On September 20, Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe, will welcome over 400 thought leaders and innovators for the inaugural IMPACT Forum, a groundbreaking event aimed at bridging the worlds of media, business, marketing, and technology across Central Asia. Organized by Asia-Plus Media Group, the forum will serve as a platform for regional experts to share global trends, present personal case studies, and explore new growth opportunities.
Unlike any other event in the region, the IMPACT Forum is designed to foster cross-sector collaboration, spark fresh ideas, and inspire transformational thinking. Media, marketing, and PR professionals will gain firsthand access to practical strategies, creative insights, and new tools to boost engagement and revenue.
The event’s name — IMPACT — reflects both its purpose and a deeper set of values, with each letter symbolizing a core pillar of the forum:
- I – Innovation: Highlighting pioneering ideas and solutions shaping the future of media, business, and tech.
- M – Media: Reimagining the role of media by attracting investment, inspiring meaningful content, and restoring public trust.
- P – People: Celebrating the individuals driving change and forming the backbone of a new, values-based industry reality.
- A – AI: Exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming markets, from productivity to content creation.
- C – Creativity: Showcasing creative strategies that unlock synergy between the tech, media, and business sectors.
- T – Transformation: Encouraging participants to rethink growth models, adopt new technologies, and embrace future-ready leadership.
The forum will take place at the Ismaili Centre in Dushanbe from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM, featuring a dynamic lineup of sessions across five themed tracks tailored to the needs of media, business, and IT professionals.
A deep dive into collaboration, innovation, and inspiration
The IMPACT Forum program is divided into five thematic blocks, each designed to address current challenges and spark new ideas across key industries:
- IMPACT x COLLABS: The opening and central session where industry leaders from marketing, media, business, and IT will dissect successful collaboration models, spotlighting impactful case studies from Central Asia and exploring actionable solutions to common challenges.
- IMPACT Media Lab: Running concurrently with the tech sessions, this block will showcase global media and marketing trends. Regional experts will explore how to adapt these trends to the unique context of Central Asia, fostering hands-on learning and experimentation.
- IMPACT Tech Playground: A live demo zone where startups and tech companies will present their innovations. Attendees will get a close-up look at how these products address real-world needs in business, media, and marketing.
- IMPACT Talks: Inspired by the TEDx format, this session will feature compelling short talks by leading experts from Tajikistan, the CIS, and beyond — offering powerful, personal insights to help professionals navigate a rapidly changing landscape.
- IMPACT Expo: A vibrant exhibition space where startups, businesses, media outlets, educational initiatives, investors, and NGOs will showcase their work, network, and explore collaboration opportunities.
- IMPACT SOUNDS X ART: The forum’s creative finale will begin with an art performance interpreting the forum’s core themes and conclude with a mini-concert. More than just entertainment, this event aims to launch a new cultural movement around collaboration and creativity, led by Asia+ and its partners.
High-profile speakers and supporters
The forum will feature renowned experts from across the region, each offering insights into monetization strategies, AI integration, event-based business models, and the power of meaningful collaboration. Attendees can expect actionable advice on how to build trust, grow audiences, and adapt to the shifting digital economy.
The full event program is available on the forum’s official website.
The general sponsor of the IMPACT Forum is Microcredit and Deposit Organization (MDO) Humo, with key partners including:
- The Agency for Innovation and Digital Technologies under the President of Tajikistan
- International auto holding Vector
- Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan
Leading mobile operator Tcell
