New Year Address: Forging Resilience and Charting a Shared New Course for the Asia-Pacific

Respected government partners from all countries, colleagues from all sectors, and dear friends:

As the first streak of dawn glides over Fiji’s coral reefs, Samoa’s coconut groves and the highlands of Papua New Guinea, we usher in a brand-new start of 2026 together. At this moment of transition, on behalf of the Pacific Rim Institute for Development and Education, I extend my sincere greetings and best wishes to all member states across the Asia-Pacific region, every partner, and all those who have worked tirelessly for sustainable development.

Looking back on 2025, we have forged ahead with perseverance amid transformations. Faced with the complex and intertwined global challenges, the Asia-Pacific region has once again demonstrated extraordinary adaptability and a spirit of innovation. Together, we have witnessed the following milestones:

· In addressing the climate crisis, the regional Green Transition Partnership has taken initial shape, and multiple member states have set more ambitious national targets for renewable energy deployment and nature-based solutions.

· The process of digital transformation has deepened. Through collaborative development of digital public infrastructure, basic services such as AI, education and healthcare are reaching marginalised communities in a more equitable manner.

· We are particularly heartened to see that young people and women are playing an increasingly prominent leadership role in peacebuilding, science and technology innovation, and community governance, emerging as the core driving force for change.

These pivotal advances owe their success to the firm political commitments of all member states, the concerted efforts of all sectors, and the hard work of every practitioner. We are honoured to be part of the United Nations system, and proud to stand side by side with you as a loyal partner and collaborator in advancing this grand agenda.

In 2026, we will renew our commitments through three key initiatives:

First, deepen innovation in climate education by promoting the Quality Standards for Green Schools, turning every classroom into an "action lab" for addressing environmental crises, in response to UNESCO’s global initiative of Education for Sustainable Development;

Second, strengthen the safety net for vulnerable groups by accelerating the process of applying to the United Nations for the designation of an International Day of Care for Orphans, and joining hands with China and Asia-Pacific partners to provide educational grants and psychological support for orphans;

Third, build bridges for regional cooperation by leveraging our international network to facilitate technology transfer and university-enterprise collaboration, achieving efficient connectivity between the resources of our international organisation and global resources.

As an ancient proverb goes: "A single tree cannot form a boat; a united will can build a nation." In the new year, we look forward to deepening cooperation with governments of all countries, UNESCO, UNICEF and other institutions, and we stand ready to walk side by side with every teacher, student and community worker — to make education a shield against risks, a bond for advancing equity, and a seed that nurtures hope.

May the sea breeze of 2026 carry the message of solidarity; may the lights in every classroom illuminate the journey towards sustainable development. Happy New Year!

NGO in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Pacific Rim Institute for Development and Education (P.R.I.D.E.)

 New Year’s Day 2026

New Year Address: Forging Resilience and Charting a Shared New Course for the Asia-Pacific

Respected government partners from all countries, colleagues from all sectors, and dear friends:

As the first streak of dawn glides over Fiji’s coral reefs, Samoa’s coconut groves and the highlands of Papua New Guinea, we usher in a brand-new start of 2026 together. At this moment of transition, on behalf of the Pacific Rim Institute for Development and Education, I extend my sincere greetings and best wishes to all member states across the Asia-Pacific region, every partner, and all those who have worked tirelessly for sustainable development.

Looking back on 2025, we have forged ahead with perseverance amid transformations. Faced with the complex and intertwined global challenges, the Asia-Pacific region has once again demonstrated extraordinary adaptability and a spirit of innovation. Together, we have witnessed the following milestones:

In addressing the climate crisis, the regional Green Transition Partnership has taken initial shape, and multiple member states have set more ambitious national targets for renewable energy deployment and nature-based solutions.

The process of digital transformation has deepened. Collaborative development of digital public infrastructure has enabled basic services such as AI, education and healthcare to benefit marginalised communities in a more equitable manner.

We are particularly heartened to see that young people and women are playing an increasingly prominent leadership role in peacebuilding, science and technology innovation, and community governance, emerging as the core driving force for change.

These pivotal advances owe their success to the firm political commitments of all member states, the concerted efforts of all sectors, and the hard work of every practitioner. We are honoured to be part of the United Nations system, and proud to stand side by side with you as a loyal partner and collaborator in advancing this grand agenda.

In 2026, we will renew our commitments through three key initiatives:

First, we will deepen innovation in climate education and promote the Quality Standards for Green Schools, turning every classroom into an "action lab" for addressing environmental crises, in response to UNESCO’s global initiative of Education for Sustainable Development.

Second, we will strengthen the safety net for vulnerable groups. We will accelerate the process of applying to the United Nations for the designation of an International Day of Care for Orphans, and join hands with China and other Asia-Pacific partners to provide educational grants and psychological support for orphans.

Third, we will build bridges for regional cooperation. Leveraging our international network, we will facilitate technology transfer and university-enterprise collaboration, and achieve efficient connectivity between the resources of our international organisation and global resources.

An ancient proverb goes: "A single tree cannot form a forest; a united will can build a nation." In the new year, we look forward to deepening cooperation with governments of all countries, UNESCO, UNICEF and other institutions. More importantly, we stand ready to walk side by side with every teacher, student and community worker — to make education a shield against risks, a bond for advancing equity, and a seed that nurtures hope.

May the sea breeze of 2026 carry the message of solidarity; may the lights in every classroom illuminate the journey towards sustainable development. Happy New Year!

NGO in SPECIAL CONSULTATIVE STATUS,

United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Pacific Rim Institute for Development & Education (P.R.I.D.E.)

New Year’s Day 2026