Circular Change at Expo 2025 Osaka: Advancing Circular Diplomacy on the Global Stage

At World Expo 2025 Osaka, Circular Change placed circular diplomacy firmly on the global agenda. From 22–24 September, the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP) hosted the Circular Economy Days at the EU Pavilion, bringing together policymakers, businesses, academics and civil society from Europe and Japan.

As Founder & Executive Director of Circular Change and Co-Chair of ECESP, Ladeja Godina Košir played a central role throughout the programme.

22 September – Global Leadership for a Circular, Resilient and Just Economy

Ladeja moderated the flagship panel on Circular Diplomacy, with EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall, UNEP’s Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Janez Potočnik of the International Resource Panel and other global leaders.
The dialogue explored how circular diplomacy can help meet human needs within planetary boundaries and highlighted Europe’s role as a “network of networks” in building trust across borders, cultures and generations.
Full list of speakers and video

24 September – Nature in the Loop: Building a Greener Economy Together

In a session moderated by Agnieszka Sznyk, Ladeja contributed insights from real-world projects linking bio-based innovation to systemic change.
Japanese academics, city leaders, and European youth voices joined the discussion, underscoring both opportunities and barriers for scaling the circular bioeconomy globally.
Full list of speakers and video

Circular Diplomacy in Practice

Across both panels, Ladeja emphasised that circular diplomacy is not about exporting European solutions, but about co-creating shared value through trust, cultural respect, and systemic collaboration. In times of geopolitical shifts and climate urgency, circular economy principles must serve as diplomatic bridges that connect nations and people.

Circular Change: Connecting Local and Global

Participation in Osaka reflects Circular Change’s ongoing mission:
- catalysing systemic transformation at national and city level,
- shaping global dialogues through ECESP,
- linking European experiences with insights from Asia, the Western Balkans, Latin America and beyond.

Read Ladeja Godina Košir’s reflections on circular diplomacy here: From rivalry to reciprocity – enter circular diplomacy