Event Archive

For over 30 years, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit  has been the premier business event in the Asia Pacific. In 2024, it will be held in Lima, Peru from November 13th to 15th, bringing together over 1,000 C-level executives, thought leaders and government representatives under this year’s theme, "People, Business, Prosperity."

The Canadian business delegation for the CEO Summit will be led by the Canadian members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), Ms. Jan De Silva and Mr. Joseph Fung, supported by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada in our capacity as the Secretariat of  ABAC Canada. 

The curated lineup of speakers will present groundbreaking ideas and innovative solutions to address the region's most pressing challenges in trade, energy transition and the role of critical minerals, the future of work, financial inclusion, and sustainability; aiming to spark innovative solutions that promote economic growth and prosperity across the region. The Summit will also highlight the latest trends and disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence and digital health, that are transforming businesses and society today. 

Participants will also hear keynote addresses from world leaders. 

Join us for an encore presentation of the acclaimed social justice project Ek Khaale with photojournalist Greg Constantine, who spent the past three years with the international Rohingya community to create this collaborative, co-participatory storytelling and visual restoration project. 

Constantine will share microhistories, journeys, historical narratives, and other notes from the Ek Khaale project, which opened at Hart House at the University of Toronto and contributed to Rohingya and Burma-related events in Toronto, Ottawa, and online this October.

Click Here to Register

Returning to the West Coast of Canada, Constantine will lead a presentation and discussion on this groundbreaking project at the Foundation’s offices in Vancouver. 

About the Project

For people in Myanmar, the Rohingya community’s history has been, at best, questioned, and at worst – and in reality – rejected outright. Much of the Rohingya’s visual history has been lost, confiscated, or destroyed during waves of violence, forced displacement, and genocide over the past 60 years. This destruction continues today. This has severely undermined ways in which the Rohingya preserve and share their collective memory, identity, and history with others. 

In late 2021, several years after genocidal violence forced three-quarters of a million Rohingya into Bangladesh, the project Ek Khaale was launched by photojournalist Greg Constantine. Ek Khaale is the Rohingya expression for ‘Once Upon a Time.’ It is a collaborative, co-participatory storytelling and visual restoration project. It was launched in collaboration with Rohingya in refugee camps in Bangladesh, as well as those still living inside Burma, and among the diaspora in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Malaysia, and Europe.

Working with Rohingya youth and Rohingya elders, the project seeks out historical visual materials that Rohingya have miraculously preserved, secretly held on to all these years (often at great personal risk) or have salvaged and carried with them under the most unimaginable circumstances. Old photographs, family collections, documents, letters and illustrations contributed by Rohingya are combined with historical materials from a variety of public and private archives. These memories of family and evidence of historical existence as a community have been displaced and separated into pieces all over the world, just like the Rohingya community.  

This project brings these materials and stories from the past back together again and activates them in the present. By exposing this unseen past, this project aims to share a visual portrait of the Rohingya most people have never seen before. It also challenges narratives and reconstructs what Burmese regimes and other communities have spent decades trying to destroy.

Constantine will talk about the history of this groundbreaking project and its significance for the Rohingya community, share several of the most important discoveries over the past three years, and discuss the stories behind them.  

About Greg Constantine

Greg Constantine is an award-winning documentary photojournalist and author. He has dedicated his career to long-term, independent projects that explore the intersection of human rights, inequality, injustice, citizenship, identity, belonging and the power of the state. 

His long-term projects include Nowhere People,  Exiled To Nowhere and Seven Doors. He is the author of three award-winning photography books, and his work has been exhibited in over 40 cities worldwide. Constantine has been documenting the persecution of the Rohingya community for the past 18 years. In 2021, a major exhibition of his work on the Rohingya genocide, titled Burma’s Path To Genocide, opened at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. For the past four years, he has been working with Rohingya on the Ek Khaale project.

Greg received his PhD from Middlesex University and most recently was an Early Career Fellow with the Independent Social Research Foundation and Queen Mary University in London.  

What does a Trump Presidency mean for Canada and other U.S. allies? What will be the possible impact of President-elect Trump’s foreign policy on Canada’s objectives and relationships vis-à-vis the Indo-Pacific? 

