Bangladesh to host RCOY for the first time in history
Bangladesh has been selected to host the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of Youth, or RCOY APAC 2026, marking the first time the country will lead a regional youth climate process officially recognised by YOUNGO, the children and youth constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The conference, one of YOUNGO's flagship initiatives, will bring together young climate leaders and organisations from across the Asia-Pacific region to develop a collective regional position on climate risks, justice and solutions.
A total of 12 organisations from 10 countries will jointly organise the conference. Bangladesh-based youth-led organisation SEECTO Bangladesh will serve as the host organisation.
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The co-organisers are Young Climate Champions, Uzbekistan; Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance; CultivEarth, India; Youth Climate Activists Pakistan; Climate for Us, Kazakhstan; Youth Council for Climate Action, Cambodia; Mumkinchilik Dunyasi ES, Turkmenistan; Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network Asia; Blue Water Association, Afghanistan; Nepal Youth Lead Development Centre; and Tajikistan Youth for Water and Climate Network.
Organisers said Bangladesh's selection as host represents a significant milestone for the country's youth leadership, international climate cooperation and participation in global climate negotiations.
RCOY is an official regional youth-led process recognised by YOUNGO. It connects the views and priorities of young people at the local and national levels with regional and global climate negotiations.
National youth statements developed through Local Conferences of Youth, known as LCOYs, and other regional consultations are consolidated into a Regional Youth Statement. The document reflects young people's perspectives on climate-related risks, priorities and proposed solutions across the region.
Regional youth conferences are organised in different parts of the world each year. The outcomes contribute to the Global Youth Statement, which is presented at the annual United Nations climate conference as the official collective position of children and young people.
The process also helps amplify youth perspectives during negotiations and other activities under the UNFCCC.
SEECTO Bangladesh said RCOY APAC 2026 would be more than an opportunity to organise an international conference. It described the event as an important platform for Bangladeshi youth to participate more actively in global climate diplomacy, regional cooperation and climate policymaking.
The organisers said the conference would also help consolidate the collective voice of young people across the Asia-Pacific region and strengthen regional youth networks working on climate justice, cooperation and solution-oriented action.
They called on the government, development partners, civil society organisations and youth-led development organisations to support and participate in the initiative.
