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:

Visual representing immersive learning experiences in diplomacy, a key component of the Trilateral Forum program.

Graphic representing the Trilateral Forum’s focus on multinational collaboration that fosters empathy and trust between U.S., Japan, and South Korea.

Icon and caption highlighting Trilateral Forum's emphasis on student leadership opportunities from day one.

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.