The 2019 Asia-Pacific SDG Challenge 'Youth for the Goals' aimed to inspire and mobilise on-the-ground projects led by youth, centred around social sustainability (SDGs 1, 6 and 10).

Collectively it achieved an engagement of nearly 8,000 youth participants across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Organised by the School of Education, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University (HNBGU), Srinagar, Garhwal, a six-day training programme on 'Reorienting education towards sustainability for higher education teachers' was held from 5-10 December, 2019 in Srinagar, Uttarakhand, India. RCE Srinagar helped the School of Education to design the training programme.

The year 2019 is a milestone both for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development / Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 11th ASEAN+3 Leadership Programme on Sustainable Consumption and Production took place from 11-14 November, 2019 in Bandung, Indonesia. Organised by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of Indonesia, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the Hanns Seidel Foundation (Jakarta and Hanoi Offices), this annual programme (run since 2008) has provided leadership training to key target groups, including government officials to raise awareness and inspire action on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP).

Organised by RCE Kitakyushu and hosted by RCE Inje, the 12th Korea Study Tour was held from 25-28 October, 2019 in Inje-gun, Gangwon-do, South Korea. Members from RCE Kitakyushu, youth members, NGOs, and other associated members attended, along with participants of the RCE Japan Youth International Exchange programme (from RCE Okayama), a new initiative that supports RCE Japan youth members to reach out to RCEs globally.

The 2020 RCE Youth SDG Challenge ‘Youth for the Goals’ is an exciting and unique youth-led initiative focused on delivering the SDGs at a local level. This year, the Challenge will be focusing on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, and SDG 15: Life on Land. Projects are welcome from any RCEs interested in participating.

The Dobong ESD Forum, hosted by the Dobong Metropolitan Government, was held from 29-30 October, 2019, in Seoul, South Korea. This event was the first ESD forum hosted in Seoul focused around cross-sectoral engagement with ESD through an RCE model. While RCEs have been present in many smaller South Korean cities for a number of years, this is the first time such an event has been held in the capital and population centre of the country.