Born on May 17, 1953 in the city of Alma-Ata (Almaty). Father – Kemel Tokayev (1923-1986), a veteran of the Great Patriotic War, a well-known writer, founder of a detective-adventure genre in Kazakh literature. Mother – Turar Shabarbayeva (1931-2000), worked for the Alma-Ata Teacher Training Institute of Foreign Languages.  In 1975, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev graduates from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). He got his pre-degree internship at the USSR Embassy in the People's Republic of China. In 1983-1984, he interned at the Beijing Linguistic Institute. In 1992, he graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. He started his career in 1975 in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the USSR and was posted to the Soviet Embassy in the Republic of Singapore. In 1979, he returned to the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1984 to 1985, he worked at the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then was posted to the Soviet Embassy in China, where he served until 1991 as Second Secretary, First Secretary and Counsellor. In 1992, he was appointed as the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 1993, he becomes the First Deputy Foreign Minister. In 1994, he was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In March 1999, he becomes the Deputy Prime Minister. In October 1999, with the consent of the Parliament by the Decree of the President of Kazakhstan, he was appointed as the Prime Minister. In January 2002, he becomes the State Secretary – Minister of Foreign Affairs. From 2003 to 2007, he headed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At this post, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was taking an active part in the global process of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. In January 2007, he was elected as the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament. In 2008, as the Speaker of the upper chamber of the Kazakh parliament he was elected as the Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. In March 2011, he was appointed as the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva, as well as served as the Personal Representative of the UN Secretary-General at the Conference on Disarmament. In addition, he also held the position of the Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament. He was also elected as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the CIS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. On October 16, 2013, he was re-elected as the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament. On March 20, 2019, he takes the oath as the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. On June 9, 2019, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had won the early presidential election with 70.96%, and was elected as the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. On June 12, 2019, in accordance with the article 42 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, he took the oath of office and officially assumed the post of Head of State. On November 20, 2022, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had won the early presidential election with 81.31%, and was re-elected as the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The inauguration ceremony was held on November 26, 2022. Since April 2021, he was elected as the Chairman of the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan. Since January 2022,  he becomes the Chairman of the Security Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador. Doctor of Political Sciences. Full member of the World Academy of Humanities and Natural Sciences. Member of the Council of the Wise Men of the Munich Security Conference. Honorary Professor of the Shenzhen University (China) and the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Honorary President of Kazakhstan’s Council on Foreign Relations. Honorary Dean of the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations. According to the Russian Biographical Society, he enters the list of winners of the “Man of the Year – 2018”. Over 13 years he headed Kazakhstan’s Table Tennis Federation.He is the author of 10 books on international relations. He has been awarded with numerous state awards of Kazakhstan and foreign countries, as well as with commemorative medals. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev supports a healthy lifestyle. He is fond of reading fiction, political and memoir literature.

Jelena Trkulja is the Senior Advisor for Academic and Cultural Affairs at Qatar Museums and the Editorial Director of Qatar Creates and the Design Doha Forum. She leads initiatives and public programs focused on using art, design, and education to make a positive impact. Trkulja's work centers on educational strategies and cultural diplomacy to promote collaboration between museums, universities, and schools. She holds a Ph.D. in art and archaeology from Princeton University and has a broad background teaching art theory and architectural history. In addition to her academic career, her experience spans research institutes, NGOs, consulting, museums, and the art industry, which gives her a unique perspective on how art and education can help shape modern society. Trkulja moderates discussions at international conferences and forums, connecting academics, government officials, and contemporary artists and architects. Her goal is to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among diverse groups, supporting Qatar Museums' mission to use art and design as tools for social change and community improvement.

