Legarda urges foresight diplomacy, spotlights culture and environment

Senator Loren Legarda called for foresight-driven diplomacy and leadership at the Regional Foresight Conference on Emerging International Issues held August 27, 2025, at Seda Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

The event, organized by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the Philippines alongside the 2nd Retreat of Diplomatic Academies in Southeast Asia, emphasized the growing importance of foresight studies in shaping foreign policy and training future diplomats.

“To speak of foresight in this context is not an academic exercise. It is the most practical expression of survival and the most strategic expression of leadership,” Legarda said.

She urged Southeast Asian nations to strengthen their ability to anticipate and respond to climate risks, technological disruptions, shifting global power dynamics, health crises, and regional maritime security challenges including the South China Sea.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Culture and Arts and a long-standing advocate of climate action, Legarda underscored the Philippines’ active role in environmental diplomacy.

She cited the Manila Call to Action on Climate Change, leadership in the Climate Vulnerable Forum and the V20 Group, and collaborations with global figures such as Ban Ki-moon, Bill Gates, and Kristalina Georgieva on climate adaptation strategies.

Legarda also emphasized the role of cultural diplomacy in strengthening ties between nations.

She highlighted initiatives she authored and supported, including Sentro Rizal cultural centers under the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, the Philippine Studies Program, and the country’s re-entry into the Venice Biennale.

The senator also announced that the Philippines will serve as Guest of Honour at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair, a milestone for Southeast Asian cultural presence on the global stage.

“Environmental diplomacy and cultural diplomacy are not separate pursuits. They are converging forces that give nations both the strength to endure and the power to inspire,” Legarda said.

The conference also featured research presentations by regional diplomatic academies developed in partnership with academic institutions.

“You are the torchbearers of foresight. You bear the responsibility of anticipating change, of preparing with discipline, of envisioning with courage, and of listening with humility,” Legarda concluded, addressing future Southeast Asian diplomatic leaders.