AIT, 17 August 2026 — The Center on Gender and Forced Displacement (CGFD) of the Faculty of Public Policy and Sustainable Development (FPSD) hosted the “Public Policy, Sustainability, and Urban Futures” on 17 August 2026 at the Milton E. Bender Jr. Auditorium, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). Attended by approximately 30 participants, the event provided a platform for discussing how research, public policy, and collective action can contribute to more equitable, resilient, and sustainable cities.
The programme opened with an inaugural session featuring Prof. Manukid Parnichkun, AIT Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research, as chief guest. Dr. Thi Phuoc Lai Nguyen, Dean of the Faculty of Public Policy and Sustainable Development, delivered the inaugural address.
A key highlight of the inaugural session was the launch of Dr. Priya Singh’s and Dr. Purna Banerjee’s book, Fractured Spaces: Intersectional Approaches to Migration and Displacement, by Prof. Ranabir Samaddar and Dr. Priya Singh.
The launch was followed by a keynote address from Dr. Malay Pramanik, Associate Professor of Urban Innovation and Sustainability at AIT. The keynote session was chaired by Dr. Faiz Shah, Director of the Yunus Centre at AIT.
The morning continued with a book discussion titled “City as Southern Question.” Led by Prof. Ranabir Samaddar, the session included contributions from Dr. Priya Singh and Dr. Afsana Parven. Dr. Samata Biswas, Assistant Professor at Sanskrit College and University and Director of the Calcutta Research Group, chaired the discussion.
In the afternoon, the session “City, Sustainability and the Urban Futures” featured presentations by Madhubanti Talukdar, Malika Banerjee, Shovit Dhakal, and Maria Fernanda Medina Solis. The session was chaired by Dr. Ayush Banskote.
The final session, “Urban Manifesto,” was led by Dr. Samata Biswas and chaired by Dr. Indrajit Pal, Associate Professor and Chair of Disaster Preparedness, Mitigation and Management at AIT.
Combining a book launch, book discussion, keynote address, research presentations, and a short lecture, the event encouraged meaningful exchanges on migration, displacement, inequality, sustainability, and the future of cities. The programme concluded at 4:00 p.m. after a productive day of interdisciplinary dialogue.
