For the first time, Bangladesh has been selected as the host country for the Regional Conference of Youth (RCOY), Asia-Pacific 2026, one of the flagship initiatives of YOUNGO, the Official Children and Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
This year's Asia-Pacific RCOY is being jointly organized by 12 youth-led organizations from 10 countries across the region, according to a media release.
The host organization is SEECTO Bangladesh, with the following co-organizers: Young Climate Champions (Uzbekistan); Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance; CultivEarth (India); Youth Climate Activists Pakistan (YCAPK); Climate for Us (Kazakhstan); Youth Council for Climate Action (YCCA) (Cambodia); Mumkinchilik Dunyasi ES (Turkmenistan); Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network (CYCN) Asia; Blue Water Association (Afghanistan); Nepal Youth Lead Development Centre; and Tajikistan Youth for Water and Climate Network (Y4WC).
Hosting RCOY marks a historic milestone for Bangladesh, as the country will lead a YOUNGO-recognized regional youth-led climate process for the first time.
The Regional Conference of Youth (RCOY) is an officially recognised regional youth process under YOUNGO that connects local, national and regional youth perspectives with the global climate negotiation process. Based on the National Youth Statements developed through Local Conferences of Youth (LCOYs) in participating countries, as well as regional consultations, a Regional Youth Statement is prepared.
Every year, seven Regional Conferences of Youth are held across the world's seven regions, bringing together young people from each region to discuss regional climate challenges and identify collective solutions. These regional outcomes contribute to the Global Youth Statement, which is presented as the official children & youth position at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP).
The process also plays a significant role in amplifying the collective voice of youth across various UNFCCC negotiations. SEECTO Bangladesh believes that RCOY Asia-Pacific 2026 is more than an opportunity for Bangladesh to host an international conference.
The organizers have invited the government, development partners, civil society organizations (CSOs), and youth-led organizations to join and support the regional initiative, the release adds.
