On May 15, 2024, the Asia Women Leaders International Pre-Summit 2024 was successfully held at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand.

The event gathered approximately 140 distinguished female leaders and selected youth leaders, including female students from 20 countries. Under the theme of “Empowerment of Asian Women, SDGs, and Advancing Unity among Asian Countries,” participants shared their experiences, knowledge, and wisdom across various fields such as education, environment, politics, and economy, transcending borders, industries, and generations.

Esteemed speakers included former Prime Minister of Thailand, His Excellency Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Her Royal Highness Princess Norodom Rattana Devi of Cambodia, and Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of the Centre for Social Research (CSR) in India.

Additionally, we sincerely appreciate the valuable supportive messages we received from Mr. Yukio Hatoyama, former Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Minoru Kiuchi, former Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Masakazu Kubota, Vice Chairperson and Executive Secretary of KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation), Mrs. Haruko Komura, President of the Asia-Pacific Ladies Friendship Society Inc. (ALFS), and Dr. Abdul Waheed Khan, Honorary Advisor of the Asia Women Leaders Forum (AWLF) and Assistant Director General of UNESCO, as well as from the Asian embassies in Japan.

The Asia Women Leaders Forum cherishes the spirit of “One Team, One Asia,” fostering a sense of family among the 4 billion people living in Asia. We aim to unite the wisdom of Asia to create a beautiful Asia and Earth that will last for millennia. This summit aimed to weave connections among leaders across borders, industries, and generations, fostering a positive cycle for individuals and society through dialogue and collaboration. Thanks to the cooperation and dedication of many contributors , we successfully brought together around 140 participants and achieved a successful summit.

【Esteemed Speakers】

• Keynote Address: The Power of Peace through Empowered Asian Women
  • Dr. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
  • His Excellency Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Former Prime Minister of Thailand
  • Her Royal Highness Princess, Norodom Rattana Devi, Cambodian Princess
  • Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director, Centre for Social Research (CSR), India
  • Mr. Minoru Kiuchi, Member of the Japanese House of Representatives / Former State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan
• Panel Discussion 1: Advancing Gender Equality in Asia
  • Hon. Patsarin Ramwong, Member of the House of Representatives, Thailand
  • Dr. Chizu Sekine, Representative Director and President, Sumika Technical Information Service, Inc., Japan
  • Dr. Patra Shovityakool, Founder and Managing Director, TRAPA CO., LTD., Thailand
  • Ms. Linh Hoang, Executive Director, Lead The Change, Vietnam
  • Dr. Constantin Malik, Board Member and Director for Global EcoSystems and Partnerships, Foundation for the Support of the United Nations, United Kingdom
• Panel Discussion 2: Ensuring Quality and Access to Education for All
  • Dr. Ethel Agnes Pascua-Valenzuela, Commissioner (Vice Minister) , Republic of the Philippines Commission on Higher Education, The Philippines
  • Dr. Tian Belawati, Rector, Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia / President, International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), Indonesia
  • Dr. Rupa Vasudevan, Founder and Chancellor, Bharatiya Engineering Science and Technology Innovation University (BESTIU), India
  • Ms. Shailaja Adhikary, Founder and Managing Director, IEC Group of Institutions, Nepal
  • Ms. Tomoko Katsurayama, CEO and Founder, T.K. Associates Co., Ltd. / Professor, Graduate School of Management, GLOBIS University, Japan
• Panel Discussion 3: Empowering Diverse Employment and Career Pathways for Economic Growth
  • Ms. Yuki Aizawa, APAC Director, Women in Tech, APAC
  • Ms. Elisa Sarza Nuada Elisa Sarza, Managing Director and Chief Business Development Officer, Blue Chip Global Development PTY. LTD, The Philippines
  • Ms. Rhea See, Co-founder and Co-CEO, She Loves Tech Singapore
  • Ms. Harasha Bafana, Founder and Director, The Adam & Hawa Network, Singapore
  • Mr. James Skinner, Management Consultant, Bestselling Author, AI Expert, the U.S.A.
• Applauding Changemakers: Celebrating Transformative Impact of the Awards conferred on Asia Women Leaders in 2024
  • Economy: Dr. Chizu Sekine and Mrs. Suchitra Lohia
  • Education: Dr. Ethel Agnes Pascua-Valenzuela
  • Environment　Ms. Saengduean Lek Chailert
• Closing Ceremony
  • Ms. Eilidh Hamilton, Regional Director for Cultural Engagement, British Council, Singapore

【Supportive Messages from Asian Leaders】

• His Excellency Mr.Yukio Hatoyama, Former Prime Minister of Japan / Chairman, East Asian Community Institute
• Mr. Minoru Kiuchi, Former State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan / Member of the Japanese House of Representatives, Japan
• Mr. Masakazu Kubota, Vice Chairperson and Executive Secretary, KEIDANREN (Japan Business Federation)
• Mrs. Haruko Komura, President, The Asia-Pacific Ladies Friendship Society Inc. (ALFS)
• Dr. Abdul Waheed Khan, Honorary Advisor, Asia Women Leaders Forum (AWLF) / Assistant Director General, UNESCO
• Mr. Kenju Eda, Advisor, Asia Women Leaders Forum (AWLF) / CEO, RAUL,inc. / Director, Energy Information Center
• Ms. Momoe,  Founder and Guide, ZenEating

【Supportive Messages from the Embassies in Japan】

• Her Excellency Ms. Mylene de Joya GARCIA-ALBANO, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Tokyo, Japan
• Her Excellency Mrs. PHONGSAMOUTH Anlavan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic in Japan
• His Excellency Mr. ILIDIO Ximenes da Costa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste in Japan
• Mr. Takema SUZUKI, Honorary Consul-General of Bhutan in Tokyo, Honorary Consulate-General of the Kingdom of Bhutan in Tokyo

Find the supportive messages here.

【Support】
Embassy of Japan in Thailand

【Esteemed Sponsors & Partners】

• EXPO’70 FUND -The Japan World Exposition Osaka 1970 FUND, KANSAI OSAKA 21st Century Association
• Miital
• Yamaguchi Heavy Industries
• India Japan Foundation
• BLUE CHIP GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
• Anantara
• RAUL
• Grow up
• Feel & Sense
• Taj Mahal
• Global Mobility Service
• MOHAN
• All those who co-created this summit with us

Opening Ceremony: Ms. Ai Sasaki, Chairperson, Asia Women Leaders Forum

Keynote Address: Dr. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)

Group work by participants after the panel discussion: This summit is an all-participant event that values dialogue among leaders across borders, generations, and industries.