View the encore video presentation of this webinar. 

In this webinar, our panel of experts weighs in on these and other questions.

A special panel discussion with the University of Victoria's Centre for Asia-Pacific Studies on the results of the U.S. election and geopolitical implications for Asia brought to you by University of Victoria.

Our Vice-President Research & Strategy, Vina Nadjibulla moderated this virtual event. 

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s Investment Monitor: 2023 Year in Review: Navigating Canada-Asia Investment relies on primary sources and in-depth research to assess Canada’s foreign direct investment relations with the Asia Pacific at the national and sub-national levels. It explores the deepening investment relations between Canada and the region, highlights leading investors, and identifies key industries driving these investment flows. 

The launch event will not only introduce these trends and contextualize them in the current geo-economic environment but also suggest trends to watch for in the upcoming years. 

We invite you to join us as we take stock of the current Canada-Asia investment relationship and examine the importance of strategic engagement going forward. 

For colleagues based in Asia: We recognize the time of this event might not work for you. Please register to receive a link to the webinar recording.

Speakers

Dr. Anastasia Ufimtseva
Senior Program Manager, International Trade & Investment,
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

Dr. Ari Van Assche
Professor, Department of International Business;
Co-Director, International Institute for Economic Diplomacy,
HEC Montréal

Ms. Vina Nadjibulla (Moderator)
Vice-President Research & Strategy,
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
 

The Chile Pacific Foundation and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada will be addressing the impact of the implementation of the CPTPP in Child, Canada, and other Asia Pacific countries, focusing on trade and investment.

Our Vice-President Research & Strategy, Vina Nadjibulla will speak at this event. 

Encore Video (En español)

Canada and New Zealand share common values and interests in the Indo-Pacific region, including navigating shared challenges within this dynamic and evolving landscape. In light of these shared priorities, and one year after the government of Christopher Luxon took office in New Zealand, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is pleased to host a roundtable discussion on economic and security matters shaping the Indo-Pacific with three leading academics from New Zealand: 

• David Capie, Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies and Professor of International Relations, Victoria University of Wellington
   
• Natasha Hamilton-Hart, Professor, Department of Management and International Business, University of Auckland
   
• Jason Young, Director of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre and Associate Professor in the School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations

Join us in a timely conversation with distinguished speakers and guests on how intelligence influences, and is influenced by, geopolitics at this partner symposium, Looming and Open War: The Role of Intelligence in a Time of Shifting Geopolitics

Our Vice President Research & Strategy, Vina Nadjibulla, will present during an afternoon panel, "Security and Intelligence Cooperation Beyond the Five Eyes."  

This event is presented by the Canadian Association for Security and Intelligence Studies (CASIS), a nonpartisan, voluntary organization established in 1985 to provide informed debate in Canada on security and intelligence issues.

Join us to learn about the unique opportunities for networking, collaboration, and learning at the Canada-in-Asia Conference 2025. 

Visit our conference website for more information on CIAC2025 in Singapore Feb. 19-21, 2025.

View the encore video presentation of this event
 

This event will provide Kakehashi alumni with an overview of programs and resources available to Canadians interested in working in Japan and with Japanese firms. Speakers will include experts from the public and private sectors speaking on opportunities available, supports in place, and how best to position yourself to enter the Japan job market. There will also be a presentation from a Kakehashi alumna on their experiences working in Japan. The presentations will be followed by Q&A.

Presentations:

• The Embassy of Japan in Canada - Working Holiday visas
• JETRO - Resources and supports available to Canadians seeking jobs in Japan
• Pasona - Finding work with Japanese firms: Preparation and expectations
• Kakehashi alum

Explore how Canada and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) can enhance economic security and foster collaborative resilience.

Join us on October 22, 2024, for an insightful symposium on Strengthening Canada-ASEAN Economic Security and Resilience at the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa.

Learn about ways to integrate supply chains across sectors, dive into strategies for closer collaboration between governments and industries and hear from our VP Research & Strategy Vina Nadjibulla.

Make sure to register for this partner event by October 17, 2024, to secure your spot. Email info@canada-asean.org using your institutional email. 

