APFSD10: Associated and Pre-Events

Organisers: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) 

The objective of the workshop is to strengthen preparations for the 2023 Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) through peer-learning and technical support. Through promoting regional exchange of experiences and lessons learned among the volunteering countries in the region, it can strengthen VNR preparations for the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). As in previous years, each segment invites participants to engage in discussion of challenges and good practices in preparing VNRs. Ultimately, this workshop will support countries in their VNR drafting and stakeholder engagement process by providing guidance and tips and the space to exchange questions and ideas and to learn from other VNR countries.

Link: https://www.unescap.org/events/2023/preparatory-workshop-escap-region-vnr-countries 

Organisers: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) 

The objective of the workshop is to strengthen preparations for the 2023 Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) through peer-learning and technical support. Through promoting regional exchange of experiences and lessons learned among the volunteering countries in the region, it can strengthen VNR preparations for the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). As in previous years, each segment invites participants to engage in discussion of challenges and good practices in preparing VNRs. Ultimately, this workshop will support countries in their VNR drafting and stakeholder engagement process by providing guidance and tips and the space to exchange questions and ideas and to learn from other VNR countries.

Link: https://www.unescap.org/events/2023/preparatory-workshop-escap-region-vnr-countries 

Organisers: Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), YouthLEAD, YPEER Asia Pacific Center, and Major Group for Children and Youth 

Supporter: Children and Youth Major Group to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 

ARROW, along with the regional co-convenors YouthLead and YPEER Asia-Pacific, have been organising the annual APFSD Youth Forum since 2017. In 2022, more than 600 adolescents and young people in the age group of 13-30 years from across Asia and the Pacific attended the APFSD Youth Forum. The Youth Forum resulted in 8 national youth call to actions; 4 sub-regional call to actions and one regional call to action. In 2023, we will be joined by more regional youth networks, including the Major Group for Children and Youth and the Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP, in the organising of the APFSD Youth Forum 2023 (hybrid modality). More than 1,500 young people are expected to participate at the APFSD Youth Forum 2023. The objectives of the APFSD Youth Forum 2023 are to ensure that young people voices, their realities, and their perspectives are meaningfully included in setting, transforming, and implementing the regional agenda on sustainable development, with specific reference to the intergovernmental APFSD, ECOSOC Youth Forum 2023, and HLPF 2023 processes.

Link: https://arrow.org.my/apfsdyouthforum/  

Organisers: Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), YouthLEAD, YPEER Asia Pacific Center, and Major Group for Children and Youth 

Supporter: Children and Youth Major Group to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 

ARROW, along with the regional co-convenors YouthLead and YPEER Asia-Pacific, have been organising the annual APFSD Youth Forum since 2017. In 2022, more than 600 adolescents and young people in the age group of 13-30 years from across Asia and the Pacific attended the APFSD Youth Forum. The Youth Forum resulted in 8 national youth call to actions; 4 sub-regional call to actions and one regional call to action. In 2023, we will be joined by more regional youth networks, including the Major Group for Children and Youth and the Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP, in the organising of the APFSD Youth Forum 2023 (hybrid modality). More than 1,500 young people are expected to participate at the APFSD Youth Forum 2023. The objectives of the APFSD Youth Forum 2023 are to ensure that young people voices, their realities, and their perspectives are meaningfully included in setting, transforming, and implementing the regional agenda on sustainable development, with specific reference to the intergovernmental APFSD, ECOSOC Youth Forum 2023, and HLPF 2023 processes.

Link: https://arrow.org.my/apfsdyouthforum/  

Organisers: Asian Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), YouthLEAD, YPEER Asia Pacific Center, and Major Group for Children and Youth 

Supporter: Children and Youth Major Group to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) 

ARROW, along with the regional co-convenors YouthLead and YPEER Asia-Pacific, have been organising the annual APFSD Youth Forum since 2017. In 2022, more than 600 adolescents and young people in the age group of 13-30 years from across Asia and the Pacific attended the APFSD Youth Forum. The Youth Forum resulted in 8 national youth call to actions; 4 sub-regional call to actions and one regional call to action. In 2023, we will be joined by more regional youth networks, including the Major Group for Children and Youth and the Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP, in the organising of the APFSD Youth Forum 2023 (hybrid modality). More than 1,500 young people are expected to participate at the APFSD Youth Forum 2023. The objectives of the APFSD Youth Forum 2023 are to ensure that young people voices, their realities, and their perspectives are meaningfully included in setting, transforming, and implementing the regional agenda on sustainable development, with specific reference to the intergovernmental APFSD, ECOSOC Youth Forum 2023, and HLPF 2023 processes. 

