From 25–26 April 2025, the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the UN (CoNGO) convened its Regional Committee in Asia-Pacific (RCAP) annual meeting at Siam University in Bangkok.

Founded in 1948, CoNGO has been serving as one of the world’s largest associations of NGOs, facilitating both thematic and regional collaborations. RCAP was launched in 2017 with the aim to “facilitate Asia-Pacific NGOs’ participation in all UN and CoNGO activities globally and regionally.” Soka Gakkai International (SGI) has been serving on its Steering Committee since 2019.

The 2025 RCAP annual meeting included three parts: a general meeting, an international panel, and a Steering Committee meeting. Hiro Sakurai represented SGI and made the following contributions:

At the general meeting, Sakurai briefly presented findings from a report that highlighted SGI’s engagement in the Asia-Pacific Region to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 5, 8, 14 and 17, which were up for review at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in July 2025. As they have done in past years, CoNGO compiled all the reports submitted by RCAP member organizations and presented them to HLPF as a regional contribution.

Sakurai was invited to the Open International Panel on “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals” with an emphasis on innovation. He shared a case study of the Regional Studies campaign initiated by the Soka Gakkai Youth Division in the Tohoku region of Japan to counter population decline and aging challenges. Noting its relevance to Goal 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, he highlighted the campaign’s unique, innovative feature: a shift in mindset from “helping them” to “learning and rediscovering what they already possess.”