Ten months to go and counting…

The organization of the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2015 is now in full swing. In coordination with the Government of Vietnam, the People’s Committee of Danang City, and various Partners and collaborators, the EAS Congress programme has been updated featuring various workshops and sessions that zooms in on relevant and emerging issues/challenges, progress and innovations in coastal and ocean governance and development, that cater to various stakeholders from the local to the international level.

Guided by the overarching theme of "Global Targets, Local Benefits: Setting the Sustainable Agenda for the Seas of East Asia," the EAS Congress will feature three thematic sessions that will focus on assessment of lessons learned and progress made, scaling up of good practices and initiatives towards building a blue economy, and mapping of new targets and schedule for the East Asian Seas region beyond 2015 in accordance with international commitments on sustainable development.

• Session 1: A Decade of Partnerships in Sustainable Development of the Seas of East Asia: Synergies and Achievements
• Session 2:Accelerating Actions for Climate Change and Sustainable Development
• Session 3: From Vision to Reality: Aligning the Global Agenda with Local Benefits

Get more information on the thematic sessions from the International Conference section.

Discussions with key PEMSEA Partners and collaborators and preparation of specific and detailed workshop programmes are ongoing. Organizations that are interested to convene workshops or events are still welcome and are encouraged to get in touch with the PEMSEA Secretariat.

Moreover, the EAS Congress has also launched the Call for Youth Applicants for the Fourth EAS Youth Forum (YF4). The YF4 carries the theme, "Charting the Future We Want: Engaging Young Champions for the Ocean beyond 2015". The YF4 will gather young leaders (aged 18-22) in the EAS region to showcase their initiatives contributing to the achievements of the sustainable development agenda.

To keep wider audience informed on the progress and details of the EAS Congress programme and logistical arrangements, PEMSEA has also officially launched the EAS Congress website.

The EAS Congress 2015 website, accessible through http://eascongress.pemsea.org, is the main online presence of the upcoming event, providing in its pages succinct yet complete information on the wide array of activities during the week-long Congress, updates on preparations being made, and details on the various ways individuals and groups can participate.

"The East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2015 provides the perfect opportunity to assess what has been achieved and where the region is headed in the next few years. This website will allow everyone to be kept abreast of the latest developments as we ramp up preparations for the Congress 2015. We are extremely pleased to have launched the official website of the EAS Congress 2015," said Mr. Stephen Adrian Ross, PEMSEA Executive Director and Head of the EAS Congress Secretariat.

With the launch of the website, an online form is available through the website that interested participants can fill out to receive the latest news for  the upcoming event. The secretariat has also started receiving pre-registrations for organizations interested in participating in the Congress as co-conveners, exhibitors, sponsors, and partners.

The next EAS Congress, to be held from *16-21 November 2015 in Danang City, Vietnam, is the fifth iteration of the EAS Congress. The EAS Congress 2015 is hosted by the Government of Vietnam and organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam (MONRE), Vietnam Administration of Seas and Islands (VASI), People’s Committee of Danang City, Vietnam and PEMSEA.

For more information on the EAS Congress 2015, visit the website at http://eascongress.pemsea.org or send a message to the EAS Congress Secretariat at congress@pemsea.org.