The Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) is an annual, inclusive, intergovernmental forum that supports the follow-up and review of progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the regional level. The 12th APFSD was organised from 24 to 27 February 2026 under the theme: Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for a sustainable future for all at the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand. The APFSD Youth Forum 2026, APFSD’s preceding event, served as a platform for young people across Asia and the Pacific to engage, collaborate, and drive action towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This Forum brought together 705 passionate youth leaders, activists, and changemakers from 38 countries to discuss pressing regional challenges, shared innovative solutions, and strengthened their commitment to sustainable development.
Pre-APFSD Youth Forum 2026, 466 abstracts were received of which 23 were presented by the participants on the first and second day of the forum. The presentations enriched the discussions on the relevant SDG goals. The abstracts were not limited to research but also included programme implementation on the ground, initiatives focused on young people and initiatives led by young people.
The abstracts allowed the presenters to share evidence-based initiatives from local, national, and regional contexts, deliberate on challenges and gaps affecting SDG implementation, and develop actionable recommendations, directly informing the APFSD Youth Call to Action 2026.
The APFSD Youth Forum 2026 was organised ahead of the 13th APFSD by co-conveners: the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Youth LEAD, the Y-PEER Asia Pacific Centre, and the Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY), in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Regional CSOs Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform (YECAP), and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), with partnership from the Children and Youth Major Group to UNEP.
