Global Impact Forum II will be held at The Taj Mahal Palace on September 5-6, ahead of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
Forum to showcase civilisational connections
Mumbai will host the second edition of the Global Impact Forum on September 5 and 6, bringing diplomats, business leaders, scholars, artists and investors from BRICS nations together ahead of the official summit in New Delhi.
The two-day event, titled Global Impact Forum II: Civilisational Legacy, will take place at The Taj Mahal Palace. It will mark the forum’s first edition in India and is expected to serve as an international cultural and economic precursor to the BRICS leaders’ summit scheduled for September 12 and 13.
AP Globale is organising the event in collaboration with the Maharashtra government. The programme has been designed as an international soft-power festival examining how heritage, knowledge systems, culture and creative expression can establish meaningful connections between countries.
Unlike conventional international meetings dominated by geopolitics, finance and security, the Mumbai forum will place shared history and cultural understanding at the centre of its discussions. Organisers say the event will encourage cooperation rather than competition among participating nations.
The forum will initially spotlight Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa while creating opportunities for engagement across the wider BRICS grouping.
Culture programme spans medicine, arts and sport
The programme will examine how traditional knowledge and cultural practices have crossed borders and influenced contemporary society. Sessions will cover Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine, indigenous traditions and other ancient approaches to health and well-being.
Martial arts and physical traditions will also feature prominently, with discussions involving India’s Kalaripayattu, Chinese Kung Fu and Tai Chi, and Brazil’s Capoeira. Organisers plan to explore the similarities between these systems and their continuing influence on fitness, discipline and cultural identity.
Literature, cinema, classical dance, music and sport will form another major part of the schedule. Dialogues connecting Rabindranath Tagore and Leo Tolstoy are expected to illustrate how ideas and creative works can establish enduring relationships between societies.
Panel discussions, keynote conversations and immersive workshops will examine the cultural intersections and shared traditions of the participating countries. The sessions are intended to connect civilisational heritage with present-day opportunities in technology, startups, investment and entrepreneurship.
Delegates to explore partnerships and investment
Around 500 high-profile delegates are expected to attend the forum. The gathering will include ambassadors, diplomats, policymakers, business executives, academics, cultural personalities, entrepreneurs, institutional investors and representatives of family offices.
The event is also expected to attract companies from BRICS countries and the bloc’s expanded membership. Business networking, startup presentations and policy discussions will seek to turn cultural understanding into commercial and institutional partnerships.
Aleksandr Fursov, Deputy Consul General of the Russian Federation in Mumbai, highlighted the longstanding political and cultural relationship between India and Russia. He said artistic exchanges, trade and cultural familiarity continue to support cooperation between the two countries.
Russian Consulate representative Matvei Fetisov also pointed to collaboration in energy, defence and manufacturing, including the BrahMos missile programme. His remarks underlined the role of shared strategic and economic interests alongside cultural diplomacy.
BRICS forum connects heritage with modern growth
AP Globale Director Janhavi Pawar said GIF II seeks to bring together the different strengths of BRICS nations by using shared civilisational connections as a foundation for deeper cooperation.
The event aims to link similarities in history, philosophy and cultural legacy with modern fields such as startups, technology and investment. Organisers hope these conversations will produce practical partnerships rather than remaining limited to symbolic cultural exchange.
The timing gives the Mumbai forum added diplomatic importance. It will be held one week before leaders gather in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, where development, trade, geopolitical issues and cooperation among member states are expected to dominate the agenda.
By combining heritage, creative expression and business engagement, GIF II will attempt to demonstrate how soft power can complement formal diplomacy. Its broader goal is to use cultural familiarity to improve trust and generate long-term collaboration among BRICS societies, institutions and businesses.
