Events
Supporting research, knowledge-sharing, and dialogue through meetings, conferences, and other events
The Foundation hosts events throughout the year with guest speakers from a variety of countries, sectors, organizations, and backgrounds who share their expertise on specific topics in roundtable settings. External meetings and conferences take place across the country and range from small, invite-only meetings to large, public events. If you are interested in sponsoring one of our events, please reach out to Rosie Bolderston, Program Manager, Grants and Proposals.
Upcoming Events
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September272023APF Canada Event
September 27: Deepening Canada-Japan Relations in the Indo-Pacific: Commemorating the 95th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations
Wednesday September 27, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PT
Wednesday September 27, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PT
Where
By invitation only.
Contact
Please contact events@asiapacific.ca for more information.
Add to Calendar 09/27/2023 08:30 09/27/2023 12:00 America/Vancouver September 27: Deepening Canada-Japan Relations in the Indo-Pacific: Commemorating the 95th Anniversary of Diplomatic RelationsRecent years have seen Canada and Japan increasingly collaborate and express the need to maintain long-standing and stable ties while diversifying and deepening the bilateral relationship. For example, in October 2021, the governments of Canada and Japan announced the Canada-Japan Action Plan for contributing to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, in which the two countries agreed to work together on six shared priorities: the rule of law, peacekeeping, health security, energy security, trade, and climate change. In November 2022, the Government of Canada released its Indo-Pacific Strategy, which outlines a policy of strengthening co-operation in the Indo-Pacific in a wide range of fields; it explicitly discusses the importance of partnering with Japan. And in May 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participated in the G7 Hiroshima Summit held in Japan.
Our multi-partner event will commemorate the 95th anniversary of Canada-Japan diplomatic relations by discussing the G7, Japan’s new Free and Open Indo-Pacific outlook, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, and what these initiatives mean practically for deepening Canada-Japan ties. The September 27 event will include presentations by academics detailing their respective visions for collaboration between Canada and Japan in the region. The academic presentations will be followed by a panel of experts that will review key elements of each country’s approach to the Indo-Pacific region to identify areas of mutual interest and potential for further collaboration.
A Q&A session will follow the panel discussion.
Agenda
8:30-9:10 – Informal networking before event begins
9:10-9:15 – Welcome, traditional land acknowledgement, introduction of event topic and speakers (APF Canada CEO & President, Jeff Nankivell)
9:15-9:25 – Background to Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (APF Canada CEO & President Jeff Nankivell)
9:25-9:40 – Presentation: Takes on the future of Japan-Canada relations in the Indo-Pacific – Part 1 (Prof. Stephen Nagy, International Christian University, Tokyo)
9:40-9:55 – Presentation: Takes on the future of Japan-Canada relations in the Indo-Pacific – Part 2 (Prof. Tsuyoshi Kawasaki, Simon Fraser University)
9:55-10:05 – Change of speakers / Break
10:05-10:35 – Panel Discussion: What do key elements of each country’s approach to the Indo-Pacific region mean for practically deepening further collaboration and people-to-people ties
- Moderator: APF Canada CEO & President Jeff Nankivell
- Professor Stephen Nagy, International Christian University, Tokyo
- Professor Tsuyoshi Kawasaki, Simon Fraser University
- Ms. Kyoko Kuwahara, Visiting Fellow, Macdonald Laurier Institute
10:35-11:15 – Audience Q & A with moderator and panellists
11:15-11:20 – Closing Remarks (APF Canada CEO & President Jeff Nankivell)
11:20-12:00 – Networking light lunch / snacks
This event is presented with support from the Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver.
Where:
By invitation only.
When:
Wednesday September 27, 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PT
Contact:
Please contact events@asiapacific.ca for more information.
By invitation only.
Please contact events@asiapacific.ca for more information.
MM/DD/YYYY aApIixFQGzNBgsirTmGF20369Recent years have seen Canada and Japan increasingly collaborate and express the need to maintain long-standing and stable ties while diversifying and deepening the bilateral relationship. For example, in October 2021, the governments of Canada and Japan announced the Canada-Japan Action Plan for contributing to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, in which the two countries agreed to work together on six shared priorities: the rule of law, peacekeeping, health security, energy security, trade, and climate change. In November 2022, the Government of Canada released its Indo-Pacific Strategy, which outlines a policy of strengthening co-operation in the Indo-Pacific in a wide range of fields; it explicitly discusses the importance of partnering with Japan. And in May 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participated in the G7 Hiroshima Summit held in Japan.