1990 – 1996 Studies in Literature and History in Freiburg, Vienna and Jerusalem  1999 PhD in Literature.  1998 – 2000 Editor for the German TV stations ZDF and 3sat.  2000 Federal Foreign Office.  2001 – 2004 German Embassy Sanaa, Yemen.  2004 – 2007 Federal Foreign Office Berlin, Desk Officer for the Cultural Department.  2007 – 2009 Political Advisor of the EU Special Envoy for the Middle East in Brussels.  2009 – 2011 Permanent Mission EU Brussels.  2011 – 2015 Federal Foreign Office, Deputy Head of Middle East Division.  2015 – 2018 German Embassy Moscow, Head of Division for Economic Affairs.  2018 – 2019 Federal Foreign Office, Head of Middle East Division.  2019 – 2022 Federal Foreign Office, Head of Division for Russia and Belarus and Eastern Partnership. 2022 Director for the Near and Middle East and North Africa.

Gayane Umerova is dedicated to developing the culture sector in Uzbekistan. As Deputy Head of the Department of Social Development of the Presidential Administration and Chairperson of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF), Gayane Umerova is at the helm of building Uzbekistan’s cultural infrastructure. Her efforts are bringing the nation’s art, artists, and cultural heritage into the global spotlight. Currently, she is overseeing the restoration and development of the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Tashkent, poised to become a new cultural hub for the region. She is also driving the construction of the new State Museum of Arts designed by Tadao Ando, hosting the World Conference on Creative Economy in October 2024, and is commissioner for Uzbekistan’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka among other significant projects. Committed to boosting Uzbekistan’s prominence on the international culture scene, Umerova serves as the Chairperson of the National Commission of Uzbekistan on UNESCO Affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers and as the commissioner of the Uzbekistan Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2021. Her public service commitment is evident in her dedication to creating opportunities for young people in Uzbekistan’s cultural sector and fostering a cultural economy that unites communities and generations.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia Originally from Chocó, Colombia, the Minister is an accomplished Mining Engineer with a Master’s in Engineering Sciences and a distinguished career in public policy. Between 2022-2024, he served as Colombia’s Ambassador to the United States. Murillo served as Colombia's first Afro-Colombian Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development (2016–2018), where he expanded the nation’s protected areas, integrated ethnic communities into environmental policy, and developed a public policy framework for climate change mitigation and adaptation. His leadership also advanced the ratification of crucial environmental agreements, including the Paris Agreement. Elected Governor of Chocó in 1997 and again in 2011, Murillo was a staunch advocate for environmental protection and community rights in his region. He also served as General Director of the Corporation for Sustainable Development of Chocó (Codechocó) and contributed to environmental governance during Antanas Mockus’s first term as mayor of Bogotá, working as Deputy Director of Planning and Acting Director of the Environmental Protection Department, now the Secretariat of the Environment. He has served as a Senior International Policy Analyst for Lutheran World Relief and as a consultant for USAID, UNDP, and FAO. Murillo was the first Afro-Latino to testify before the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee on Black community issues in Latin America. He has contributed to environmental research at the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at American University in Washington, D.C., as well as at MIT as a Martin Luther King Research Fellow in the Environmental Solutions Initiative.

Mustafa Ünal Erten is currently the Chief of UNODC Regional Center for Combating Cybercrime and the Head of Programme Office in the State of Qatar. He has over two decades of experience in strategic planning, partnership building, and the management of development programs in the fields of law enforcement, criminal justice, and security sector reform. He has particularly focused on work through his postings in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Gulf Region.He has been working at the UNODC for over ten years, where he managed international law enforcement capacity-building programmes. Prior to his current role Mr. Erten was the Head of UNODC Programme Office in Tajikistan. Prior to joining UNODC, Mr. Erten served as the Project Manager for the first two Cyber Crime and Digital Forensics projects at INTERPOL in its Global Center for Innovation based in Singapore. He also worked as a UN Peacekeeping Officer in East Timor and as a Superintendent of Police in the Turkish Police.Mr. Erten has extensive experience in designing and delivering specialized training programs for law enforcement personnel, judiciary members, correctional officers, and academics from 30 countries across Southeast and Central Asia, Europe, MENA and the Gulf regions, as well as Africa.Mr. Erten holds a BA in Law Enforcement Management from the Turkish Police Academy. He also possesses a Criminal Justice Education Certificate from the University of Virginia in the United States, and an MA in Human Resource Development in Education from the Middle East Technical University in Türkiye.

