CONFERENCE OF NGOs IN CONSULTATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED NATIONS (CoNGO) Regional Committee in Asia-Pacific (RCAP)

Bangkok, Thailand – April 25-26, 2024

Notification and Invitation to RCAP 2024 Addressed to NGOs/CSOs in the Asia-Pacific Region

A. CoNGO has organized an RCAP Session each of the past six years generously hosted by Siam University, Bangkok, thanks to the hospitality of SU President Dr Pornchai Mongkhonvanit. During the Covid Pandemic, the event was held online to widen the sphere of participation for those unable to travel. RCAP provides an opportunity to strengthen regional solidarity and understanding, to exchange experience in crucial Sustainable Development and related areas, and to create new and invigorating partnerships.

B. RCAP is always held during the week of the Plenary Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to encourage attendance at both events. RCAP meets on the last days of ESCAP, when the main debates are over and the plenary is mostly engaged in adopting concluding resolutions. This year the ESCAP Plenary is scheduled a month earlier than usual, namely April 22-26, so RCAP will meet at Siam University on Thursday April 25 and Friday April 26. (See programme)

C. RCAP has two main features. The first is an analysis of regional, national or local implementation by Asia-Pacific NGOs/CSOs of the Sustainable Development Goals that are up for review this year at the UN High Level Political Forum (UN.HQ, July 8-17). This year the HLPF focusses on SDGs 1, 2, 3, 16, 17, and its overall theme is “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions.”

CoNGO hereby invites Asia-Pacific NGOs/CSOs to submit a report (4-8 pages) on their implementation activities for all or some of the five SDGs mentioned. Please focus on illustrating, by on-the-ground examples, the second half of the long UN title, namely the EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF SUSTAINABLE, RESILIENT AND INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. Please send each report to firstvp@ngocongo.org by April 7 2024.

D. The second feature of RCAP 2024 will again be an Open International Panel, this year on the subject:

“AI: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND YET REAL – FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

AND HUMANITY”.

The themes will be:

– AI: HUMAN RIGHTS AND ETHICAL DIMENSIONS

– AI AND DIGITAL JUSTICE (Access and technology)

– REGIONAL ASIA-PACIFIC AI RESEARCH SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT

We invite Asia-Pacific NGO/CSO with expertise in these areas to propose the name

and qualifications of a speaker. Please send such proposals with supporting

documentation to firstvp@ngocongo.org by April 7 2024.

E. Please consult the attached programme and logistical information, as well as

registration information. We greatly look forward to welcoming once again many

Asia-Pacific NGOs and CSOs to Bangkok in April.

Cyril Ritchie
CoNGO First Vice President
firstvp@ngocongo.org

Programme, Logistical Information, Registration

Venue: Siam University, 38 Petkasem Road, Phasicharoen, Bangkok

University Building 19, 18 th Floor, Telephone +66(0)2867.8088

THURSDAY April 25 (First Session)

11.00 – 12.30   Registration and Set up of exhibits

12.30   Lunch

15.00 – 18.00

Opening with musical performance, courtesy of Siam University

Welcome by Pornchai Mongkhonvanit, President of Siam University

Opening Statement by Cyril Ritchie, CoNGO First Vice President

Presentations of Asia-Pacific NGOs/CSOs actions on implementing the SDGs:

“Effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions”

Discussion and analysis

18.00-19.00   Reception

FRIDAY April 26 (Second and Third Sessions)

09.00   CoNGO Presidential Statement by Liberato Bautista, via Zoom from the USA

09.30 – 12.15

Open International Panel: “AI: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND YET REAL – FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND HUMANITY”

Themes:

• AI: HUMAN RIGHTS AND ETHICAL DIMENSIONS
• AI AND DIGITAL JUSTICE
• REGIONAL ASIA-PACIFIC AI RESEARCH SUPPORTING
• SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

12.30 Lunch

14.00 – 16.30

Further discussion and analysis of SDG implementation: cross-cutting issues;

mutual support; partnerships; relationship to UN.ESCAP, to the HLPF, and to

the UN Summit of the Future (UN.HQ, September 22-23, 2024)

Concluding statement by the President of Siam University

Concluding statement by the CoNGO First Vice President

17.00   Closed meeting of the RCAP Steering Committee

General and practical information

A. Most of you will know that at the July 2024 HLPF the following Asia-Pacific countries will offer Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs): Laos, Micronesia, Nepal, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. CoNGO has consistently advocated that national NGOs be involved by each government in the preparation of its VNR.

B. At RCAP 2024 we shall offer congratulations to the Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE) which celebrated its 60 th Anniversary recently. ASPBAE has regularly participated in RCAP, and serves on its Steering Committee. ASPBAE steadfastly “protects and defends the right of all to inclusive, gender-transformative and climate-saving education”.

C. Outside the RCAP Conference Room on the 18 th Floor of University Building 19 there will be an Exhibition space, and participants are welcome to bring posters and

documentation that illustrates their organization’s work. The displays can be set up

during the morning of Thursday April 25 and removed in the afternoon of Friday

April 26.

D. Participants are responsible for their travel and accommodation arrangements.

However there is no registration fee, nor any charge for the reception, coffee breaks

and lunches.

E. There is a branch of Bangkok Bank on the University Campus.

F.  For registration, please notify CoNGO (at firstvp@ngocongo.org) at your earliest

convenience of the name, title and email address of each participant.

G. WELCOME!