The current increasingly globalised and diverse world has raised questions about what constitutes full citizenship as well as its global dimensions. Local governments, because they are close to the people, they are able to better respond to the needs of their citizens and specifically to promote the emergence of a global citizenship.

The main objective of the IAEC Asia-Pacific Regional Conference was to promote a deep understanding of the potential role of local governments in promoting Global Citizenship Education. In this regards, the 8th IAEC Asia-Pacific Regional Network Meeting has provided a unique space for meeting and discussion, with a key lecture by Dr. Eric Corijn, Professor of Urban Studies at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, a Mayors roundtable, the presentation of best practices and the reflection in working groups.

Around 200 city delegates have participated coming from the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Thailand, India and Australia. The meeting has also counted with the participation of the Secretary General of the IAEC, the Secretary General of UCLG Asia Pacific (Indonesia), The Head of Unesco Bangkok and the Regional Bureau of Education for Asia and the Pacific, the Director of the Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU) from the Unesco (Seoul, Republic of Korea) and delegates from Cascais (Portugal), the coordinating city of the next IAEC International Congress.