Dr Sanam Vakil is the director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme where her work focuses on geopolitics, regional security, and Iran and Arab Gulf political dynamics. She also studies socio-economic developments across the MENA region pertaining to governance reform and challenges as well as gender issues.  Sanam is also the James Anderson professorial lecturer in the Middle East Studies department at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS Europe) in Bologna, Italy.

Ambassador Julian Ventura, a career diplomat on leave from the Mexican Foreign Service, is an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Senior Advisor at DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group. He has held various senior diplomatic positions, most recently as G20 Sherpa and Deputy Foreign Secretary, where he oversaw key relationships in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Previously, he served as Ambassador to China and the United Kingdom and Deputy Ambassador in the Embassy to the United States. As Under Secretary for North America, he played a central role managing the economic, trade, border, and migration agendas with the US and Canada. As Director-General for Asia-Pacific Affairs, he was a Senior Official in the Mexico-Japan FTA negotiations, the Mexico-South Korea 21st Century Commission, and five APEC Summits. Earlier in his career, he served as the Foreign Secretary´s Chief of Staff and in Mexico´s missions to the United Nations and the Organization of American States.

Aude Vignelles is the Director of Vignelles Space, providing expert professional services and solutions for space governments and industries across all aspects of space programs. Until April 2024, Aude served as the inaugural Chief Technology Officer of the Australian Space Agency, where she was instrumental in developing the civil space strategy's technical roadmaps, scoping and managing the Agency’s space programs and delivering on domestic and international activities. Prior to this role, Aude was the Executive Manager of Satellite & Fixed Wireless Operations at NBN.  Aude is a space and aeronautics engineer, graduating from ENSICA (now ISAE-SUPAERO) in Toulouse, and began her career at the European Space Agency (ESA) in the Netherlands. Having lived in Australia for the past 23 years, Aude has significantly contributed to the Australian space community and the establishment of the Australian Space Agency.

Antonio Villafranca is Vice President for Research at ISPI. He is in charge of ISPI’s research activities and Co-Head of the Europe and Global Governance Centre. He has coordinated several research projects funded by Italian Institutions (such as the “Osservatorio di Politica Internazionale” of the Italian Parliament) and by the EU Commission and Parliament (including Gr:een, Rastanews, Trade and Economic Relations with Asia, and Parlatrade). Since 2001, he has been teaching International Relations at the Bocconi University (Milan), where he was lecturer of European Economic Policy (2015-2018). He was also lecturer of ‘Structure of International Society’ at the IULM University. He has extensively published on global and European governance and on EU policies. Selected publications include: EU Economy: Fit for the Future? (with C. Altomonte), ISPI, 2023; New Fiscal Rules: The EU after Covid and the War (with F. Bruni and D. Tentori), ISPI, 2022; Europe in Identity Crisis. The Future of the EU in the Age of Nationalism (edited with C. Altomonte), ISPI, 2020; The Quest for Global Monetary Policy Coordination (with F. Bruni and J. Siaba Serrate), Economics E-Journal, Kiel Institute, 2019; Global Governance and the Role of the EU. Assessing the Future Balance of Power (edited with C. Secchi), Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011.He is an economist by training and received his MA from the Catholic University of Milan, where he also specialised in Economics and International Relations and was awarded the ‘Agostino Gemelli Prize. He is in charge of “NEXT-Empowering Future Leaders” and served as ISPI Coordinator of Think7 Italy (T7) in 2024 and of Think20 (T20) Italy in 2021.

David “Vuj” Vujanic is a content creator, presenter & digital pioneer. He became known initially for his satirical parodies in the early days of Youtube. Vuj has since trail-blazed in the online football world with his creative ideas, eye for viral moments and distinct style as a presenter & creator. Vuj has ventured into other creative pursuits, including spoken word, podcasting & acting. Beyond the online world, Vuj also holds a degree in International Relations & with his background as a refugee has always kept a keen eye on current affairs & the state of humanity.

