May 11, Colombo (LNW): For the first time in its history, the influential global think tank, the Millennium Project, has appointed a Sri Lankan to its Board of Directors.
Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, a well-known strategist and regional policy expert, has been named an Ex-officio board member in recognition of his exceptional work advancing foresight initiatives in South Asia.
This milestone appointment not only highlights Abeyagoonasekera’s growing international standing but also reflects the increasing relevance of South Asian perspectives in global future-oriented policy discourse.
He first joined the Millennium Project in 2022 as a Senior Fellow and currently leads the South Asia Foresight Network (SAFN), an initiative committed to building strategic foresight capacity and regional collaboration across the subcontinent.
Abeyagoonasekera brings to the board a wealth of experience from his tenure in key governmental and diplomatic roles in Sri Lanka.
He served as Director General of the Institute of National Security Studies (INSS), operating under the Ministry of Defence, and as Executive Director of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI), where he helped shape national and regional policy dialogues.
Founded in 1996 with origins linked to the American Council for the United Nations University, the Millennium Project has evolved into a leading international non-profit dedicated to long-range future research and scenario building.
With 72 globally connected Nodes, the think tank fosters multidisciplinary insight into pressing global challenges, from emerging technologies to climate change and governance.
The organisation’s current focus areas include governance frameworks for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and its influential “State of the Future” reports, which are widely referenced in both academic and policy-making circles.
SAFN, under Abeyagoonasekera’s leadership, has contributed to enhancing regional participation in such discussions, especially from South Asia—an area traditionally underrepresented in global foresight agendas.
