Jakarta. The Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI), in partnership with Global Citizen and a global consortium of think tanks, universities, civil-society organizations, and international institutions, hosted the sixth edition of the Global Town Hall on November 15, 2025.

Initiated by Indonesia, the forum brought together government leaders, civil-society champions, grassroots organizers, private-sector representatives, and young people to address some of the world’s most pressing global challenges.

This year’s event took place on the eve of the G20 Summit and in parallel with the COP30 climate negotiations in Belém, Brazil. One of the highlights was Ana Toni, CEO of COP30, who shared insights directly from the ongoing global climate talks.

“At COP30, we begin to inaugurate a new climate regime… to show that even under difficult circumstances, the climate system continues to function. We need to accelerate action because we are still far from our target of under 1.5°C,” Ana Toni said.

A Platform for Inclusive Dialogue
With the theme “The Future We Need,” Global Town Hall 2025 promotes open and solution-driven exchanges between thinkers, practitioners, and global leaders. The forum aims to bridge East–West and Global North–Global South perspectives, ensuring that the voices of people and communities help shape national and multilateral policies.

Delivering the keynote address, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim underscored the collective responsibility behind the conference’s discussions.

“The future we need cannot be written by a select few, but must be written by everyone. This is why we believe in dialogue over division, cooperation over competition, and humanity over power,” he said.

A Call to Action From Indonesia
In line with this year’s theme, FPCI Founder and Chairman Dr. Dino Patti Djalal delivered a strong call to action to the global community.

He warned that the rules-based international order is losing credibility and risks collapsing under uneven application.

“It is clear that the rules do not apply equally to all countries, and some are exempt. The spirit of the UN Charter is fading, and ‘the might-makes-right wind’ is rising. Nationalism is growing -- not the healthy kind, but an insecure and often angry one. We are seeing too much nationalism and too little humanity,” Dino said.

He emphasized that global citizens -- not only institutions -- must serve as agents of change.

“The future we need belongs to the citizens of the world. Speak up, inform, debate, disagree, challenge, advise. The future belongs to us and to the next generations. Let us imagine the future we need, let us own it, and let us build it together.”

Turning Ideas Into Action
Mick Sheldrick, Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Relations Officer at Global Citizen, noted that the purpose of the day’s dialogue is to transform ideas into tangible progress.

“During today’s Global Town Hall, you will hear from civil society how advocates, campaigners, and activists can work together to drive accountability and ensure citizens have a voice in decisions that affect them,” Sheldrick said.

He added: “We have the opportunity to decide whether our actions leave a positive impact. I believe we have greater ability than any previous generation to influence the lives of others.”

This year’s Global Town Hall featured a series of high-level discussions addressing the world’s most urgent geopolitical, social, and moral challenges.

Key program segments included:

• “Anticipating the Next World Order: What Should Remain, What Should Be Fixed, What Should Be Replaced” — assessing shifts in global power
• “Civil Societies as a Force for Stability and Progress in an Increasingly Turbulent World” — highlighting the role of civil society in safeguarding democracy and justice
• “How to Make the AI Revolution Work for All: A North–South Debate” — exploring equitable technological transformation across regions

The program continued with:

• “Winning Humanity’s Greatest Battle: Building a Strategic North–South–East–West Alliance for the Climate Future We Need”
• Special Session 1: “Listen to Us: Messages for G20 Leaders from Civil Societies Around the World”
• Special Session 2: “My Nationalism is Humanity: ‘We Are One’ is Better than ‘We’re Number One’”
• Special Session 3: “Religions for Peace: Pushing Back Against the Rising Tide of Bigotry and Prejudice”

As the world enters an era defined by climate urgency, geopolitical tension, and rapid social change, the Global Town Hall 2025 positions dialogue -- not division-- and cooperation -- not competition -- as the foundation for building “the future we need.”