United States ↔ Japan ↔ South Korea
Trilateral Forum
What is the Trilateral Forum?
The Trilateral Forum is a week-long winter program in Washington, D.C., designed exclusively for students selected to serve as Executive Committee (EC) members for the upcoming Japan-America Student Conference (JASC), Korea-America Student Conference (KASC), and China-America Student Conference (ChASC).
Planned and facilitated by International Student Conferences (ISC), the Forum equips ECs with the tools, insights, and connections they need to lead impactful summer conferences. Through off-the-record discussions with policy experts, site visits to diplomatic institutions, and cross-cultural collaboration, ECs deepen their understanding of U.S.–Asia relations while building a shared vision for the year ahead through a next-generation lens.
Why it Matters
In a moment of shifting alliances and urgent regional challenges, today’s young leaders need more than academic theory. They need:
The Trilateral Forum equips students with critical insights into the U.S.–Japan–Korea relationship, while preparing them to design and lead the summer conferences that will shape dialogue between the next generation of leaders.
Program Highlights
Over the course of one week in Washington, D.C., participants engage in:
🗣️ Off-the-record discussions with diplomats, journalists, and policy leaders
🧠 Workshops on leadership, communications, and diplomacy
🏛️ Site visits to embassies, think tanks, and government institutions
🤝 Peer collaboration on timely trilateral issues
🎤 A public symposium where students present their findings and engage with experts
Past themes have included regional security, democratic resilience, and the ethics of AI. Each year focuses on a timely topic facing the trilateral relationship.
2026 Trilatial Symposium
🗓️ Date: January 9, 2026 | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
📍Location: Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA in DC, 1819 L St NW, Washington, DC 20036.
Panel 1: Democratic Participation and Civic Engagement
What lessons can we learn from current trends in civic engagement and approaches to increasing democratic participation among youth and marginalized communities in the U.S., Japan, or Korea?
Speakers:
Sayuri Romei, Senior Fellow, Indo-Pacific Program, German Marshall Fund US
Tami Overby, Partner, DGA Government Relations
Lynn Lee, Senior Director, East Asia and Strategic Partnerships, National Endowment for Democracy
Kazuyo Kato, Executive Director, Japan Center for International Exchange
Student Moderators:
Risa Ueda, Executive Committee Member, Japan-America Student Conference
Gabrielle Drinkwine, Executive Committee Member, Korea-American Student Conference
Panel 2: Aging Societies and Social Safety Nets
What effective policy, social, and technological strategies have the U.S., Japan, and Korea developed to support aging populations and how can each country adapt lessons from the others to improve the quality of life for the elderly and people with disabilities?
Speakers:
Reiko Nishida, Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Comparative Law, Waseda University
Kirsten Colello, Health and Aging Policy Specialist, Congressional Research Service
Hoda Selim, Senior Economist, Asia Pacific Department, International Monetary Fund
Student Moderators:
Maya Sasaki-George, Executive Committee Member, Japan-America Student Conference
Hyein Kim, Executive Committee Member, Korea-American Student Conference
Thank You to our Supporters
We are deeply grateful to our 2026 sponsors:
Korea Foundation
Japan Foundation NY
Learn More
View our previous Trilateral Forums or contact us at info@iscdc.org with any questions