The annual Arctic Circle Assembly brings together governments, organizations, corporations, universities, think-tanks, environmental associations, Indigenous communities, citizens, and others for a comprehensive and democratic Arctic dialogue. The Assembly is the largest gathering on Arctic affairs. It is a place for international engagement, co-operation, and celebration.

Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada is organizing a panel at this forum: The View of the Canadian Arctic Through an Indo-Pacific Lens (October 18; 5:10 p.m.-6:05 p.m. IST). APF Canada Program Manager Dr. Hema Nadarajah is speaking on this panel. Dr. Nadarajah is also speaking on the panel Arctic Connected: Strategic Connections Between the Arctic and the Indo-Pacific (organized by the Ted Stevens Centre for Security Studies; October 19 10:05 a.m.-11:00 a.m. IST).

The Government of Canada released its long-awaited Indo-Pacific Strategy in November 2022. The direct geopolitical linkages between Asia and the Arctic are highlighted as the Indo-Pacific region sees the Arctic as a region of opportunity. As part of the strategy, the need for responsible and sustainable engagement in the Canadian Arctic was highlighted. 

The Canadian Arctic is in need for innovative energy, shipping, and telecommunications infrastructure. With the accelerating climate, biodiversity, and energy crises, collaborative efforts to ensure sustainable development of the North are increasingly critical. 

Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy, which affirms its commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Arctic region and the health and safety of Indigenous Northern communities, presents an opportunity to address these issues while also deepening its engagement in Asia. It is also crucial that an integrated whole-of-government approach is taken to address these pressing issues. 

While the Arctic is geographically remote, many different Canadian interests are at stake, which are discussed separately in various strategies. Integrating the Arctic strands of these strategies is necessary for Canada to achieve its aims and provides opportunities for new avenues of engagement with Indo-Pacific partners. These panels will raise the importance of examining the Arctic through various strategies– the Indo-Pacific Strategy, the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy, the updated Defence Policy, and the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework – each of which make references to the Arctic.

Notable Speakers: 
 

• Hema Nadarajah, Manager, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada; Arctic360, Canada: Integrating Canada’s strategies on the Indo-Pacific, Defence, and Critical Minerals in the Arctic
• Ken Coates, Director of Indigenous Affairs, Macdonald-Laurier Institute; Professor, Yukon University, Canada: Yukon Security Council and Its Role In Driving Canadian Arctic Interests
• Jessica M. Shadian, President & CEO, Arctic360, Canada: Innovation, Investment, FDI, Infrastructure, Critical Minerals In The Canadian Arctic
• Shioichi Itoh, Senior Fellow, Institute of Energy Economics, Japan: Japan's Role in the Arctic

The Montreal International Security Summit was created in 2023 to address some of the most pressing geopolitical issues of our time. The aim of the annual summit is to convene Canadian and international experts to shed light on ongoing crises and to engage in constructive dialogue about the implications for global security and human rights. 

The conference brings together leading practitioners, policymakers, and thought leaders from around the world, all of whom share a common dedication to understanding and resolving contemporary and emerging challenges to human rights and security.

APF Canada's Vice-President Research & Strategy Vina Nadjibulla is speaking at this two-day event. 

Click here for more information.

This event will provide Kakehashi alumni with an overview of programs provided by the Government of Japan to facilitate return to Japan for work in the academic field and primarily for study at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Four Japan-Canada Kakehashi Project alumni will speak about their experiences with these programs and provide first-hand information about life in Japanese schools. The presentations will be followed by Q&A.

Presentations:

• The Embassy of Japan in Canada - The JET Programme and MEXT Scholarship Program
• The Japan Foundation, Toronto - Japan Foundation Grants and Fellowships
• Hafsa Hasna Kaouache - JET Programme alumna
• Daniel Yuan Yang Qi - MEXT Scholarship alumnus
• Zachary Bélanger - University exchange alumnus
• Jessica Wing Chen - University exchange participant

Want to learn more about Climate Change in Singapore? Join the Critical Malaya Studies Initiative (York University) and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada as we bring together scholars and policy experts from Singapore to explore exciting opportunities for collaboration on climate change and sustainability advocacy in the region.

