We sincerely thank the hosts and sponsors for your generous support and cooperation. The success of the recent student leadership camp, in partnership with Siam University, the Asia Cooperation Dialogue University Network (ACD-UN), and the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA), was made possible through ongoing encouragement and shared commitment to promoting international collaboration among youth.
The WFUNA Action Camp 2025, focused on Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), took place at Siam University in Bangkok from June 4 to 6, 2025. This event aimed to promote SDG 11 through youth-led initiatives that highlighted sustainable urban living and environmental responsibility. A total of 62 students from 12 different countries participated, forming eight diverse teams with the support of assigned mentors. During the three days, these teams created conceptual blueprints for local action plans based on the “living lab” model. Their efforts were rooted in actual urban challenges and focused on themes of global citizenship, sustainable development, and interregional collaboration.
The camp welcomed student delegates from South Korea, P.R. China, Japan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Nepal, Taiwan, and Kuwait. The timing coincided with the broader initiatives of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue University Network, serving as a youth pre-event to the ACD Summit. Now entering its 23rd year, the ACD Summit was initiated in 2002 through the efforts of former Thai leaders Thaksin Shinawatra and Dr. Surakiat Sathirathai. The current Thai administration has continued to breathe new life into the ACD initiative, with the current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, now advocating for fresh waves of youth-led regional collaboration.
With the support of Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, students visited the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), participated in expert lectures, and attended exhibitions focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP). Delegates also toured the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and explored an active urban regeneration site in central Bangkok, which served as contextual inspiration for team project development. The final action plan presentations took place on 6 June 2025.
For many attendees, this was their first visit to Thailand and their initial experience at an international action-oriented leadership camp. The diverse social, economic, and environmental backgrounds of the participants created significant challenges during group collaboration. However, through shared reflection, learning, and teamwork, every group achieved a common goal: developing joint solutions to issues affecting cities in the region. This process encouraged personal growth and instilled a renewed sense of purpose in the students, emphasizing that sustainable development should be achieved through both individual accountability and collective effort.
While the camp concluded in a matter of days, the impact on its participants will likely continue well beyond the event. The ideas formed, networks built, and perspectives exchanged offer a glimpse into the long-term contributions this generation may offer to the 2030 Agenda.
