Events^ from the Rest of Us (24.09.25)
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 (September 2025 - July 2026)
September 2025
22-28 September 2025 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 57th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meetings, organised by ASEAN
23-24 September 2025 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Digital Nation Summit Kuala Lumpur (ASEAN Edition), organised by GSMA and hosted by Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) (*)
23-24 September 2025 | Lami, Fiji | 2025 Un Pacific Regional Forum on Business and Human Rights, organised by United Nations
24-26 September 2025 | Incheon, Republic of Korea | Effective Governance and AI Transformation: Strengthening Institutions through Technology and Innovation for SDG Acceleration (9th Regional Symposium), organised by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, ROK Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and Incheon Metropolitan City
25 September 2025 | Sydney, Australia: Indonesia Research Showcase, organised by the University of Sydney, Sydney Southeast Asia Centre
25 September 2025 | New York, USA | High-Level Meeting to Launch the Global Dialogue on AI Governance at the United Nations, organised by the United Nations
25-26 September 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand | 2nd International Conference on Women, Gender, and Leadership: Redefining the Power Paradigm, oragnised by IFERP.
25-26 September 2025 | Toronto, Canada | Workers Governing Technologies: Collective Strategies Across Contexts, organised by KMDI and University of Toronto
28 September - 04 October 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand | Bangkok Climate Action Week, organised by Just Transitions Incubator and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
30 September 2025 | Global, Online | Panel Discussion: Big Tech and the Misinformation Crisis in South Asia, organised by Center for the Study of Organized Hate
30 September to 02 October 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand | APRU Tech Policy Hackathon 2025, organised by Association of Pacific Rim Universities, Google, NUS Fintech Lab, data.org, and Capacity Accelerator Network (*)
30 September 2025 | Barcelona, Spain | Cultural Rights in the Digital Age: Inclusive Access, Fair Participation, and Rights-Based Governance, MONDIACULT 2025 Joint Side Event, organised by UNESCO, ICESCO, ILO, OHCHR, and UN Women
30 September 2025 | Brussels, Belgium and Virtual | Privacy Camp 25, organised by EDRi, Privacy Salon, Racism & Technology Center, Institut d’études européennes, VUB
October 2025
07-08 October 2025 | Delhi, India | Trust and Safety Festival India, organised by the Trust and Safety Festival (*)
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.
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 (*)
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**
15-16 October 2025 | Virtual | iSMG Summits: Southeast Asia Summit (Cybersecurity), organised by iSMG (*)
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
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.
27-29 October 2025 | Bali, Indonesia | 4th Global Women’s Empowerment & Leadership Summit: Break Barriers, Build Futures, organised by Scholars Conferences.
28-31 October 2025 | Busan, Republic of Korea | Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities, organised by the Government of the Republic of Korea (*)