• Date: 4–5 February 2026
• Location: Sidney Myer Asia Centre, University of Melbourne (Hybrid)
• Theme: Youth and Civil Society
• Co-sponsors: Research Cluster on Asian Civil Society (Asia Institute) and the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Studies (CCCS)
• Supported by: Ford Foundation

Overview

The fifth biennial Civil Society in Asia conference convened scholars and practitioners to explore the pivotal role of young people in shaping Asia’s future. The programme addressed three core pillars: youth activism and democratic governance; youth in climate action; and AI and the empowerment of young women.

Highlights

• Agenda-setting address by Professor Akihiro Ogawa (University of Melbourne)
• Keynote by Professor Ming-sho Ho (National Taiwan University): “Be Water: The 2019 Hong Kong Protests from an Actionist Sociology Perspective”
• Sessions examining the “Asian Monsoon” of youth-led movements across Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong
• Panels on climate justice in the Global South and gender inclusion in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Each presenter contributed concrete policy recommendations and civic techniques aimed at embedding youth inclusion into global governance. The conference concluded with a strategy meeting charting the future of the Asian Civil Society Research Network (ACSRN).