Human, economic and political security issues across East and Southeast Asia heighten the need for greater cooperation in the region, which has the world's fastest-aging populations, the largest number of megacities, resource constraints, disaster risks, and exceptional societal diversity. Collaborative leadership will be critical to chart a peaceful and sustainable course for the region and the wider world.

Salzburg Global Seminar's program on Leadership for Regional Cooperation in Asia for the 21st Century is based on the premise that future global prospects will disproportionately hinge on effective collaboration among East and Southeast Asian countries, and their ability to harmonize policies and practices with other leading countries and regions in the world. The program seeks to foster the development of leaders capable of bridging differences within the region and playing constructive roles on the international stage. It will connect talent and experience across geographies and sectors to catalyze dynamic ideas, policy approaches and projects within a cooperative framework.

The strategic planning meeting in October 2016 set priorities for this multi-year program. It brought together 22 younger and high-level representatives of key stakeholder groups from Japan, China, and South Korea; pivotal ASEAN members including Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam (ASEAN+3); and a small number of regional experts from Europe and the United States. Participants benefited from an environment and format for unconventional thinking with regard to expanding the scope, depth, and avenues of cooperation in East and Southeast Asia, using scenario planning exercises to rank the most pressing concerns and regional priorities with regard to economic and security challenges, international relations and transnational threats.