Couchiching Annual Conference 2025
Securing Canada’s Atlantic Future: A Strategic dialogue
Monday, September 29 and Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Registration fees include access to both days of programming, all food and beverages, private reception, and access to the galleries.
$120 • Regular
$100 • Museum Friends and CIC Members
FREE • Students
Complimentary admission and free shuttle bus transportation to the conference are available for students with a valid student email address and/or student ID. Please contact Jennifer@thecic.org with your student credentials.
The Couchiching Conference, co-hosted by the Canadian International Council (CIC) and the Aga Khan Museum, aims to foster an inclusive dialogue on the evolving role of diplomacy on the international stage. This event will provide a platform for citizens, journalists, academics, and students to engage in meaningful discussions on international affairs, reflecting our shared mission to give Canadians a voice in global matters.
This year will feature a high-level strategic dialogue, bringing together policymakers, thought leaders, and experts to provide insights into navigating Canada’s role in an era of global upheaval. From shifting alliances and economic security to AI, Arctic sovereignty, and foreign interference, this conference tackles the defining challenges of our time. Held in the Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium, it will be a catalyst for bold ideas and actionable solutions, shaping Canada’s security and future in an unpredictable world.
Agenda
This year’s Couchiching Conference on Diplomacy offers a dynamic and thought-provoking agenda designed to address pressing global challenges. With expert panels and keynote speakers, the sessions will explore critical topics like Artificial Intelligence, the future of multilateral institutions, Arctic security and sovereignty, as well as cultural security in an era of social media and foreign interference. Attendees will gain valuable insights and foster connections with leaders and change-makers committed to shaping the future of international relations.
Panel 1
The Changing Global Order: Canada’s Role in a Post-Neoliberal World
The decline of traditional multilateral institutions, shifting alliances, and Canada’s strategic position in a world where trade and security are being redefined.
Moderator
TBD
Speakers
TBD
Panel 2
Arctic Frontiers: Security, Sovereignty, and Climate Challenges
How Canada can lead in Arctic security, infrastructure, and environmental resilience amid growing geopolitical tensions and climate change.
Moderator
TBD
Speakers
TBD
Panel 3
Economic Security in an Uncertain World: Trade, Tariffs, and Technological Shifts
How Canada can navigate economic uncertainty, U.S. trade policies (including potential Trump-era tariffs), and the rise of new industries in a shifting global economy.
Moderator
TBD
Speakers
TBD
Panel 4
AI, Quantum Computing, and the Future of National Defence
This panel explores how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing are reshaping Canada’s national security landscape. From combating cyber threats and misinformation to fortifying border security, these innovations offer both powerful tools and complex challenges.
Moderators
TBD
Speakers
TBD
Panel 5
The Battle for Cultural Security
This session addresses how platforms and algorithms have shaped our cultural consumption, foreign interference and mis/disinformation in the digital space, trade in cultural goods, and the implications for culture and democracy in Canada.
Moderator
Sascha Priewe, Director of Collections & Public Programs
Aga Khan Museum
Speakers
TBD
Dr. Sascha Priewe
Moderator
Visiting Toronto for the Couchiching Annual Conference?
Learn more about discounted accommodation
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