The world order is shifting. What for decades seemed fixed is now coming undone. We are moving from a unipolar to a multipolar world, in which new power blocs are emerging and old certainties are disappearing. Whether this will lead to a new balance or to growing fragmentation remains far from decided.
In this transition, the Global South is increasingly asserting its place. Countries such as India, Brazil and South Africa are building new alliances, BRICS is expanding, regional cooperation is gaining importance, and multilateral institutions are being challenged to reform.
What does this geopolitical acceleration mean for international solidarity? Is there room for more equal relationships between North and South — or do new dependencies threaten to emerge? And how are Europe and Belgium positioning themselves in a world where U.S. influence is no longer self-evident and China and Russia are becoming more active?
This session explores both opportunities and tensions: from new partnerships to sharp questions about double standards, power and justice in a changing world order.
When: 15h
Where: Studio 1
Language: English
Joyeeta Gupta is Distinguished Professor of Climate Justice, Sustainability and Global Justice at the University of Amsterdam and Professor of Environment and Development in the Global South. In addition, she holds a water chair at the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. In 2023, she received the Spinoza Prize, the highest scientific award in the Netherlands. Gupta was a lead author of the IPCC report on climate change, which was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Heidy Rombouts is a lawyer and social scientist with more than 20 years of experience in international cooperation and human rights. She has worked for governments, multilateral institutions and civil society in Europe and Africa, including Enabel, GIZ, the United Nations and the World Bank. Since October 2021, she has been Director-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid with the Belgian federal government. Rombouts holds a PhD from the University of Antwerp and has published internationally on human rights and international relations.
Jorrit Oppewal is Secretary of the Standing Committee on International Development at the Advisory Council on International Affairs. He studied development economics at SOAS University of London and worked for several years in Mozambique, including with ODI and the International Growth Centre. In the Netherlands, he has been active in the House of Representatives and the knowledge platform The Broker. His expertise lies in development cooperation, international public goods and the Global South.
Shada Islam is a journalist, commentator and strategic analyst with decades of experience at the intersection of media, policymaking and advocacy. From an independent and intersectional perspective, she analyses Europe’s internal dynamics and its role in the world.
Jan Orbie was a professor at the Department of Political Science of Ghent University between 2007-2025. His research and teaching involved the relations between the European Union and the Global Souths.
This session is organized in cooperation with the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD)
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Forward Fest 2024 invites you to join the conversation, share your perspective, and collaborate with others to build a future that is fair, inclusive, and interconnected. Explore, learn, and contribute to the change our world needs.
LEARN, SHARE, INSPIRE
Prepare for a day filled with inspiring lectures, surprising workshops, and professional connections that will not only stimulate your thinking but also touch your heart. This is your chance to learn from leading thinkers, network with like-minded individuals, and actively contribute to a more just world.
You will soon be able to register for Forward Fest 2026 here.
Forward Fest is organized by 11.11.11, ngo-federation and VLIRUOS in collaboration with MO* with the support of Belgian development cooperation.
11.11.11
THE COALITION FOR INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY.
11.11.11 aims to eradicate exploitation from the world. Everyone – anywhere in the world – has the right to a dignified existence. To truly make a change, power and resources must be distributed more fairly, and the current system must be questioned.
More info on 11.be
NGO-FEDERATIE
FLEMISH FEDERATION OF NGOS FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION.
The ngo-federation represents its members to the federal and other governments, supports the members in their discussions with those governments, promotes cooperation within the sector, and strengthens the quality of NGOs’ operations.
More info on ngo-federatie.be
VLIRUOS
INNOVATIVE RESPONSES TO GLOBAL AND LOCAL CHALLENGES
VLIRUOS supports partnerships and scholarships between universities and colleges in both Flanders and the Global South, seeking innovative solutions for global as well as local challenges.
More info on vliruos.be
