Angelina Jolie joins the 2026 ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit in Manila for a conversation with filmmaker Rithy Panh on Cambodia, community-led change, and the power of long-term commitment.
Angelina Jolie is bringing her work in humanitarian advocacyAdvocacyAdvocacy refers to the active, public support of a specific cause, policy, or community need, often extending beyond financial donation into sustained engagement. In Philippine society journalism, genuine advocacy isGo to Advocacy Glossary to Manila this November as one of the featured speakers at the 2026 ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit, presented by Mastercard. The Academy Award-winning actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian will join regional leaders and changemakers on November 11, 2026 to discuss the future of inclusive growth in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on opportunity, social progress, and building more resilient communities.
For more than two decades, Jolie has used her platform to champion human rights, advocate for refugees and displaced communities, and bring attention to vulnerable populations around the world. Her participation in the summit offers an opportunity to draw from these experiences and examine how meaningful, lasting change can be achieved through collaboration with the communities most affected.
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What Angelina Jolie Will Be Talking About At The 2026 ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit
Jolie will join Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, writer, and producer Rithy Panh for a panel discussion titled From Memory to Possibility: Cambodia, Courage and the Power of Staying. Shamina Singh, Founder and President of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, will moderate the conversation, which will explore the relationship between cultural memory, community-led development, and the long-term work of building a more inclusive society.
Their shared connection to Cambodia offers a compelling starting point for the discussion. A survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime, Panh has dedicated much of his filmmaking career to documenting the country’s history and ensuring that its stories are told through Cambodian perspectives. Jolie, meanwhile, first visited Cambodia more than two decades ago and developed a lasting relationship with the country, eventually becoming involved in initiatives supporting its communities.
Their collaboration reached a significant milestone with First They Killed My Father, the film adaptation of Cambodian writer Loung Ung’s memoir, which Jolie directed and Panh served as an executive producer. Outside of their work in cinema, their respective commitments to Cambodia reflect a shared understanding that progress requires more than short-term involvement: it calls for listening to local communities, building trust, and giving the people closest to the challenges a meaningful role in shaping the solutions.
Photo courtesy of Mastercard
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Angelina Jolie is a featured speaker at the 2026 ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit, which will take place in Manila on November 11, 2026.
Angelina Jolie will join filmmaker Rithy Panh for a panel discussion titled From Memory to Possibility: Cambodia, Courage and the Power of Staying. The conversation will explore Cambodia’s story, community-led development, and the importance of building lasting change.
Angelina Jolie will be joined by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, writer, and producer Rithy Panh. The discussion will be moderated by Shamina Singh, Founder and President of the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.
Angelina Jolie first visited Cambodia more than 20 years ago and developed a lasting commitment to the country’s communities. She later directed First They Killed My Father, based on Loung Ung’s memoir, with Rithy Panh serving as an executive producer.
Their shared experiences in Cambodia offer perspectives on cultural memory, humanitarian work, and community-led change. Their discussion will highlight how lasting progress depends on listening to local communities, building trust, and allowing people closest to challenges to help shape solutions.