Dr. Thomas Volk is the Head of the Middle East and North Africa department of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) since August 2024. He holds a PhD in Near- and Middle Eastern Studies and previously headed the foundation's Senegal/Gambia office based in Dakar from 2016 to 2020 and then the regional program Political Dialogue and in the Southern Mediterranean based in Tunis from 2020 to 2024. In 2023, he also re-established the Foundation's activities in Egypt. Dr. Volk has been working for the Foundation since 2014, initially as Coordinator for Islam and Religious Dialogue. He studied Islamic Studies and History in Freiburg, completed a German-Turkish Master's program in Ankara and Berlin and received his doctorate from the University of Basel.

Dr. Henry Huiyao Wang is Founder and President of Center for China and Globalization (CCG), Former Counselor to China State Council appointed by Chinese Premier and Vice Chairman of China Association for International Economic Cooperation under Ministry of Commerce; Vice Chairman of China Public Relations Association; Director of Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and China National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation under Ministry of Foreign Affairs; a member of Advisory Committee for Global Competence Development of Tsinghua University. In addition, he is a Steering Committee Member of Paris Peace Forum (PPF) and also sits on the Advisory Board of Duke Kunshan University and Richard Ivey Business School.  Dr. Wang pursued his PhD studies at University of Western Ontario and University of Manchester. He was a Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, a Visiting Fellow of Brookings Institute. As a thought leader on global relations, international business, global governance, talent migration, global investment and trade, etc., he has published over 100 works; a frequent speaker at international events such as the World Economic Forum, Munich Security Conference, Paris Peace Forum; a frequent contributing writer for the op-eds to South China Morning Post, Financial Times, Bloomberg, New York Times etc.

Dr Gerhard Wahlers is the Deputy Secretary General and Head of the Division European and International Cooperation at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS). Under his leadership, the international work of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung has been further expanded and now maintains more than 100 overseas offices worldwide. Previously, Wahlers headed the KAS country offices in the USA (1997-2003) and Israel (1994-1997). He is also the author and editor of numerous contributions and publications on topics of international politics as well as German and European foreign, security, and development policy.

Dr Annette Weber has been the EU Special Representative to the Horn of Africa since July 2021. She is a leading expert on the Horn of Africa with more than 25 years of experience in the region advising German decision makers at the highest level. At the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) she was Senior Fellow in the Africa and Middle East Research Division since 2007, serving as Head of Department from 2012-2014. She was engaged in mediation in Sudan and Ethiopia as Senior Advisor for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (2019-2021) as well as the Berghof Foundation (2014- 2019). Before joining SWP, Annette Weber was Coordinator and Head of Office for the Ecumenical Network for the African Great Lakes region (2003-2006). From 1996-2003 she held several positions, including Head Researcher (Sudan, Somalia) with Amnesty International and Head of Mission for Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. EUSR Weber has also lectured as Professor in Conflict Studies, International Relations and African International Relations at various universities in Germany, Austria and Spain. From 2010-2012 she worked as a consultant in residence in Addis Ababa. She has published extensively on peace and security in the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea arena. Annette Weber holds a PhD and MA in Political Science from the Free University of Berlin.

Dr Florian Weigand is co-director of the Centre on Armed Groups, a Geneva-based think tank. He is an associate fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and at the Geneva Graduate Institute. His work focuses on conflict zones, borderlands and other complex environments, how they function and are governed. He conducts extensive field research and has published widely on armed groups, legitimacy, and illicit economies, including several books and numerous policy reports. In addition, he has worked for international organisations such as the United Nations in Afghanistan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines, supporting dialogue and engagement efforts as well as conducting analysis on armed actors, conflict dynamics, and the political economy. He holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and master's degrees from the LSE and the University of Oxford.

