North America-Japan Partnership in a New Global Era: Building the Future through Exchange, Innovation, and Collaboration

This event aims to explore innovative approaches to strengthening North America–Japan partnership amid profound global change. Through their individual experiences across Canada, Japan, and the United states, the speakers will discuss strategies for reinforcing values-based partnerships within societies and among the three countries, as well as brainstorm new ideas and opportunities for trilateral collaboration that will strengthen relations over the coming century. In a keynote address, Intercultural Exchange as a Path to Creativity and Innovation, Dr. Roseann Runte will draw upon examples from educational and institutional partnerships among Canada, Japan, and the United States to examine how international and intercultural exchange fosters creativity, innovation, and leadership across disciplines, including science, technology, education, and the humanities. A panel discussion titled Creating Foundations Toward the Next 100 Years will follow, featuring a distinguished group of leaders from Canada and the United States. Moderated by David Janes, this panel will explore the future of North America–Japan relations in an evolving global landscape, examining opportunities to strengthen educational, cultural, philanthropic, and policy collaboration while identifying new models of partnership for the decades ahead. This event is co-sponsored by the Japan Foundation, Toronto and International House of Japan, in partnership with American Friends of the International House of Japan and Japan Society Canada.