The 15th Asia-Pacific RCE Regional Meeting - Google Drive
Material_the 15th AP RCE Regional Meeting.pdf
Programmes_The 15th Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting 2023_Revised.pdf
Cheon, Yeong-ki, Chairperson of RCE TongyeongSalam Sejahtera! It is indeed an immense honor to host the 15th Asia-Pacific RCE Meeting in Tongyeong. Tongyeong, a small yet enchanting destination, is blessed with the awe-inspiring beauty of Hallyeo National Park, an archipelago of 570 magnificent islands, and a rich heritage spanning over four centuries. The city of Tongyeong is a small but beautiful place, filled with the stunning scenery of the Hallyeo National Park, 570 fantastic islands, and over 400 years of history and culture.
Tongyeong is also a center of Korean art and a tourist destination with 16 million visitors annually.
In 2005, Tongyeong made history by becoming the first Korean city and the eighth worldwide to earn the prestigious title of an RCE city. This marked Tongyeong's initial step into the world of sustainability. Over the past 18 years, our city has diligently worked to imbue the values of sustainability within its community. This concerted effort bore fruit with the establishment of the Tongyeong RCE Sejahtera Forest in 2015, and today, we are delighted to welcome you to this lush green sanctuary.
In 2009, Tongyeong had the privilege of hosting the inaugural Asia-Pacific RCE Meeting, followed by the distinguished Global RCE Meeting in 2012. These gatherings brought together luminaries in the field of sustainable development education from across the globe, who joined forces to craft a vision for the future and endorse the Tongyeong Declaration.
At that time, there were discussions about the 'Sejatra' project and the idea of establishing a center in Tongyeong as a hub for RCE in Asia-Pacific. So we named the forest 'Tongyeong RCE Sejatra Forest' and it is a great pleasure to invite the RCEs of Asia-Pacific to join us in this forest.
This meeting has been thoughtfully designed as a crucible for open discussion and the exchange of ideas, all centered around the themes of sustainability and community engagement.
Together, we will share our ideas and experiences and build stronger networks.
Warm Greetings from Tokyo to the 15th Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting on ‘'Empowering Sustainable Community through Education for Sustainable Development’!
On behalf of the United Nations University – Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, I extend my heartfelt welcome to all participants from across Asia-Pacific and beyond. It is an honor to stand before you today, as I had the privilege of attending the Korea RCE National Meeting hosted by RCE Tongyeong in last March (2023), along with the Director of UNU-IAS. During that remarkable event, I personally witnessed the unwavering dedication and dynamic spirit of RCE Tongyeong and its stakeholders. Meeting with members representing 5 RCEs across Korea was indeed a pleasure, and I was deeply impressed by the Sejahtera Centre's magnificent facilities and the breathtaking natural surroundings.
Today’s Regional Meeting marks the third time that RCE Tongyeong is hosting an international RCE meeting, following the 1st Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting in 2008 and the 7th Global RCE Conference in 2012. We express our deepest gratitude to RCE Tongyeong for their steadfast leadership and innovative initiatives, which have not only stimulated the RCE network but also generated synergies, enabling us to make a more substantial and meaningful impact.
Understanding the Crucial role of RCEs
According to the ‘Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2023’ , published by UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), our region has achieved only 14.4% of the progress towards the 17 SDGs. At the current pace, the report predicts that 90% of the SDG targets will remain unattainable by 2030 and we would need 42 more years to achieve them.