China-Gulf Forum 2022 will take place online via Zoom on April 16 and 17. This year, various topics surrounding the partnership between China and Gulf countries, including economics, entrepreneurship, technology, sustainability, arts, politics and culture will be discussed through panels and interviews with renowned scholars, business leaders and cultural specialists from diverse backgrounds. Mariët Westermann, the Vice Chancellor of NYU Abu Dhabi, will give welcome remarks to all attendees and Joanna Waley-Cohen, Provost and NYU Shanghai’s Chief Academic Officer, will deliver a keynote address on the theme “Cosmopolitanism in Education: Past, Present, and Future.”

Inaugurated in 2019, the China-Gulf Forum was the first student-led, interdisciplinary forum in the region focusing on this partnership. Over the past three years, it has welcomed over 400 guests from all over the world. Through this forum, the team aims to bring together leading scholars, industry experts and government officials to an open, diverse and inclusive conversation, aiming to highlight the limitless opportunities and lingering challenges of a more dynamic cooperation between China and the Gulf.

Compared to the previous CGF forums, the biggest difference is the greater variety in topics, with four panels and three conversations being held this year. Lin Ye, Forum Chair of CGF 2022, described the forum’s mission in this way: “We try to create an insightful and engaging event that shares some concerns of the real world. This year we introduced exciting new topics such as sustainability, entrepreneurship and NFTs.” The CGF has a grand vision of its role and the potential changes it could bring about: it will not only serve to raise awareness of the changing landscape around China's role in the region but also provide a platform to reconnect with historical and cultural roots, evaluate the recent developments in economic relations and technology and explore sustainable development strategies in the two regions.

“We want to join the tides of the real world, or in some way ‘break out the bubble’,” Ye said. As a student-led forum, CGF receives generous support from NYUAD, the NYU global network and others. “From various departments and offices at NYUAD, NYU Shanghai and NYU New York, our guest speakers, our marketing partners who helped us promote and many more. We were really encouraged by the level of interest we had received from our participants, many of whom are professionals and students outside of the NYU network. This is a collective effort,” Ye said. In an interview with The Gazelle, Ye shared how her experiences at NYUAD motivate her to promote dialogue. “One thing I’ve come to learn at NYUAD is the value of conversations. I really hope CGF can serve as a platform for productive, inspiring and inclusive conversations for inter-regional understanding.” At the end of the interview, Ye encouraged everyone to join the forum. “This could be a fun learning experience for both our guest speakers and participants.”

The China-Gulf Forum is open to everyone. You can register here.