Link: https://arrow.org.my/apfsdyouthforum/  

Organisers: Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and Catalyst 2030 

Co-organisers: Asia Pacific Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM)- Social and Community Enterprise Constituency, Association of Progressive Communications, Social Enterprise Thailand, Oxfam in Asia, Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok  

The 4th Social Enterprise Advocacy and Leveraging (SEAL) Asia Conference and ISEA Regional Assembly shall be held on March 22-24, 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand (blended-format) with the theme "Social Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Partnerships: Towards Inclusive Recovery and Accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals.” Join us as we feature the social enterprise sector’s innovations around inclusive recovery from COVID-19 and cross-sectoral partnerships to build back fairer and accelerate achievement of the SDGs.

Register: https://forms.gle/DH2TZmCcgsZwBy5s6 

Organiser: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Statistics Division 

The year 2023 marks the mid-point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This is an opportune moment to reflect on progress in the Asia-Pacific region towards achieving the SDGs, as well being reminded of the significant work that remains to be done. Produced by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Asia-Pacific SDG Progress Report 2023 will shine a spotlight on countries that have demonstrated commitment and progress towards the 17 global goals. Their strong performance deserves recognition, and their experiences provide important lessons and illuminate pathways for progress in the years ahead. Unfortunately, this year’s report also reveals that the Asia-Pacific region has achieved less than 15 per cent of the necessary progress, which could result in substantial delays in accomplishing our 2030 ambitions. While the full impact of COVID-19 has yet to be quantified, data on a limited number of indicators are beginning to reveal impacts on people, planet and prosperity.

Link: https://www.unescap.org/events/2023/launch-asia-and-pacific-sdg-progress-report-2023 

Organisers: Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and Catalyst 2030

Co-organisers: Asia Pacific Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM)- Social and Community Enterprise Constituency, Association of Progressive Communications, Social Enterprise Thailand, Oxfam in Asia, Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok

The 4th Social Enterprise Advocacy and Leveraging (SEAL) Asia Conference and ISEA Regional Assembly shall be held on March 22-24, 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand (blended-format) with the theme "Social Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Partnerships: Towards Inclusive Recovery and Accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals.” Join us as we feature the social enterprise sector’s innovations around inclusive recovery from COVID-19 and cross-sectoral partnerships to build back fairer and accelerate achievement of the SDGs.

Register: https://forms.gle/DH2TZmCcgsZwBy5s6 

Organiser: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia and the Pacific 

Co-organisers: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Regional Collaboration Centre for Asia-Pacific, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) East Asia and Pacific, UNICEF South Asia, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UNMGCY), United International Federation of Youth (UN1FY), Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (Arrow), the British Council, YOUNGO, Movers Programme, and the 2030 Youth Force

The Road to 10th APFSD: Regional Dialogue on Youth Empowerment in Climate Action" is a youth-led regional event that includes stakeholders (individuals, communities, organizations, and governments) from across the Asia-Pacific, while also serving as a pre-event to the 10th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD). It will be a hybrid event, serving as one of the key activities on youth empowerment and direct participation in the NDC revision, implementation, and monitoring processes across the Asia-Pacific, taking place over two days on 23-24 March 2023, with 1,000+ young climate activists and professionals taking part in the Regional Dialogue.

Register: https://share.hsforms.com/1ngO353EKRDCWnv-W-qId0A5437v 

Organiser: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia and the Pacific 

Co-organisers: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Regional Collaboration Centre for Asia-Pacific, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) East Asia and Pacific, UNICEF South Asia, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UNMGCY), United International Federation of Youth (UN1FY), Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (Arrow), the British Council, YOUNGO, Movers Programme, and the 2030 Youth Force

The Road to 10th APFSD: Regional Dialogue on Youth Empowerment in Climate Action" is a youth-led regional event that includes stakeholders (individuals, communities, organizations, and governments) from across the Asia-Pacific, while also serving as a pre-event to the 10th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD). It will be a hybrid event, serving as one of the key activities on youth empowerment and direct participation in the NDC revision, implementation, and monitoring processes across the Asia-Pacific, taking place over two days on 23-24 March 2023, with 1,000+ young climate activists and professionals taking part in the Regional Dialogue.