Our multi-partner event will commemorate the 95th anniversary of Canada-Japan diplomatic relations by discussing the G7, Japan’s new Free and Open Indo-Pacific outlook, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, and what these initiatives mean practically for deepening Canada-Japan ties. The September 27 event will include presentations by academics detailing their respective visions for collaboration between Canada and Japan in the region. The academic presentations will be followed by a panel of experts that will review key elements of each country’s approach to the Indo-Pacific region to identify areas of mutual interest and potential for further collaboration.
A Q&A session will follow the panel discussion.
Agenda
8:30-9:10 – Informal networking before event begins
9:10-9:15 – Welcome, traditional land acknowledgement, introduction of event topic and speakers (APF Canada CEO & President, Jeff Nankivell)
9:15-9:25 – Background to Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (APF Canada CEO & President Jeff Nankivell)
9:25-9:40 – Presentation: Takes on the future of Japan-Canada relations in the Indo-Pacific – Part 1 (Prof. Stephen Nagy, International Christian University, Tokyo)
9:40-9:55 – Presentation: Takes on the future of Japan-Canada relations in the Indo-Pacific – Part 2 (Prof. Tsuyoshi Kawasaki, Simon Fraser University)
9:55-10:05 – Change of speakers / Break
10:05-10:35 – Panel Discussion: What do key elements of each country’s approach to the Indo-Pacific region mean for practically deepening further collaboration and people-to-people ties
- Moderator: APF Canada CEO & President Jeff Nankivell
- Professor Stephen Nagy, International Christian University, Tokyo
- Professor Tsuyoshi Kawasaki, Simon Fraser University
- Ms. Kyoko Kuwahara, Visiting Fellow, Macdonald Laurier Institute
10:35-11:15 – Audience Q & A with moderator and panellists
11:15-11:20 – Closing Remarks (APF Canada CEO & President Jeff Nankivell)
11:20-12:00 – Networking light lunch / snacks
This event is presented with support from the Consulate General of Japan in Vancouver.
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September282023Partner Event
September 28 - October 1: Japan Studies Association of Canada Annual Conference
Thursday September 28th, 2023 at 2 p.m. PT - Sunday October 1, 2023 at 11 a.m. PT
Thursday September 28th, 2023 at 2 p.m. PT - Sunday October 1, 2023 at 11 a.m. PT
Where
College of Arts & Science University of Saskatchewan
9 Campus Drive Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A5
Contact
For more information, please click here.
Add to Calendar 09/28/2023 14:00 10/01/2023 11:00 America/Vancouver September 28 - October 1: Japan Studies Association of Canada Annual ConferenceJapan Studies Association of Canada's 2023 annual conference (JSACAC 2023) will be held at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon from September 28 to October 1, 2023. The conference will begin in the late afternoon of Thursday September 28 with a keynote address. The conference will run all day Friday September 29 and Saturday September 30 and for the morning of Sunday October 1.
APF Canada's President and CEO, Jeff Nankivell will be speaking at the event, as will two members from our Northeast Asia research team – Senior Program Manager, Dr. Scott Harrison, and research analyst Momo Sakudo.
Friday September 29, 2023
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: Scott Harrison and Momo Sakudo from our Northeast Asia research team will present their recent report: Japan Needs More Labour. Is Immigration the Answer?
3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.: APF Canada’s President and CEO Jeff Nankivell will participate in the Canada Japan Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Think-Tank Panel.
Saturday September 30, 20238:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Scott Harrison, Senior Program Manager, Northeast Asia, will chair a panel on Tourism in Japan and Canada.
Sunday October 1, 20239:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.: Scott Harrison, Senior Program Manager, Northeast Asia, will participate in a panel titled, 'Reconciliation and Symbiosis in East Asia from Comparative Perspectives.'
Where:
College of Arts & Science University of Saskatchewan
9 Campus Drive Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A5
When:
Thursday September 28th, 2023 at 2 p.m. PT - Sunday October 1, 2023 at 11 a.m. PT
Contact:
For more information, please click here.
College of Arts & Science University of Saskatchewan
9 Campus Drive Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A5
For more information, please click here.
MM/DD/YYYY aApIixFQGzNBgsirTmGF20369Japan Studies Association of Canada's 2023 annual conference (JSACAC 2023) will be held at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon from September 28 to October 1, 2023. The conference will begin in the late afternoon of Thursday September 28 with a keynote address. The conference will run all day Friday September 29 and Saturday September 30 and for the morning of Sunday October 1.
