
T20 Session: The Changing Landscape of Multilateralism: Navigating Global Power Shifts Passed
Tuesday May 6, 2025 11:15 - 12:15 CEST FORUM / AUDIMAX (2nd floor)
Speakers: Bryan Lanza, Cheri Bustos, Henry Huiyao Wang, Philani MthembuModerator: Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson
Theme: GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
The world is grappling with multiple overlapping crises: political polarization, the rise of far-right movements, escalating conflicts, and the existential threat of climate change. Amid this turmoil, the mechanisms of international cooperation are increasingly strained. The current geopolitical climate, most notably the new U.S. administration, highlights these tensions as global agreements are being reevaluated or abandoned altogether.
This session will critically examine how these pressures are reshaping the landscape of international cooperation, addressing questions such as the following: What does multilateralism look like in an era of division? How can we resist the pull towards fragmentation and foster solidarity in the face of diverging interests and priorities?
Through a forward-looking dialogue, we will explore pragmatic pathways for nations, institutions, and communities to work together on addressing vital global public goods. While the challenges are immense, this session seeks to identify strategies for building resilient and inclusive forms of global collaboration that can endure and even thrive in a fractured world.
Speakers
Bryan Lanza Speaker
Partner
Mercury Public Affairs; Former Senior Advisor to the Trump-Vance campaign.
Cheri Bustos Speaker
Former Congresswoman, Chair of the Political Arm of House Democrats, and Senior Leader in Congress
U.S. House of Representatives
Henry Huiyao Wang Speaker
Founder and President
Center for China and Globalization(CCG); Former Counselor to China State Council
Virtual Speaker
Philani Mthembu Speaker
Executive Director
Institute for Global Dialogue; T20 Co-Chair
Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson Moderator
Journalist and Podcast Host
Common Ground Berlin