Asian Youth Forum Kicks Off at Affiliated High School of Sun Yat-sen University with Students from 5 Nations

The Affiliated High School of National Sun Yat-sen University is hosting the "2026 Asian Youth Forum," a significant international educational event that commenced on August 15th. The forum gathers 37 teachers and students from six schools spanning five nations: South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Taiwan. This initiative aims to foster cross-cultural understanding and collaborative problem-solving on critical global sustainability issues.

The core theme of this year's forum is "Promoting Responsible Consumption and Production: Challenges, Strategies, and Youth Actions in Global Sustainable Development," directly addressing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 12. Through diverse activities including thematic presentations, expert lectures, workshops, and outcome presentations, international youth will delve into strategies for achieving responsible consumption and production patterns worldwide.

Beyond the academic discussions, the forum incorporates a rich cultural and local learning experience for the international participants. Planned activities include cultural courses, visits to the Pier-2 Art Center, a hands-on session making Taiwanese bubble tea, and a guided tour of the Liurou D-type dormitory. These elements are designed to provide a deeper understanding of Kaohsiung's industrial landscape, cultural heritage, and urban characteristics, complementing the forum's sustainability focus.

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This year's forum theme echoes the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 12 'Responsible Consumption and Production,' and is titled 'Promoting Responsible Consumption and Production: Challenges, Strategies, and Youth Actions in Global Sustainable Development.' Holding a youth forum is not only an important international education event for our school but also a crucial opportunity to showcase the international action capabilities of Taiwanese high schools.

Yang Jieyun, Director of the Affiliated High School of National Sun Yat-sen University, emphasized the forum's importance as a key event in the school's international education efforts and a platform to showcase the international engagement capabilities of Taiwanese high schools. She highlighted that the forum's theme directly aligns with SDG 12, underscoring the role of youth in driving sustainable practices.

Principal Huang Zhicheng of the Affiliated High School of National Sun Yat-sen University expressed his hopes that the forum would encourage students to think critically about sustainability from a youth perspective. He anticipates that participants will propose creative and feasible action plans rooted in consumption choices, production models, and daily life. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of learning to listen to diverse cultural voices, respect differences, and reflect on personal responsibilities in the context of global challenges.

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Facing challenges such as limited global resources, climate change, and environmental degradation, the forum hopes to use the perspective of youth to consider how to propose creative and feasible sustainable action plans starting from consumption choices, production models, and daily life. At the same time, it guides young students to learn to listen to the voices of different cultures, respect each other's differences, and rethink the choices and responsibilities in their own lives from global issues.