In late 2025, together with Tara Climate Foundation, we piloted our first in-person convening in the district of Nonthaburi, Thailand, bringing together our partners from across the region.
Shaped by feedback from grantee partners who had expressed a desire for more meaningful opportunities to recharge, reflect, and build relationships, the convening was designed as more than a traditional youth gathering. It created space not only for strategy and skills-strengthening, but also for wellbeing, honest exchange, and the kind of trust that develops when people spend meaningful time together. Throughout the week, participants stepped back from the urgency of their work to share experiences, strengthen connections, and explore new approaches to supporting their communities and movements.
The convening was also designed as a space for learning across the wider climate funding ecosystem. By bringing together youth organizations, local and regional funders, peer funders, and ecosystem partners, it created opportunities for mutual learning, exchange, and relationship-building across different roles and experiences. A key intention was also to welcome grantee partners supported by other funds into the space, creating opportunities for connection and peer learning across funding communities that do not often have the chance to come together.
Within this setting, participants were able to connect with one another, share experiences, and reflect on what it takes to sustain their work.
A Look Inside the Convening
Across four days, we moved between sessions and quieter moments of reflection, rest, and connection.
''Young people are the best renewable energy we have.'' From the very first moments, participants were welcomed with this message at the entrance. Laughter and conversation followed as people met in person, most for the first time.
That sense of openness carried into the opening circle on day one, which helped set the tone for the days ahead and created space for everyone to settle in. From there, the convening unfolded through a mix of shared learning and personal reflection. In one of the early activities, participants explored climate origin stories through drawings, using visual storytelling to reflect on what brought them into climate work and how their journeys had shaped their leadership.
A key moment in the week was a grantee-funder plenary that brought funders and young leaders into a Q&A on their respective experiences and journeys. The conversation was open and grounded, creating space for honest exchange and mutual understanding.
Throughout the convening, this was reflected in a daily rhythm shaped by mindfulness sessions, skills workshops, and small group reflections, alongside informal spaces for rest and connection. Evenings often ended with shared dinners and cultural moments. During a talent night, participants shared songs, dances, poetry, and stories from their communities, offering a glimpse into the diverse cultures, traditions, and experiences represented in the convening and creating space to celebrate them together.
The week closed with one of its most memorable moments: the gratitude circle. Participants shared what they were grateful for, and others naturally gathered around them in support and hugs, an expression of care that captured the tone of the gathering. The connections, trust, and shared experiences built over the days reflected a shared desire to stay connected and continue working together.
In Their Words…
‘‘I am looking forward to how the organizers will keep the passion and personal connections alive through post-event engagement activities. I gained more than just professional connections, but friends and family, and I really hope it doesn't end there. I hope to meet you all again in person (...).’’
“Before attending the convening, I was struggling to reconnect with my sense of motivation at work. I had a vague understanding of why, but there were many complex and intertwined reasons that left me feeling confused. When I first read the program guide for the convening, I felt a sense of hope (...).’’
‘‘Even though there are funders and grantees in the space together, having these moments really felt more like a convening of those in the work on equal footing with the same goal, so it wasn’t intimidating and just naturally helpful to be able to strengthen the work that already exists but also have ideas emerge from those conversations.’’
“The convening provided everyone a space to co-exist with respect and shared values! It nurtured a strong sense of belonging, and the importance of working together despite differences (...).’’
Watch below to meet some of the young leaders who joined our convening
and hear how they are advancing climate action in their communities:
Looking Beyond
Over four days, the Asia Youth Climate Convening supported exchange, learning, and trust-building, with participants describing it as highly relevant to their work and valuable for the connections it enabled. Pre- and post-convening assessments suggested that participants left feeling more confident in their ability to engage, connect, and collaborate with others.
Looking ahead, the most important outcomes may be those that continue to unfold beyond the convening itself. Participants described a shift from seeing themselves as beneficiaries to viewing themselves as active stakeholders and partners, while funders and grantee partners alike experienced more open, honest, and trust-based engagement.
As these relationships continue to evolve, we hope to better understand what emerges from them over time. By capturing these longer-term effects, we aim to build a clearer picture of how investing in relationships, trust, and collective leadership can strengthen youth-led climate action across regions.