Global Town Hall is an annual virtual marathon of global dialogue that brings together world leaders and leading minds to discuss major global issues. It provides an open, inclusive platform where decision-makers, thinkers, civil society leaders, and the broader public can engage in timely, solution-driven conversations. The event aims to connect local concerns with global discussions and elevate diverse perspectives.
Global Town Hall is convened by Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), in collaboration with a consortium of respected think tanks, universities, civil society organizations, and international institutions. Since its launch in 2020, it has evolved into one of the most inclusive international policy forums of its kind. Previous editions have drawn over 50,000 participants from over 160 countries, featuring contributions from heads of state, foreign ministers, UN officials, civil society leaders, academics, and youth representatives.
The theme of this year’s Global Town Hall is “Calling for a Global U-Turn: Recentering Development, Reclaiming Humanity, Restoring Justice in a Crazi(er) World,” underlying thinking behind this theme is our deep concern that the world is heading in the wrong direction, as marked by a crumbling rules-based world order, something about the increasing use of force in settling disputes, rising numbers of conflicts, spheres of influence, the abandonment of humanity in the name of nationalism, the erosion of justice, and the stagnation of SDGs and development.
In all these worrying trends, we are seeing few signs that things will improve in the near future. Yet, we do believe that civil societies across the world will now play an increasingly important role in helping to turn the tide towards a global u-turn in world affairs, one that recommits to the principles of the U.N. Charter. Through candid discussions and diverse viewpoints, Global Town Hall encourages participants to challenge conventional thinking, amplify the voice of global citizens, and identify actionable pathways toward a fairer, safer, and more resilient global order.