SMU’s Institute for Societal Leadership (ISL), in partnership with Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organised the third edition of the Societal Leadership Summit 2017 on 6 October. Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, was the Guest of Honour and keynote speaker at the Summit. Dr Balakrishnan spoke about the importance of collaboration for the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on its golden jubilee, lessons learnt and the path ahead for ASEAN as a community. Joining him at the Summit was former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Emeritus Senior Minister (ESM) Goh Chok Tong.

To mark this special occasion, Minister Vivian Balakrishan also unveiled Singapore’s ASEAN 50 commemorative sculpture, which was designed and created by Singaporean cultural icon, Tan Swie Hian at SMU’s Campus Green.

The Societal Leadership Summit is ISL’s flagship event aimed at generating deeper conversations to catalyse the growth of societal leadership. More than 450 international government leaders, diplomats, thought leaders as well as key representatives of academic institutions and social enterprises convened for this year’s full-day Summit at SMU’s School of Law.