The Asia-Pacific Regional Youth Dialogue, part of the International Forum “We, the Youth” (IFWY), took place on 12 and 13 August 2025 at the Century Park Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. Jointly organised by the ICA-AP Committee on Youth Cooperation (ICYC), the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), and Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), and hosted by the Cooperative League of Thailand (CLT), the Dialogue marked a significant step in reimagining youth participation in shaping social change.

IFWY is a global youth-led initiative supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea. It is a new model of youth engagement that reimagines how young people participate in shaping social change. With its participatory, bottom-up approach to selecting youth representatives and its blend of policy dialogue and cultural expression, IFWY creates an inclusive and dynamic space for action.

As part of its “Regional Dialogue – Walk the Talk” initiative, IFWY brings together 250 young leaders from five regions: Asia-Pacific, Latin America & the Caribbean, Africa & the Middle East, North America, and Europe for conversations addressing global challenges such as inequality, climate change, and social exclusion.

The Asia-Pacific Regional Youth Dialogue in Bangkok gathered 50 youth leaders from across Asia-Pacific, chosen from over 330 applicants, representing countries including Afghanistan, Australia, Bhutan, China, Fiji, Iran, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, and Vietnam. ICYC was strongly represented, with 12 members from India, Jordan, and the Philippines, highlighting its commitment to amplifying youth voices and strengthening youth-led cooperative development.

The two-day programme was facilitated by Mr. Bharat Nair, Co-Founder of the Centre for Development Initiatives (CDI), and Mr. Mehar Mossa, Co-Founder of TinkerHub Foundation. They were joined by Dr. Patrick John R. Rico, Head of Externals at ACDI Multipurpose Cooperative and President of Prime Aces College; Ms. Gelizabeth Cabuhat, Sales and Marketing Head for Visayas at 1CISP, Vice Chairperson of ICYC, and Board Member of Youth Connect Cooperative; and Mr. Jay-Vee Marasigan Pangan, brand strategist, multimedia journalist, and digital media specialist representing the Philippines. Together, they ensured a participatory and inclusive approach throughout the sessions.

Discussions were structured around six thematic areas: environmental sustainability, economic transformation, social justice and equality, technological innovations and ethics, peace and cooperation, and collective action and solidarity. Participants explored pressing challenges while co-creating practical solutions and recommendations.

The Dialogue concluded with the adoption of recommendations under the theme “If We Connect for Change: Regional Voices for Sustainable Peace and Cooperation.” Key proposals included the S.A.R. Approach (Safety, Awareness, and Respect), strengthening media accountability and literacy, establishing a global biosecurity framework, bridging the digital divide through inclusive hubs, setting up Youth LIVE Hubs for innovation and entrepreneurship, using drone technology for food security, and creating a Regional Youth Co-Creation and Decision-Making Accelerator (RYCDA).

Asia-Pacific youth asserted that they are active co-creators of transformation and called on governments, civil society, and international organisations to institutionalise youth leadership, expand access to education, technology, and green jobs, and ensure human rights and mental health protections.

In the closing ceremony, Mr. Poramate Intarachumnum, President of CLT, reminded participants that “Today we are no longer alone. Today, we are not a silent minority anymore; our voice was heard.” He described the Dialogue as a “repository of scalable solutions” and urged the UN and ICA to embed youth voices in decision-making. Mr. Balu Iyer, Regional Director of ICA-AP, emphasised that youth are both the present and the future, assuring them of ICA-AP’s support. Ms. Dulce Bustamante, Chairperson of ICYC, thanked UNRISD, Debate Korea, and MBC for their support in making the Dialogue possible.

The Bangkok Dialogue was more than a meeting. It became a milestone, uniting diverse youth voices to craft a shared vision of change. Its recommendations will now move to the global IFWY Forum, carrying the perspectives and priorities of Asia-Pacific youth to the international stage.

Click here to read the draft Recommendations.