As an attendee of the International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS) 2025, held from June 24th to 26th at Raffles City Convention Centre in Singapore , I left with a profound sense of clarity and urgency regarding the future of our global communities. The conference, now in its third edition, was an insightful journey into what unites us and how diverse societies can build enduring bonds, under the overarching theme of “Cohesive Societies, Resilient Futures” . It became crystal clear to me that in an era marked by increasing interconnectedness yet also growing division, the pursuit of social cohesion is not merely an ideal, but a global imperative. The conference kicked off on a powerful note, immediately setting a tone of intentionality. On Day 1, focused on “Unpacking Multiculturalism” , President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of the Republic of Singapore delivered a compelling keynote address. He called for a specific brand of "intentional, active multiculturalism" des...