Committed to enabling ASEAN youth to participate meaningfully in biodiversity governance and lead conservation initiatives, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) partnered with Singapore’s National Parks Board (NParks) and their Youth Stewards for Nature (YSN) programme to organise the World Wildlife Day (WWD) Regional Youth Symposium 2025.
The series of virtual events held on 16 February and 1 to 2 March gathered nearly 200 youth and conservation advocates across Southeast Asia. Aligned with this year’s WWD theme, “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet,” the Symposium facilitated knowledge exchange, skills development, and networking aimed at inspiring youth-led conservation initiatives.
Before the main symposium, participants attended a webinar on communication focusing on providing outreach skills and developing branding strategies to effectively communicate conservation messages and maximise impact.
The plenary event was opened by Mr. Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration of Singapore. Ms. Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), mentioned the significant role of the youth citing that, ‘“When we come together, we can create meaningful impact. And when young people take the lead, the solutions can become even more powerful.’
Keynote speaker Prof. Emeritus Leo Tan, ASEAN Biodiversity Hero and Advisor to NParks’ Garden City Fund, shared his work and passion in conservation and encouraged the young participants to think about the future. “The key is persistence, resilience, and you must believe in what you are standing for,” Prof. Tan shares.
Parallel discussions on two concurrent tracks followed: Financing Wildlife Conservation and Investing in People and Planet.
In Track 2, Ms. Darry Shel Estorba, the ACB Youth and Biodiversity Specialist, shared how the ACB engages the youth through the ASEAN Youth Biodiversity Programme (AYBP). She also highlighted ASEAN’s youthful population and the importance of investing in young leaders to conserve biodiversity. “ASEAN is a young and vibrant community, with a third of the region’s population between 15 to 35 years old. As our future leaders, we need to invest in and empower our young people to effectively conserve and safeguard biodiversity, including wildlife and their habitats, and drive action for a sustainable future”, she emphasised.
The grant workshop on the last day of the symposium equipped the participants with outreach skills and knowledge of the fundraising landscape. The workshop provided an opportunity for conservation leaders to share how they support youth engagement in biodiversity through funding and training, providing them with knowledge, resources, and inspiration to transform conservation projects into actionable initiatives.
ACB’s ASEAN Youth Biodiversity Programme
Established in 2018 with the Global Youth Biodiversity Network – Southeast Asia (GYBN SEA) and other partners, the AYBP enhances the capacity and involvement of the region’s youth in conservation efforts. The AYBP includes sub-programmes like the Youth Biodiversity Leaders Fellowship (YBL), Youth Internships in Protected Areas, Young ASEAN Storytellers, and the Conservation Action Fund—offering capacity building, experiential learning, mentorship, and funding support for youth-led initiatives. Since its launch, the AYBP has played a key role in enabling ASEAN youth to assume leadership positions in conservation. YBL alumni such as members of the GYBN SEA, Myanmar Coastal Conservation Laboratory, Neo-baannok, and Sarawak Eco-Warriors, presented their impactful conservation projects at the WWD 2025 Regional Youth Symposium, highlighting the programme’s success.
Since 2022, the ACB has been a key partner in the WWD Regional Youth Symposium, providing resource persons, co-developing activities, and promoting the event in ASEAN networks.
WWD is an annual celebration every 3rd of March, which marks the anniversary of the 1973 signing of CITES.