She is director of the Carnegie Middle East Center, where her work focuses broadly on political violence, identity politics, inequality, citizenship, and the refugee crisis.  She has two PhDs in the social sciences and humanities from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Architectural Association (AA) in London. She has consulted with international organizations including the United Nations organizations and the World Bank as well the private sector on a broad range of issues in among other countries Lebanon, Pakistan, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. She serves on a number of advisory boards including the UNESCO international commission on the Futures of Education; a global member of the Trilateral Commission; co-chair of the International Advisory Board for the Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship at the American University of Beirut; and member of the Board of Directors of the Ana Aqra Association.  Yahya  is the author of numerous publications, including most recently Unheard Voices: What Syrian refugees need to return home (April 2018); editor of Contentious Politics in the Syrian Conflict: Opposition, Representation, and Resistance, co editor of Visualizing Secularism and Religion, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, India and was the director and principal author of The National Human Development Report 2008–2009: Toward a Citizen’s State in Lebanon.

Deemah AlYahya is a Saudi digital economy expert and a tech diplomat who serves as the Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO).  The DCO is the world’s first standalone intergovernmental global organization focusing on accelerating digital transformation and advancing digital economy, while empowering women and youth.  As the Secretary-General, AlYahya is an advisor, connecting heads of state, government ministers and private sector digital economy leaders together. She facilitates multilateral, multistakeholder digital cooperation to bridge the gap, bringing all digital economy key stakeholders to co-design high-impact initiatives to ensure every country, business, and person has a fair opportunity to prosper in an inclusive and sustainable digital economy.  AlYahya is an Edison Alliance champion for digital inclusion, advocating for equitable access to technology for all. As a Commissioner with Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, she is committed to fostering digital cooperation to ensure universal connectivity and bridge the digital divide.  AlYahya additionally serves on several boards, including SNB - Saudi National Bank, SAIP – Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, SCAI – Saudi Company for Artificial Intelligence, and SAFCSP - The Saudi Federation for Cyber Security, Programming, and Drones.

Professor Yan Xuetong is the distinguished Professor of Tsinghua University, and Honorary Dean of the Institute of International Relations of Tsinghua University. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1992 with a PH.D. degree in political science. In 2008, he was named one of the world's top 100 Global Thinkers by the Foreign Policy. From 2014 to 2019, he was the only political science scholar cited by Elsevier. His two books in English Ancient Chinese Thought, Modern Chinese Power (2011) and Leadership and the Rise of Great Powers (2019) were published by Princeton University Press. His latest edited Essence of Interstate Leadership (2023) is published by Bristol University Press. In addition, some of Professor Yan's books have been translated into English, Russian, Japanese, Farsi, Hindi, Korean and Albanian, generating wide international impact.

Sienho Yee (www.sienhoyee.org) studies the international legal system and dispute settlement. He has published widely and had substantial experience in practice.  He is Professor and Director of Chinese Institute of International Law at China Foreign Affairs University; Changjiang Xuezhe Professor; Member of Institut de Droit International (IDI) and of US Supreme Court Bar; Editor-in-Chief, Chinese Journal of International Law (Oxford). He was Principal Presenter on Article 38 at the official “ICJ at 70” seminar; author on territory in IDI Sesquicentenary Book. Author of the “international law of co-progressiveness” idea and a paper that anticipated Article 16 of Rome Statute, and of articles quoted or cited in judicial opinions and/or proceedings at ICJ, ITLOS, arbitration or other forums, Yee has acted as counsel and advocate or adviser in several ICJ cases and as adviser to governments elsewhere.  He has served as Special Rapporteur, AALCO Informal Expert Group on Customary International Law; International Advisor for ALI Restatement 4th on US Foreign Relations Law; Vice President, Chinese Society of International Law; lecturer at The Hague Academy; Hamilton Fellow at Christ Church, Oxford; Senior Fellow at Humboldt and Potsdam; Rockefeller Bellagio Resident Fellow; visitor at Harvard Law School; Member of several IDI commissions on IDS matters; Member of ILA Committee on Baselines and Sub-Reporter on ICJ Matters for ILA Study Group on UN Reform; Chair of ABILA IDS Committee; law clerk to Judge Cowen, US Third Circuit and Judge Li Haopei, ICTY; and lawyer at IMF and Sullivan & Cromwell.