APF Canada's President and CEO, Jeff Nankivell will be speaking at the event, as will two members from our Northeast Asia research team – Senior Program Manager, Dr. Scott Harrison, and research analyst Momo Sakudo.
Friday September 29, 2023
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: Scott Harrison and Momo Sakudo from our Northeast Asia research team will present their recent report: Japan Needs More Labour. Is Immigration the Answer?
3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.: APF Canada’s President and CEO Jeff Nankivell will participate in the Canada Japan Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Think-Tank Panel.
Saturday September 30, 20238:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Scott Harrison, Senior Program Manager, Northeast Asia, will chair a panel on Tourism in Japan and Canada.
Sunday October 1, 20239:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.: Scott Harrison, Senior Program Manager, Northeast Asia, will participate in a panel titled, 'Reconciliation and Symbiosis in East Asia from Comparative Perspectives.'
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October122023APF Canada Event
October 12: Kakehashi Alumni Network Event: Book Launch for Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai
Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET
Where
Japan Foundation, Toronto
2 Bloor St E, Suite 300, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Contact
Click here to register. For further information please contact Siân Jones, Program Manager, Kakehashi Project
Add to Calendar 10/12/2023 14:00 10/12/2023 15:30 America/Vancouver October 12: Kakehashi Alumni Network Event: Book Launch for Catfish Rolling by Clara KumagaiAPF Canada, with the co-operation of the Japan Foundation, Toronto, is pleased to invite you to join us for our first in-person Kakehashi Alumni Network event as we celebrate the Canadian release of Catfish Rolling, the highly acclaimed debut novel from Japanese Canadian author and Kakehashi alumna Clara Kumagai.
The event will feature a reading and moderated Q&A in which Clara will discuss her novel, process, inspirations, and much more. The discussion will be moderated by Toronto-based author Rui Umezawa. Copies of Catfish Rolling will be available for purchase and signing at the event.
This is an open event. All Kakehashi Project Alumni and members of the public are welcome to attend. Advance registration is required.
This event is made possible through the kind co-operation of the Japan Foundation, Toronto.
Clara Kumagai is from Canada, Japan, and Ireland. Her fiction and nonfiction for children and adults has been published in The Stinging Fly, Irish Times, and Kyoto Journal among others. Her novel Catfish Rolling was described by The Guardian as “an outstanding debut” and selected as one of the CBC’s 25 Canadian YA Books to Read in 2023. Clara is a recipient of a We Need Diverse Books Mentorship and a finalist for the 2020 Jim Wong-Chu Emerging Writers Award. She is an alumna of the 2015-16 Kakehashi Project and recently relocated to Ireland after five years living and working in Japan.
Toronto writer Rui Umezawa’s books include The Truth About Death and Dying, shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize for Best First Book (Canada & the Caribbean), and Strange Light Afar; Tales of the Supernatural from Old Japan, chosen as one of CBC’s best books of 2015. His essays and short fiction have appeared in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and Canadian Notes and Queries, among others. As a storyteller, he has recounted traditional and original tales in front of live audiences with Katari Japanese Storytellers and in collaborations with the acclaimed Nagata Shachu taiko (drum) ensemble.
Where:
Japan Foundation, Toronto
2 Bloor St E, Suite 300, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
When:
Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET
Contact:
Click here to register. For further information please contact Siân Jones, Program Manager, Kakehashi Project
Japan Foundation, Toronto
2 Bloor St E, Suite 300, Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Click here to register. For further information please contact Siân Jones, Program Manager, Kakehashi Project
MM/DD/YYYY aApIixFQGzNBgsirTmGF20369APF Canada, with the co-operation of the Japan Foundation, Toronto, is pleased to invite you to join us for our first in-person Kakehashi Alumni Network event as we celebrate the Canadian release of Catfish Rolling, the highly acclaimed debut novel from Japanese Canadian author and Kakehashi alumna Clara Kumagai.
The event will feature a reading and moderated Q&A in which Clara will discuss her novel, process, inspirations, and much more. The discussion will be moderated by Toronto-based author Rui Umezawa. Copies of Catfish Rolling will be available for purchase and signing at the event.
This is an open event. All Kakehashi Project Alumni and members of the public are welcome to attend. Advance registration is required.
This event is made possible through the kind co-operation of the Japan Foundation, Toronto.
