2025 Charlottetown Forum

The second Charlottetown Forum will explore topics that are top of mind for people in Canada, including healthcare, climate change, and restoring dialogue in polarizing times. 

Meeting at Confederation Centre of the Arts next to the site of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference, the Charlottetown Forum seeks to promote open learning and sharing of diverse perspectives about important issues in Canada. The Forum is part of the Centre’s revitalization plan, which includes the creation of a national cultural leadership institute housing new spaces for public discourse, the creation of art, and cultural learning. 

The inaugural Charlottetown Forum took place in 2023 and featured discussions on immigration, economic reconciliation, and finding shared national narratives in a fractured time. The second edition will explore new topics, with discussions led by experts, artists, and leaders in journalism, healthcare, and climate advocacy. 

“This year’s Forum will provide a space for these conversations in an arts context, with each discussion including at least one artistic or cultural perspective,” says Francesca Perez, the Centre’s director of arts education and heritage. “The schedule will also include complementary programming from the Centre, such as a thematic exploration of the Art Gallery, a choral music workshop, and a historic tour of downtown Charlottetown.” 

Forum speakers will include Owais Lightwala, professor, artistic producer, and tech entrepreneur; Stephanie Arnold, climate specialist at CLIMAtlantic; PEI Poet Laureate Tanya Davis; and Dr. Megan Miller, PEI’s first chief physician recruiter. 

“At a time of increasing divisiveness, Confederation Centre has a duty to provide opportunities for meaningful discussion so that people in Canada can make real progress on real issues,” says Centre CEO Steve Bellamy. “The Charlottetown Forum is an occasion for listening to experts and leaders and considering multiple perspectives on important issues. We are welcoming an impressive group of speakers from several provinces and are thrilled to be hosting these engaging conversations.”

The 2025 Charlottetown Forum will be held at Confederation Centre of the Arts on May 23 and 24. Passes are on sale now. Student pricing is available.