Ambassador Philemon Yang is a seasoned diplomat with a track record of experience. Internally, he served as Prime Minister, Head of Government, from 2009 to 2019. In this capacity, he represented the Head of State at various important high-level regional and international meetings. He has held other important government positions, including Vice-Minister of Territorial Administration (1975-1979), Minister of Mines and Energy (1979-1984), and Minister, Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic (2004-2009). Since 2020 he has been serving as the Grand Chancellor of National Orders at the Presidency of the Republic. Internationally, Mr. Philemon Yang served as Cameroon’s High Commissioner to Canada (1984-2004), where during 14 years he doubled as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps. He has led Cameroonian delegations to high-level economic summits in Washington D.C, London, New Delhi and several other capitals. At the African level, he took part in various sessions of the African Union (AU) Conference of Heads of State and Government, including the Summit on the institutional reform of the African Union. He has held the position of Chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Africans of the African Union, since February 2020. This Panel is, among other things, responsible for examining candidacies for important positions within the African Union, such as those of African Union Commissioners. As far as UN activities are concerned, Mr. Philemon Yang was Chairperson of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. He is also fervently committed to humanitarian issues, respect for human rights and dignity, the rule of law, respect for nature and the environment, the fight against climate change, and the reform and renewal of the UN. His vision and commitment are based on the ideals, objectives and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter concerning peace, security, economic and social development, and respect for human rights, including the advancement of women, children and people with disabilities. Born on June 14, 1947 in Jikejem-Oku in the North-West Region of Cameroon, Ambassador Philemon Yang is a Cameroonian politician, and a magistrate by training. He is a graduate in law from the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon. After that he also graduated from the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM). Mr. Yang went on to obtain a Master’s Degree in International Law from the University of Ottawa, Canada, and a Master of Business Administration from Century University in the USA. He is married to Linda YANG and father of three children.

Fatima Yasmin is the Vice-President for Sectors and Themes of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). She assumed the position on 1 September 2023.  Ms. Yasmin is responsible for management of the Sectors Group and the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department under ADB’s new operating model.  Ms. Yasmin was the Senior Secretary at the Finance Division of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Finance. She has more than 32 years of broad development experience, including in macroeconomic management, public sector and fiscal policy reform, and trade and poverty reduction in government and international organizations.  ADB’s sector and thematic expertise are consolidated in the two groups under Ms. Yasmin to deliver integrated solutions to clients in accordance with country programs and strengthen ADB’s position as a leader in development knowledge in the region. The sector and thematic groups will launch and lead innovative initiatives to tackle the region’s key development challenges, with a focus on climate change.  Ms. Yasmin holds a master in development economics from Australian National University and a Master of Business Administration from the Institute of Business Administration, Dhaka University, in Bangladesh. She also received a Fellowship in Public Policy and Human Rights under the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program at Rutgers University in New Jersey, United States.

Nasser Yassin is currently the Minister of Environment in Lebanon. He has been leading the humanitarian response to the latest Israeli war on Lebanon as coordinator of the Government Emergency Committee, He is Professor of policy, planning and strategy.Until his appointment in the cabinet, he was a professor and administrator at the American University of Beirut (AUB): he headed the Health Management & Policy Department & between 2014-2020, he was the Director of Research of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs & the Institute's Director in 2019-2020. He also co-chaired the AUB4Refugees Initiative that brought together faculty in AUB responding to refugee crises.He founded in 2020 & directed the Crisis Observatory to track the repercussions of the crises & to provide evidence and systematic analysis of various facets of the crises.He holds a PhD from University College London (UCL), an MSc from London School of Economics (LSE), and an MSc and BSc from the AUB. His research and practice interests are in development planning and policymaking in fragile and transition states. He researches and works on policy and social innovation especially in areas of refugee, youth & health policies and programs.He is author of more than 60 internationally published peer-reviewed articles and books. His research has been featured in many media channels including Al-Jazeera, BBC, The Economist, New York Times, and Deutsche Welle - among others.