Clara Kumagai is from Canada, Japan, and Ireland. Her fiction and nonfiction for children and adults has been published in The Stinging Fly, Irish Times, and Kyoto Journal among others. Her novel Catfish Rolling was described by The Guardian as “an outstanding debut” and selected as one of the CBC’s 25 Canadian YA Books to Read in 2023. Clara is a recipient of a We Need Diverse Books Mentorship and a finalist for the 2020 Jim Wong-Chu Emerging Writers Award. She is an alumna of the 2015-16 Kakehashi Project and recently relocated to Ireland after five years living and working in Japan.
Toronto writer Rui Umezawa’s books include The Truth About Death and Dying, shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize for Best First Book (Canada & the Caribbean), and Strange Light Afar; Tales of the Supernatural from Old Japan, chosen as one of CBC’s best books of 2015. His essays and short fiction have appeared in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and Canadian Notes and Queries, among others. As a storyteller, he has recounted traditional and original tales in front of live audiences with Katari Japanese Storytellers and in collaborations with the acclaimed Nagata Shachu taiko (drum) ensemble.
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November262023APF Canada Event
November 26-December 1: Smarter Living: The Canadian Women-only Business Mission to South Korea and Thailand
November 26-December 1, 2023
November 26-December 1, 2023
Add to Calendar 11/26/2023 11:00 12/01/2023 19:00 America/Vancouver November 26-December 1: Smarter Living: The Canadian Women-only Business Mission to South Korea and ThailandAPF Canada, with strong support from the public and private sectors, will lead Smarter Living: The Canadian Women-only Business Mission to South Korea and Thailand in late Fall 2023.
This mission is part of the Foundation’s 2023-2025 mission series, Northeast X Southeast: Advancing Partnerships Between Canada and Asia, and will focus on the cleantech, health tech, and information and computer technology (ICT) sectors to spotlight the innovations Canadian women entrepreneurs bring to these sectors. The seventh mission in APF Canada’s Women’s Business Missions to Asia Series, this unique opportunity brings together Canadian women entrepreneurs with businesses in South Korea and Thailand to promote gender-inclusive trade, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and catalyze international partnerships between Canadian companies and these key markets in Asia.
The Canadian Women-only Business Mission to South Korea and Thailand is generously supported by contributions from the Government of Canada through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
Where:
Bangkok and Seoul
When:
November 26-December 1, 2023
Contact:
For more information, please click here.
Bangkok and Seoul
For more information, please click here.
MM/DD/YYYY aApIixFQGzNBgsirTmGF20369APF Canada, with strong support from the public and private sectors, will lead Smarter Living: The Canadian Women-only Business Mission to South Korea and Thailand in late Fall 2023.
This mission is part of the Foundation’s 2023-2025 mission series, Northeast X Southeast: Advancing Partnerships Between Canada and Asia, and will focus on the cleantech, health tech, and information and computer technology (ICT) sectors to spotlight the innovations Canadian women entrepreneurs bring to these sectors. The seventh mission in APF Canada’s Women’s Business Missions to Asia Series, this unique opportunity brings together Canadian women entrepreneurs with businesses in South Korea and Thailand to promote gender-inclusive trade, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and catalyze international partnerships between Canadian companies and these key markets in Asia.
The Canadian Women-only Business Mission to South Korea and Thailand is generously supported by contributions from the Government of Canada through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
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February262024APF Canada Event
February 26-29: The Canada-in-Asia Conferences 2024: Agri Food & Climate Solutions
Monday February 26 – Thursday February 29, 2024
Monday February 26 – Thursday February 29, 2024
Add to Calendar 02/26/2024 09:00 02/29/2024 17:00 America/Vancouver February 26-29: The Canada-in-Asia Conferences 2024: Agri Food & Climate SolutionsThe Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada), in partnership with Universities Canada, is excited to host the first two thematic Canada-in-Asia Conferences (CIACs) back-to-back in February 2024 in Singapore:
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CIAC2024: Agri-food on February 26-27
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CIAC2024: Climate Solutions on February 28-29
CIAC2024: Agri-food and CIAC2024: Climate Solutions will bring together experts, investors, policy-makers, researchers, business leaders, and innovators from across Asia and Canada to exchange perspectives, knowledge, and ideas and to create collaborative partnerships in these two critical sectors.