This discussion will dive into the pressing implications of climate change in Singapore such as the challenges of green transitions and heightened vulnerabilities for communities. 

Participants will engage in critical conversation with the panellists to understand what it means to build a sustainable future for Singapore and regionally, particularly focusing on transnational advocacy and alternative ways for knowledge mobilization. 

The discussion will also explore how domestic and international actors can support and learn from climate initiatives from Southeast Asia.  

APF Canada's Program Manager, Southeast Asia, Dr. Hema Nadarajah will be participating as a panellist at this event. 

This international seminar is organized by the Taiwan WTO & RTA Center, Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, and supported by Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations (Executive Yaun), International Trade Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Featuring presentations by representatives from CPTPP members Canada (including APF Canada President & CEO Jeff Nankivell), Japan, Australia, Peru, Mexico, it will bring together domestic and international industry, government, academia, and research sectors to explore the benefits of the CPTPP for the economic development and supply chain resilience of various economies in the context of changing geopolitical dynamics, as well as the significance of continued membership expansion.

The aim of this seminar in Taipei is to demonstrate Taiwan's proactive spirit of "Taiwan can contribute. Taiwan is ready," foster national consensus, and expand international support for its applications to accede to the trade bloc.

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is currently one of the most advanced and liberalized trade agreements. With 12 member economies accounting for approximately 15% of global GDP and 5.9% of the world's population, the CPTPP plays a significant role in promoting global and Asia Pacific regional economic integration.

APF Canada’s President & CEO Jeff Nankivell will participate in a panel (In response to international geopolitics, the significance of the CPTPP to the development and resilience of various countries around the world) and a roundtable discussion (Challenges and prospects of Taiwan's application to join the CPTPP & recommendations for Taiwan).

Encore Video Presentation (APF Canada President & CEO Jeff Nankivell's interventions at 1:12 and 4:30 marks) 

On behalf of the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE), APF Canada is pleased to invite Kakehashi alumni to a special online event. Okinawa’s second largest island, Iriomote is one of Japan’s best-kept secrets. Home to stunning natural beauty, Iriomote offers a unique blend of lush mangrove forests, crystal-clear waterfalls and rivers, pristine beaches, coral reefs teeming with marine life, and the rare Iriomote wildcat—an endangered species found only on the island.

Recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site in 2021, the island is a paradise for eco-tourism and outdoor activities and connection with Japan’s unspoiled wilderness. Whether you’re a nature lover, an adventurer, or just looking for a serene escape, Iriomote guarantees an unforgettable experience.

While India, in its 75-year existence as an independent state, has achieved much in fulfilling the dreams of Nehru and his successors to obtain major power status, why is this quest still unfinished? 

Along with the meteoric rise of China, there has been much interest in this question and in the emergence of India as a rising power. The rapidly developing U.S.-China rivalry has also given India an added importance in world politics with many viewing the country as a significant 'swing power' that can help balance China’s increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. Certainly, India’s current leadership, under Narendra Modi, and the Indian public, believe that the country is destined to be a global power.

In this APF Canada partnered event, Professor T.V. Paul will discuss the rise of India and what are the external and internal constraints in the pursuit of major power status that India must contend with. As Professor Paul will argue, the development of an inclusive, tolerant democracy that can utilize its most priced asset, the demographic dividend, will be essential for India to gain greater international status and influence in the 21st century.

About the Speaker

T.V. Paul is Distinguished James McGill Professor in the Department of Political Science at McGill University, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and a Distinguished Fellow at Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. He also served as the President of the International Studies Association for 2016-17 and is the Founding Director of the Global Research Network on Peaceful Change. 

Paul is the author or editor of 24 books and over 80 scholarly articles/book chapters in the fields of International Relations, International Security, and South Asia. His books include The Unfinished Quest: India’s Search for Major Power Status from Nehru to Modi, Restraining Great Powers: Soft Balancing from Empires to the Global Era, and The Warrior State: Pakistan in the Contemporary World. Paul currently serves as the editor of the Georgetown University Press book series: South Asia in World Affairs.

APF Canada's sponsored film: Grand Tour. Screenings on September 26 and September 30.