Asia Pacific Faith-Based Coalition for Sustainable Development Convenes Annual Meeting The Day of Posting*

The Asia Pacific Faith-Based Coalition for Sustainable Development (APFC) convened its annual meeting on 11 to 12 November in Kathmandu, Nepal, hosted by Islamic Relief Worldwide. Hiro Sakurai of SGI (Soka Gakkai International) as convener of the Coalition for the past year, chaired the two-day internal sessions, covering topics such as the review of APFC’s activities, plans for the next two years and the establishment of an APFC office with secretariat capacity. During the meeting, the role of convener—a one-year term taken on by a Coalition member—was passed on from SGI to Islamic Relief Worldwide.

On 13 November, APFC organized a public forum, with the support of Islamic Relief Nepal. Over thirty representatives from local faith-based organizations (FBOs), the UN Development Programme and academia participated. On behalf of APFC, Hiro shared the background and purpose of the APFC, followed by a presentation on the importance of collaboration with FBOs by the South Asia Initiative to End Violence against Children (SAIEVAC), and an open discussion.