CIAC2024: Agri-food and CIAC2024: Climate Solutions will be bridged by the CIAC2024: Gala Dinner on the night of February 27. All conference delegates will be automatically registered for the Gala Dinner, which is also open to registered guests not attending either CIAC2024 conference. The annual CIAC: Gala Dinner is an opportunity for Canada-connected people, organizations, and institutions from across Asia to convene, build networks, and celebrate all things Canada-in-Asia.
Where:
Singapore
When:
Monday February 26 – Thursday February 29, 2024
Contact:
For more information, please click here or email events@asiapacific.ca
Singapore
For more information, please click here or email events@asiapacific.ca
MM/DD/YYYY aApIixFQGzNBgsirTmGF20369The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada), in partnership with Universities Canada, is excited to host the first two thematic Canada-in-Asia Conferences (CIACs) back-to-back in February 2024 in Singapore:
-
CIAC2024: Agri-food on February 26-27
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CIAC2024: Climate Solutions on February 28-29
CIAC2024: Agri-food and CIAC2024: Climate Solutions will bring together experts, investors, policy-makers, researchers, business leaders, and innovators from across Asia and Canada to exchange perspectives, knowledge, and ideas and to create collaborative partnerships in these two critical sectors.
CIAC2024: Agri-food and CIAC2024: Climate Solutions will be bridged by the CIAC2024: Gala Dinner on the night of February 27. All conference delegates will be automatically registered for the Gala Dinner, which is also open to registered guests not attending either CIAC2024 conference. The annual CIAC: Gala Dinner is an opportunity for Canada-connected people, organizations, and institutions from across Asia to convene, build networks, and celebrate all things Canada-in-Asia.
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Recent Events
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September212023Partner Event
September 21: Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy and Implications for Trade with Asia
Thursday September 21, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PT
Thursday September 21, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PT
Contact
For more information, please click here.
Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy holds enormous potential for our country's expanded trade. Yet, developing new trade relations with the world's fastest-growing economies is not without major challenges. A region fraught with geopolitical tensions, Canada's strategic approach to the Indo-Pacific includes negotiating new trade agreements, establishing additional regional trade offices and resources, and expanding Canada's 'mind-share' for greater national awareness within emerging markets.
As a trading and maritime nation, Canada has launched an ambitious agenda as it seeks to diversify its trade and advance its interests in a shifting international order. Please join The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Pacific Chapter in Vancouver on September 21 to hear one of Canada's foremost Asia experts on this timely and important national initiative.
Featuring our President and CEO, Jeff Nankivell, as a speaker.
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September152023Partner Event
September 15: Kakehashi Alumni Network Online Event: The Mind is Everything – A Zen Meditation Workshop and Dialogue
Friday, September 15, 2023 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PT
Friday, September 15, 2023 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PT
Where
This is an online event.
Contact
This event is open to all Kakehashi alumni and participants. For more information about the Kakehashi Project, visit our website.
Nestled in the hills of the ancient capital of Kamakura, Engakuji Temple is one of the most important Zen Buddhist temple complexes in Japan. Founded in 1282 to serve the spiritual needs of the samurai, today Engakuji offers instruction in the practice of Zen meditation to the public. This virtual Zen meditation experience led by Engakuji Temple Zen priest Ichido Uchida will feature a meditation workshop followed by a discussion about Zen philosophy and how to incorporate Zen into our daily lives.
Hosted by the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE). This event is open to all Kakehashi alumni and participants.
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September122023Partner Event
September 12: Unlocking Opportunities: Strengthening B.C.-Taiwan Trade Relations
Tuesday September 12, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m. PT
Tuesday September 12, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m. PT
Where
Northeastern University Vancouver
Suite 1400, 410 West Georgia Street
Vancouver
Contact
For more information, please click here.
The World Trade Centre Vancouver is proud to partner with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Vancouver, to host a market information session around business opportunities in Taiwan.
The event aims to showcase trade and investment opportunities between our province and Taiwan and Canada's decision to enter formal bilateral trade talks with Taiwan as part of a broader strategy for the Indo-Pacific region.
Join the World Trade Centre Vancouver and fellow business community members from the Greater Vancouver region for this informational session to learn about the investment opportunities in Taiwan and how it could benefit your business.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with Consulate officials and delegates from the Importers and Exporters Association of Taipei to discover how businesses can effectively capitalize on investment opportunities offered by Taiwanese companies.
Featured Events
Invitation List
If you are interested in learning more or would like to be included on our invitation list, please send your contact details to events@asiapacific.ca