Asia Pacific Round table to be held in Colombo

By Gayan KANCHANA

The 9th Asia Pacific Round table for Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP) will be held in Colombo from June 10-12, under the theme 'A strategy to Meet Global Challenges in Business and industry'.

This was announced at a press conference held last week at (APRSCP), the regional network of the professionals, academics and industrialists to promote sustainable consumption and production in the region.

The membership includes environmental professionals from all countries in the Asia Pacific region. Professionals, academics and industrialists from 32 countries will converge at the event. The Board of trustees are members from the Philippines, Australia, USA, Thailand, Malaysia, India, China, Vietnam, Korea, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

APRSCP Chairman Dr. Anthony Shun Fung Chiu said 'this Round table will provide a forum for participants to parley and understand the change required. 'As done in the past, this ninth round table will act as the 'Change Agent' by bringing together people from diverse backgrounds around the world, and in turn, offer practical solutions which can be converted into action".

"APRSCP's mission is to provide leadership and support to enhance information flow and capacity building and strengthen public/private partnerships. APRSCP seeks to stimulate the promotion and implement sustainable consumption and production strategies and technologies in the region.

It encourages the participation of all individuals and all national, regional and international organisations, in the promotion of sustainable consumption and production practices' he said.

APRSCP Organising committee Engineer Sena Peiris said that the current global challenges facing business and industry will be the main focus for discussion and sharing of opinions and ideas at the round table.

We expect it to provide an opportunity for vigorous interactive dialog on the new paths and approaches to overcome these issues, he said.

This will, in the long-term, benefit a wide range of stakeholders including national policymakers, members of academia, research and development institutes, businessmen, industrialists, representatives of NGOs, service providers, the donor community, funding agencies and others concerned with SCP,' he said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will inaugurate the Round table. UNIDO Director General Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella will deliver the keynote address.