The WTO’s 2021 Public Forum, to be held from September 28 to 30, will look at the effects of Covid-19 on trade and how the multilateral trading system can help build resilience to the pandemic and future crises.
Under the main theme, “Trade beyond Covid-19: Building Resilience”, the Public Forum’s sub-themes will be “Enhancing Resilience beyond Covid-19”, “Strengthening the Multilateral Trading System” and “Collective Action towards Sustainable Trade”, a WTO statement said.
Sessions for the Public Forum are organised by civil society, academia, business, governments, parliamentarians and intergovernmental organizations. The call for proposals will open soon. Registration is due to open on May 3, 2021.
In light of the uncertainties and restrictions related to Covid-19, the WTO will closely monitor the situation to determine the format of the forum. A decision will be communicated by mid-June, the statement said.
The Public Forum is the WTO’s largest annual outreach event. It provides a unique platform for heads of state, parliamentarians, business people, students, academics and civil society to come together and debate a wide range of trade and development topics. Over 1,500 participants attend the forum each year.
