Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
Tuesday Oct 28, 2025
Tuesday, 28 October 2025 00:21 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Harvard Club of Sri Lanka President and Big Bold Brave 2025 Project Co-Chair Kandeban Balendran (left) addresses the media briefing. Mastercard, Sri Lanka and Maldives Country Manager Sandun Hapugoda, Big Bold Brave 2025 Project Co-Chair Asanka De Mel and Harvard Club of Sri Lanka Vice President Aruni Goonethilleke are also present – Pic by Daminda Harsha Perera
By Divya Thotawatte
The Harvard Club of Sri Lanka has recently announced the return of ‘BIG BOLD BRAVE 2025, (BBB 2025)’ a premier thought leadership conference, bringing together over 15 countries from the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region to advance future-focused dialogue.
The conference, themed ‘Big Opportunities | Bold Moves | Brave People’ will be held 12 to 14 November at Cinnamon Life – City of Dreams, Colombo. The event, attended by key leaders and professionals from across industries, will unite official alumni organisations of Harvard University in a powerful collaboration to explore the defining forces shaping Asia-Pacific’s journey toward 2050.
Discussions will centre on areas like the future of work and human capital development, digital economy and entrepreneurship, modernising agriculture and food security, sustainable energy and infrastructure, and environmental resilience and climate change adaptation.
Harvard Club of Sri Lanka President and BBB Co-Chair Kandeban Balendran said, “Sri Lanka is just four and a half hours of a flight from 60% of the world’s population, and over 55% of trade happens in this region. Together we can position Sri Lanka at the human capital hub of the region: a place where ideas are born, partnerships are forged, and leadership is redefined.”
He noted that the Harvard Club of Sri Lanka aimed to be a platform of purpose, going beyond networking to drive tangible national and regional impact. In line with that vision and building on the success of the 2024 conference, this year’s edition would be larger and more globally connected, drawing Harvard alumni and leaders from across the world, he said.
Balendran explained that the event would further position Sri Lanka as a rising hub for leadership and dialogue within the Asia-Pacific, highlighting its strategic location and symbolic resilience.
Over three days, the conference will bring together visionary leaders, distinguished Harvard alumni, and global experts for high-impact discussions, case studies, and workshops designed to inspire collaboration and actionable solutions.
BBB 2025 will feature an outstanding line-up of international speakers and thought leaders, including TIME 100 Climate Leader and nature scientist Dr. M. Sanjayan, author, commentator and public intellectual Gurcharan Das, Synergies Worldwide Executive Chair and WHO Technical Advisory Group Chair Munir (M) Merali, Chief Adviser to the President of Sri Lanka on Digital Economy and former Axiata Group Executive Director Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Singapore Sri Lanka Business Association President Lakshanthi Fernando, and Singapore Professional Centre Chairman Leong Sze Hian.
With more than 40 speakers and over 150 delegates expected to attend, the summit aims to spark meaningful discussions, strengthen cross-border partnerships, and drive innovation across sectors vital to Asia’s future.
“We see an Asia-Pacific region in transition, 4.5 billion people growing richer, living longer, and facing new complex challenges,” Balendran added, noting that this year’s conference would explore these shifts and the opportunities they create.
Recognising the region’s growing global influence, the Harvard Clubs are committed to creating a transformative platform that addresses pressing challenges and identifies new opportunities for innovation and growth.
Stressing on the significance of this initiative, BBB Co-Chair Asanka de Mel also said, “Half the world’s population lives in the Asia-Pacific, a very tight space. We’re richer, bigger, older, and facing massive change. That creates immense challenges and immense opportunities.”
De Mel explained that the conference was not designed to address problems of the next 3-5 years, but was based on a more long-term vision of transformation throughout the next 20-35 years.
“The purpose of this conference is to tap into the Harvard Alumni Network and through it, the global ecosystem of Cambridge, Oxford, and other leading institutions to bring that knowledge, experience, and capital into the region.”
Championing this initiative, the Harvard Club of Sri Lanka, established in 2021, continues its mission to empower members, serve the nation, and strengthen the global Harvard network. The 2025 conference builds on that vision, promoting connection, collaboration, and shared progress.
