The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is convening the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) 2018 in Bangkok from 28 - 30 March 2018.
The APFSD is organised as an inclusive inter-governmental forum in line with UN resolutions and civil society organisations (CSOs) are invited to contribute to the deliberations. In alignment with the theme of the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2018, the theme of this year’s APFSD is “transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”.
The forum will bring together senior government officials, civil society members, academics and development practitioners to discuss key issues relating to the increasingly complex risk profile in Asia and the Pacific. It will assess the drivers of economic, social and environmental risk and the ways in which they affect and intersect with critical systems. It will further discuss the capacities and policies that communities need to rebound from adversity and draw on examples from the region that have resulted in transformative action as envisaged in the 2030 Agenda and that have scope to be scaled up or out.
Civil society organisations are invited to submit stories from the field highlighting issues of risk and resilience in their communities to support the discussions. Selected material will be used in the APFSD sessions, the website and in other ways to highlight the theme.
Mediums of storytelling could include, but are not limited to, videos, photos with narration or voice-overs, interviews, slideshows, animation or artwork showcasing:
- the drivers of economic, social and environmental risk in Asia and the Pacific e.g. demographic change, rising inequality, rural-urban migration, competition for natural resources, pollution, climate change.
- the impact of these risks on economic (resource allocation), financial (exchange and circulation of financial resources), social (health, education,) provisioning (food, energy, water) and environmental systems.
- the strategies that have been and are being used to respond to these risks and strengthen resilience.
How to Submit
Organisations interested in participating are invited to fill out a form (click here) and upload it on Google drive, along with their stories, and email the links to [email protected] by March 12, 2018. A multi-stakeholder selection committee including the UN and civil society representatives will select stories to be presented at the sessions, booths or website and participants will receive notification of results by March 16, 2018.
Selection Criteria
Stories selected for screening will:
- be between 2-3 minutes in length
- use engaging methodologies to encourage discussion during sessions, side events, presentations, in exhibition booths or on the website
- highlight issues of risk and resilience that resonate across cultures and communities
- demonstrate varied forms of resilience e.g. anticipating risks, adapting to their impacts or transformative actions
- provide best practices for communities, governments and institutions in strengthening resilience
In reaching the final selection, the committee will seek to ensure geographical representation, gender balance and diversity in terms of risk profile.
Participation at APFSD 2018
Based on the selection criteria, one member from the organisation with the best story will be invited to participate at the APSFD in Bangkok. Funding will include airfare, accommodation and a modest subsistence allowance.
Technical Specifications for Video Stories
Resolution and Aspect Ratios: 1080p:1920 x 1080 (720p: 1280 x 720 acceptable for non-professional equipment)
Video Format: MP4
Video Codec: H.264
Video Frame rate: 29.97
Audiorate: 384 kbps
Useful Links: https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1722171?hl=en, https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6375112
For More Information
Please contact Ms. Subhi Shama, Environmental Consultant, Environment and Development Division, ESCAP at [email protected].