Emergence from Awai

The Ecological Memes Global Forum 2021, themed “Emergence from AWAI: Regenerating Human-Nonhuman Relations,” addressed human-centric societal limitations emphasized by the COVID-19 pandemic. It focused on restoring connections between humans and other beings and fostering “rich emergence beyond the human.” The forum explored the Japanese concept of ‘awai’—the plural, ambiguous, non-dualistic space between selves—as a framework for regenerating these relations, featuring diverse speakers including business leaders, pioneering thinkers, and innovative artists.