Register: https://share.hsforms.com/1ngO353EKRDCWnv-W-qId0A5437v 

Organizers: Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM) with support from the European Commission (EC)

In preparation for the engagement in the annual Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development (APFSD), the Asia Pacific Peoples' Forum on Sustainable Development (Peoples' Forum, APPFSD), organized by the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM), provides an inclusive space for discussion and sharing among civil society organizations (CSOs) and peoples’ movements in the region on their positions on key sustainable development issues. The APPFSD carves its space against a backdrop of shrinking civic spaces, widened inequalities, and the digital divide brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The APPFSD aims to serve as a platform that harnesses the collective voice of the region's people toward transformative and genuine development that serves the needs of the most marginalized. This year’s Peoples' Forum will be a space to reiterate peoples' demands and to shift the power from corporations to the people. There is, further, a need to reclaim peoples’ power in decision-making in development processes such as the 2030 Agenda and now is the time to demand action and real solutions for a genuine transformative change and just and equitable recovery.

Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/2023appfsdreg
Program: https://tinyurl.com/2023appfsd

Organizers: Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM) with support from the European Commission (EC)

In preparation for the engagement in the annual Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development (APFSD), the Asia Pacific Peoples' Forum on Sustainable Development (Peoples' Forum, APPFSD), organized by the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM), provides an inclusive space for discussion and sharing among civil society organizations (CSOs) and peoples’ movements in the region on their positions on key sustainable development issues. The APPFSD carves its space against a backdrop of shrinking civic spaces, widened inequalities, and the digital divide brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The APPFSD aims to serve as a platform that harnesses the collective voice of the region's people toward transformative and genuine development that serves the needs of the most marginalized. This year’s Peoples' Forum will be a space to reiterate peoples' demands and to shift the power from corporations to the people. There is, further, a need to reclaim peoples’ power in decision-making in development processes such as the 2030 Agenda and now is the time to demand action and real solutions for a genuine transformative change and just and equitable recovery.

Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/2023appfsdreg
Program: https://tinyurl.com/2023appfsd

Organizers: Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM) with support from the European Commission (EC)

In preparation for the engagement in the annual Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development (APFSD), the Asia Pacific Peoples' Forum on Sustainable Development (Peoples' Forum, APPFSD), organized by the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM), provides an inclusive space for discussion and sharing among civil society organizations (CSOs) and peoples’ movements in the region on their positions on key sustainable development issues. The APPFSD carves its space against a backdrop of shrinking civic spaces, widened inequalities, and the digital divide brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The APPFSD aims to serve as a platform that harnesses the collective voice of the region's people toward transformative and genuine development that serves the needs of the most marginalized. This year’s Peoples' Forum will be a space to reiterate peoples' demands and to shift the power from corporations to the people. There is, further, a need to reclaim peoples’ power in decision-making in development processes such as the 2030 Agenda and now is the time to demand action and real solutions for a genuine transformative change and just and equitable recovery.

Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/2023appfsdreg
Program: https://tinyurl.com/2023appfsd

Organiser: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

This learning and networking event is an opportunity for countries presenting their Voluntary National Review in 2023 to meet, network, and share good practice in their VNR preparations. The event will also provide an opportunity for participants speaking in the VNR session at the APFSD to be briefed on the logistics and preparations for the session and to meet the facilitators and other panelists.  

Organisers: Government of the Cook Islands, ESCAP Subregional Office for the Pacific, and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat

This event will examine and explore ways to develop measures of wellbeing to inform socio-economic and environmental progress and public policy in the Pacific, along with other members in the region, while taking forward the outcomes of the Sixth Pacific Sustainable Development Forum in Suva, Fiji, 6-7 December 2022. A selected number of countries will present the current state of play in focusing on wellbeing and quality of life from the region. Featuring speakers from Pacific small island developing States and other ESCAP member States who will highlight the linkages between wellbeing and prosperity in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

Organisers: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education; United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) East Asia and Pacific Regional Office; and UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia

Co-organiser: Learning and Education 2030+ (LE2030+) Networking Group

The Special Event, “Transforming Education Now and for the Future We Want: TES National Follow-up Actions to Move towards the Achievement of SDG 4,” notably taking place six months after the Transforming Education Summit (TES) convened by the UN Secretary General, will focus on early progress made across Asia and the Pacific in implementing the TES National Statements of Commitment, contributing to SDG 4 and realizing the right to education, and review how countries have operationalized their commitments to date. This Special event will provide a platform for participating countries to share and learn from good practices and innovations they have initiated to transform their education systems and address the learning crisis. Invited panelists representing governments, United Nations agencies, and other education stakeholders from the region will discuss priority actions, innovations, progress made, bottlenecks, and financing, in three priority areas, namely 1) Transformation of teaching and learning: content, pedagogy and assessment; 2) Climate change education and making education systems more climate resilient; and 3) Digital learning and transformation.

