and the Safe and Creative Media Development Fund; apply by 25 July 2025
16-18 August 2025, Bangkok, Thailand: 10th International Conference on Intelligent Technologies (ICIT - 2025), organised by the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Bangkok and SPJ Centre for Multidisciplinary Research (SCMR) Jakarta
18 August 2025, Singapore: Asian Development Policy Report (ADPR) 2025: Harnessing Digital Transformation for Good, seminar by Asian Development Bank and Singapore Management University
18-22 August 2025, Bangkok (Salaya Campus), Thailand: Peace Festival Week, organised by Mahidol University Institute for Human Rights and Peace Studies
18-25 August 2025, Taipei, Taiwan: 2025 Asia Young Leaders for Democracy Programme, organised by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy
21-22 August 2025, Bangkok, Thailand: 10th International Conference - AI and Governance in Asia: Civil Society, Democracy and Media, organised by The Asia Centre
22 August 2025, virtual, Indonesia: Konsultasi Publik Buku Putih Peta Jalan Kecerdasan Artifisial Nasional dan Konsep Pedoman Etika Kecerdasan Artifisial (Public Consultation on the National AI Roadmap White Paper and the Draft AI Ethics Guidelines), public comment period closes today
22-24 August 2025, Bangkok, Thailand: “JournaLift with AI: ยกระดับนักข่าวรุ่นใหม่ด้วย AI อย่างมีจริยธรรม สู่วารสารศาสตร์ที่ทรงพลังและมีคุณค่า” (JournaLift with AI: Ethically elevating new generation journalists with AI towards powerful and valuable journalism), organised by the Thai Journalist Association and Safe & Creative Media Development Fund; applications to attend close on 09 August 2025.
25-29 August 2025, Gwangju, Damyang and Seoul, Republic of Korea: The May 18 Academy 2025 for International Human Rights and Democracy Activists: Theme, “Global Democratic Backsliding and the Power of Solidarity”, organised by The May 18 Foundation. (Application close on 13 July.)
26-28 August 2025, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Digital Rights in the Asia-Pacific assembly, organised by Architects of Diversity (OAD Malaysia), the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ Malaysia), the Initiative to Promote Tolerance and Prevent Violence (INITIATE.MY), Sinar Project, and EngageMedia.
27 August 2025, Singapore: “Weaponized Independence: Critical Minerals in a Fracturing World,” organised by National University of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Hong Siew Ching Speaker and Seminar Series
28 August 2025, virtual: “AI Safety Governance in Southeast Asia,” organised by the AI Safety Asia and the Center for Technology and Innovation at the Brookings Institution (*)
29 August 2025, virtual, Southeast Asia: “Scam Compounds: Are You Aware Enough?”, organised by Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA). (*)
29 August 2025, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: AI SAfety Meet-Up, organised by AI Safety Asia and BlueDot Impact.
31 August 2025, Taipei, Taiwan: DEADLINE: nominations for the 2025 Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award, organised by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy.
September 2025
02-03 September 2025, Singapore: Global Anti-Scam Summit (GASS) Asia 2025, organised by Global Anti-Scam Alliance (*)
03-05 September 2025, Johannesburg, South Africa: CTRL+J Africa, organised by the International Fund for Public Interest Media.
02-04 September 2025, Jakarta, Indonesia: The 5th Artificial Intelligence Innovation Summit, organised by Kolaborasi Riset dan Inovasi Industri Kecerdasan Artifisial (KORIKA) and cTIs (*)
09 September 2025, Sydney, Australia: Financial Review Asia Summit 2025, organised by the Financial Review and Asia Society Australia (*)
9-11 September 2025, Hong Kong, SAR: “AVPN Global Conference 2025: Asian Leadership for an Inclusive World”, organised by Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN). (*)
10-11 September 2025, Yogyakarta, Indonesia: International Conference on Artificial Intelligence Technology (ICoAIT), organised by the Artificial Intelligence Research Group of the Informatics Department, Faculty of Industrial Technology, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan