We work in an industry built on connection. And ironically, we have never had more ways to connect without actually being in the same room.

Meetings happen on screens. Conferences can be streamed. Messages cross borders in seconds. We collaborate with colleagues thousands of kilometres away without ever leaving our desks. Technology has made our world smaller, faster and infinitely more accessible.

So why do we still need to meet? Because some things simply work better face-to-face.

There is something different about sitting across the table from someone, exchanging ideas without a screen between you, or having a conversation over coffee that was never on the agenda. Often, it is those unexpected conversations that lead to the strongest ideas, new partnerships and relationships that continue long after an event has ended.

We have seen that throughout this year.

From DBS to CON-FEST, CADP & AI Forum, IPLC, and most recently, the Global News Forum in Sydney, members of our broadcasting community have travelled across cities and borders to share knowledge, debate the issues affecting our industry and learn from one another. Of course, the sessions, panels and presentations matter. They are why we put these events together. But sometimes the real value happens in between them.

It happens when two broadcasters discover they are facing the same challenge. When someone shares an experience that changes another person’s perspective. When an introduction becomes a collaboration. Or simply when colleagues who have exchanged emails for years finally get to shake hands.

For an organisation like the ABU, representing a region as vast and diverse as the Asia-Pacific, these connections matter enormously. Our members come from different countries, cultures, organisations and media environments. While we may not always face the same circumstances, coming together allows us to recognise how many challenges, ambitions and hopes for the future of media we share.

Media has a unique power to connect people across borders and differences. It can create space for dialogue, amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard and give communities the trusted information they need to make informed decisions. In difficult times, this role becomes even more important. By sharing knowledge, experiences and resources, media organisations can help build more informed, empowered and resilient communities.

Technology will continue to offer new ways to communicate, and we should embrace those opportunities. Yet, perhaps the more digitally connected our world becomes, the more valuable genuine human connection becomes. Technology may bring us together, but it is conversation, understanding and a shared sense of purpose that turn connection into meaningful action.

And soon, we will have another opportunity to do exactly that.

From 30 October to 3 November, the ABU community will come together in Colombo, Sri Lanka, for the 63^rd ABU General Assembly and Associated Meetings.

Under the theme “Media for Peace and Humanity: Truth, Trust and Transformation,” GA2026 will be five days of important conversations, shared perspectives and, just as importantly, the opportunity to reconnect with old colleagues and meet new ones from across our broadcasting community.

Because ultimately, ABU is not simply a network of broadcasting organisations. It is a community of people.

And this October, we hope to see that community come together in Colombo.