Upon graduating from The University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Law in March 1986, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After pursuing further studies in Portugal (PGD in European Studies, Faculty of Law, University of Lisbon) and the United States (MA in National Security Studies, Georgetown University), he served as Counsellor to the Embassy of Japan in Thailand and the Embassy of Japan in the United States; Director, First North American Division, North American Affairs Bureau; Executive Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister's Secretariat; Counsellor, Cabinet Secretariat; Counsellor, International Legal Affairs Bureau; Deputy Assistant Minister, Minister’s Secretariat; Director-General (Ambassador), Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Science Department, Foreign Policy Bureau; Director-General (Ambassador), Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau; and Director General of Public Diplomacy, Press Secretary, Minister’s Secretariat. Following a stint as Director, Refugees Assistance Headquarters, Foundation for the Welfare and Education of the Asian People, he was appointed Chief Executive Director of The Japan Institute of International Affairs in October 2023.

His career has spanned the academic and think-tank world as a faculty member in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington; Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School; and Senior Fellow at Brookings and Director of the Brookings Doha Center. His involvement with public policy includes working at the Middle East Department at the International Monetary Fund; the Middle East and North Africa region of the World Bank; and the UN Millennium Project.  He has a PhD in economics from Harvard University. His research has focused on the economic development and political economy of policy reform in the Middle East. He has contributed more than 80 articles, chapters, and reports, and co-edited several volumes including most recently Public Sector Reform in the Middle East and North Africa: Lessons of Experience for a Region in Transition (Brookings Institution Press, 2020); The Gulf Cooperation Council at Forty: Risk and Opportunity in a Changing World (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022); and The Middle East's Fragile Reset: Actors, Battlegrounds, and (Dis)order (Middle East Council on Global Affairs, 2023).

Ramy Youssef is a comedian, actor, screenwriter, and director. He is known for his Hulu comedy series Ramy, for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and a Peabody Award. He also starred in the Oscar nominated film Poor Things. He has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, for his show Ramy and for directing the critically acclaimed FX series, The Bear. In 2024, he hosted Saturday Night Live.

Nudhara Yusuf is the Executive Coordinator of the Global Governance Innovation Network (GGIN) at the Stimson Center and Co-Chair of the 2024 UN Civil Civil Society Conference in Support of the Summit of the Future. She served as a lead author of the Doha Forum’s Future of International Cooperation Report 2024.Prior to Stimson, Nudhara worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s SDG Integration Team and the UNDP Regional Bureau for the Asia Pacific’s Strategic Foresight Unit. Previously, she worked on Education and Training with the World Federation of United Nations Associations and supported the British Shadow Secretary of State for Justice in the UK’s Parliament. Nudhara is the founder and trustee of several grassroots NGOs and CSOs across India and the UK. Her research primarily focuses on the governance of and with future generations, the role of globalization, emerging technologies, and development in the shifting multilateral architecture and engaging youth and civil society in governance and multilateral institutions. In addition to her role at Stimson, Nudhara also serves as Coordinator of the Global Futures Forum, Global Youth Coordinator at the Coalition for the UN We Need (C4UN), and a fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. She was formerly a fellow with UN University’s Center for Policy Research to support the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Board for Effective Multilateralism, as well as an honorary advisor to the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY. 

Sawsan Abou Zainedin is the Chief Executive Officer of Madaniya, a Syrian-led and funded initiative that brings together over 200 Syrian civil society organizations. Independent of political and foreign influence, Madaniya works to reclaim the political agency of Syria's civic space. Sawsan is an architect and urban development planner by training. Her professional background spans a decade in the development sector and employs a multidisciplinary approach to addressing the manifestations of the Syrian conflict through research and practice. 