Register:https://forms.microsoft.com/e/gTtbZKR13b
Link:http://bit.ly/3YJsZuk.

Organiser: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, The Partnering Initiative

The 2030 Agenda Partnership Accelerator will be training a cohort of individuals to become experts on partnership effectiveness for Small Island Developing States in the Asia-Pacific.

Organiser: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Energy Division

The Eighth Expert Working Group on SDG 7 aims to update participants on the latest developments in the principal technologies that can underpin the energy transition – solar, wind, hydro, energy efficiency, natural gas and nuclear; discuss the roles of these technologies in achieving SDG 7 and the energy transition in the Asia-Pacific region; and identify opportunities for regional cooperation to support the deployment of these technologies and to mitigate any negative impacts.

Organisers: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP),  United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat)

This year, the first-ever Zero Waste Day celebration is being facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). It calls on all stakeholders, including governments, civil society, businesses, academia, communities, women, and youth, to actively engage in a series of activities designed to increase awareness of zero-waste initiatives. In the Asia-Pacific region, UNEP will be joined by UN-Habitat and ESCAP to mark the first International Day of Zero Waste during the 10th Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development.

Organisers: French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD); United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Environment and Development Division; and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 

This workshop is set in the context of the ongoing food, fuel, financial crisis and the need to diversify production systems. By 2030, globally, the demand for food and fiber is expected to more than double. Viable alternatives to climate-vulnerable, input-intensive agricultural approaches are needed to boost climate resilience, meet food security and nutrition needs and ensure ecosystem health in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. Agroecology innovations provide a key approach for food systems transformation which positively impacts a range of SDGs. Participants will discuss and map effective policy measures and responses and strengthen institutional responses for advancing on agroecology transition. The workshop provides an opportunity to learn more about regional and national policy and institutional developments and initiatives, contribute to scoping policy guidance for agroecology transition, share experiences and initiatives, and define paths forward for strengthening institutional support.

Link: Workshop on policy for agroecology transition in South-East Asia | ESCAP (unescap.org)

Organisers: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat)

Interregional cooperation for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) aims to increase policy coherence and integration of national and local urban policies across member States in Asia and the Pacific. This includes supporting the capacity building of institutions and other agents of change in the implementation and monitoring of the 2030 Agenda and the NUA. This Regional Learning Exchange, hosted jointly by ESCAP and UN-Habitat, aims to provide a platform for sharing of lessons and ideas among policymakers, implementers, and technical experts towards improving the localization, integration, and implementation of the NUA and the Sustainable Development Goals in the region.

Organisers: French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD); United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Environment and Development Division; and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 

This workshop is set in the context of the ongoing food, fuel, financial crisis and the need to diversify production systems. By 2030, globally, the demand for food and fiber is expected to more than double. Viable alternatives to climate-vulnerable, input-intensive agricultural approaches are needed to boost climate resilience, meet food security and nutrition needs and ensure ecosystem health in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. Agroecology innovations provide a key approach for food systems transformation which positively impacts a range of SDGs. Participants will discuss and map effective policy measures and responses and strengthen institutional responses for advancing on agroecology transition. The workshop provides an opportunity to learn more about regional and national policy and institutional developments and initiatives, contribute to scoping policy guidance for agroecology transition, share experiences and initiatives, and define paths forward for strengthening institutional support.

Link: Workshop on policy for agroecology transition in South-East Asia | ESCAP (unescap.org)

Organiser: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), The Partnering Initiative

The 2030 Agenda Partnership Accelerator will be training a cohort of individuals to become experts on partnership effectiveness for Small Island Developing States in the Asia-Pacific.

Organiser: United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG ASPAC)

Co-organisers: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and GIZ Bangkok

City Enabling Environment (CEE) Rating in the Asia-Pacific: Indicator 11 (Environmental and Climate Change Governance) expert group discussion.   

Organiser: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Energy Division

In preparation for the APEF3, scheduled to be held from 18 to 20 October 2023, the United Nations Secretariat is organizing a meeting to provide the opportunity for the member States to consider the content and structure of the agenda and the outcome documents of the planned ministerial segment, as well as to advise the secretariat on organizational and other substantive matters in advance of the Forum.