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Asia and Pacific
Disability Forum
Conference 2025

REGISTER FOR The APDF Conference 2025

ASIA AND PACIFIC DISABILITY FORUM

CONFERENCE 2025

29~31 Oct 2025

Ulsan, Rep of Korea

“Breaking Barriers, Building Futures”

Towards an Inclusive and Accessible Asia-Pacific for Persons with Disabilities.

Ulsan Bridge illuminated at dusk over the harbor, with ships and city lights in the background

WELCOME TO APDF CONFERENCE 2025

The Asia and Pacific Disability Forum (APDF) is a regional alliance of civil society organizations dedicated to advancing the rights, inclusion, and full participation of persons with disabilities across the Asia-Pacific, comprising over 60 national and international Disabled Persons’ Organizations (DPOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) from 20 countries across the Asia-Pacific region. Building on this mission, APDF serves as a vital regional platform that brings together disability organizations, governments, and international partners to facilitate knowledge exchange, foster partnerships, and monitor the implementation of global and regional frameworks, including the CRPD, the SDGs, and the Jakarta Declaration (2023–2032).

This year’s APDF Conference will be held in Ulsan, South Korea, from October 29 to 31, 2025, in conjunction with the APEC Summit 2025 and the Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities (GITC), drawing approximately 100 participants from across the region.

The conference aims to provide a dynamic forum for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and partnership-building to advance the rights, inclusion, and empowerment of persons with disabilities across the Asia-Pacific. It seeks to promote innovative solutions, influence policy development, and strengthen regional collaboration to accelerate the realization of an inclusive and accessible society for all persons with disabilities.

The theme for 2025 is “Breaking Barriers, Building Futures: Towards an Inclusive and Accessible Asia-Pacific for Persons with Disabilities.”
Its subthemes are:
Breaking Barriers –Addressing systemic, social, and physical barriers that hinder the full participation of persons   with disabilities
Building Futures – Promoting long-term strategies for empowerment, education, employment independent living, technical innovation
Inclusivity and Accessibility – Ensuring that societies, infrastructures, and policies are designed to include and accommodate persons with disabilities

The conference serves as a pivotal platform for addressing global policies and reaffirm the region’s collective commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind.

REGISTER FOR THE APDF CONFERENCE 2025

Program

October 29, 2025

General Assembly 2025
& Opening

09:00 – 10:00

GITC(Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities) Opening Ceremony, all invited

10:00 – 11:30

Special visit to the GITC Competition, all invited

11:30 – 12:00

Break

12:00 – 13:00

APDF General Assembly, closed meeting

13:00 – 14:00

Lunch break (Self arrangement)

14:00 – 15:00

APDF Opening Ceremony:

  • Welcoming Remarks (APDF Chair-RI Korea
  • President)Congratulatory Statement (MHW)
  • Opening Address: Challenges and Opportunities of the 4th AP Decade (Kyungseok Park, SaDD & UNESCAP)

October 30, 2025

Plenary & Parallel
Sessions

10:00 – 10:30

InI(Innovation and Inclusion) Forum Opening

10:30 – 12:30

Plenary Session 2 (Joint session with InI Forum):

Digital Inclusion, Digital Accessibility & Digital Employment”

* 2 speakers (Chia Yong Yong , 1 from UNESCAP – TBD), each 20 minutes
* 2 speakers from APDF, each 20 minutes

..

Round-table TALK

12:30 – 14:00

Lunch break (self arrangement)

14:00 – 18:00

Parallel Session 1

Empowering the Next Generation: Youth with Disabilities as Change-Makers

* 12 speakers, each 20 minutes

Parallel Session 2

From Attendance to Meaningful Participation: Advancing the Voice and Equal Participation of Persons with Disabilities

* 12 speakers, each 20 minutes

October 31, 2025

Plenary Sessions 
& Closing

09:00 – 12:00

Plenary Session 3

Promoting Long-term Strategies for Disability Inclusive Development (15% for 15%)

* 9 speakers, each 20 minutes

12:00 – 13:00

Closing Ceremony:

  • Closing Keynotes
  • Adoption of Conference Statement (All Participant)
  • Closing speech by new Chair of APDF

13:00 – 14:00

Lunch break (Self arrangement)

14:00 – 18:00

Field Trip / Departure

Ulsan Cultural Tour

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