The National Research Center: Remote Sensing Department in the Institute of the Environmental Studies (Khartoum -1992 2 - Contributed in the preparation of the national investment map 1992. Registered in the Agricultural Council – Khartoum. Manager in “The Great man-made River” Libya 1996-1998. Manager - Banghazi new company (import & export)- Libya 1998- 2001. Politics & peace Doha Document for Peace in Darfur 2010 (negotiator in the power sharing file). Refugees and IDP’s conference- Doha 2010 - Chief negotiator – Doha peace talks 2013. Doha Donors conference 2013 – Doha. Meeting of the Implementation follow up commission Doha 2013. Chief negotiator, Juba peace talks 2019- 2020). Head of the “Media Committee” of the Sudanese Revolutionary front (2020-2023). Member of the committee for the alignment of the Juba peace agreement and the constitutional charter (November 2020).Member of the high committee for the following up of the implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement (JPA). Member of the national high committee for governance conference (2021-2023). Member of the government negotiating team with Abdel Aziz Alhilu ( July 2021). Instructor in many workshops to explain (JPA), Head of the mission to explain (JPA) in Neyal, Deain, Alfasher) (UNDP &National Commission for Peace 2021). Presentation at Adama – Ethiopea (4-8)2021, about Sudan’s Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development Strategy (PCRD)- organized by IGAD. Presentation at Adama – Ethiopia (12-15) October 2022, about Sudan’s Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development Strategy (PCRD)- organized by IGAD. Attendance: UNITAMS & PILPG workshop on “elections’ law’ and constitution making 2022. IGAD’s workshop on the “Durable Solutions for IDPs and Refugees (2023). Tutor in a workshop for the training of the armed movements in Alfasher December 2022 (Protection of civilians’ force) by the national commission for peace. Secretary of the chief negotiators committee to support the Darfur Regional Government. Workshop on the Implementation Matrixes of JPA February 2023 Baseline surveys of the Blue Nile returned refugees (National Commission for Peace) January 2023. Framework Agreement Committees up to 15th April 2023. Workshop on Sudan crisis -July 2023, organized jointly by French Promediation and the Swiss Ministry of external affairs. Togo conference on Darfur reconciliation issues August 2021. Peace Partners’ conference: Juba, November 2023. Humanitarian Dialogue workshop on transitional Justice – Kampala 2024.

Zhaslan Madiyev is the current Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan. With a robust background in finance, investment, and strategic planning, he has previously held roles such as the First Vice Minister of Digital Development and Vice Minister of National Economy. His academic credentials include a Master's degree in Public Administration in Economic Policy Management from Columbia University and an MBA from MIT Sloan Business School.  Zhaslan's diverse career spans positions at Morgan Stanley and various public sector organizations in Kazakhstan. Notably, as the General Manager of Binance Kazakhstan, he launched key initiatives like the first official banking crypto-fiat channel and nationwide blockchain education programs. In his current ministerial role, he aims to enhance Kazakhstan’s digital infrastructure, develop human capital, and foster international cooperation.

Since October 2013, Dr Fabian Zuleeg has been Chief Executive of the European Policy Centre, with overall responsibility, including providing strategic direction, managing its staff and resources, and representing the EPC. He remains Chief Economist at the same time. Before coming to the EPC, he worked as an economic analyst in academia, the public and the private sector. Fabian holds a PhD on the political economy of EU accession from Edinburgh University and is currently a Honorary Professor at Heriot-Watt University.  His analysis focuses on the political economy of the future of European integration in the context of political dis-cohesion within the EU and a contested, challenging global landscape. His current work is concentrated on determining how EUrope can meet the triple challenge of the watershed of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the fundamental transformations EUrope has to go through (technological revolution, climate change mitigation and demographic change), and the Permacrisis, a term he coined with EPC colleagues in 2021. Fabian works closely with decision-makers in the European institutions, the EPC members and partners, European think tanks and the wider Brussels and member state stakeholder community, and regularly comments on current political and economic issues in the EU in the media. He also chairs and contributes to a wide range of debates, conferences and seminars and has researched and published widely on the future of European integration, global challenges, Brexit and on European economic and social policies.