The international community today faces an unprecedented convergence of challenges—deepening geopolitical conflicts, economic and technological fragmentation, exclusive nationalism, and the erosion of multilateralism. Strategic competition between the United States and China now spans all domains, while recurrent wars and crises expose the limits of international norms and collective security. Protectionism, the reordering of global supply chains, and the securitization of energy and food further erode the foundations of cooperation. As the international order reaches a structural turning point, the world must seek new approaches to partnership and governance. This requires both a sober assessment of institutional limits and concrete efforts to foster inclusive and practical collaboration. Only through such innovation can the global community restore trust and renew multilateral cooperation in a fragmented world.

In this defining moment, the 21st Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity builds on its enduring mission to bring together voices across sectors, generations, and regions to foster meaningful dialogue and collective action. The Forum will explore new pathways to sustain peace, advance shared prosperity, and mobilize global efforts toward a more sustainable future.

This year’s key objective is to examine how breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and the energy transition are reshaping economies and societies, while underscoring the importance of both global governance and local leadership in ensuring that collaborative progress remains ethical, inclusive, and resilient.

<Themes>
Under the theme Reinventing Cooperation in a Fragmented World, the Forum will explore five core agendas:
- Cooperation for Peace and Security amid Great Power Competition(the “Sandwich Dilemma”): Navigating strategic rivalries to ensure stability.
- Prosperity through Economic, Educational, Climate, and Energy Transitions: Building a common future through transformative change.
- Global Governance and Cooperation in the Age of AI and Digital Innovation: Shaping ethical and sustainable technological norms.
- International Action for a Sustainable Future: Mobilizing collective commitments to long-term environmental and social resilience.
- The Role of Local Governments in the Glocal Era: Empowering sub-national actors in an interconnected world shaped by both global and local dynamics