INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT OF CATHOLIC STUDENTS (IMCS) Pax Romana Asia Pacific

Regional Solidarity and Policy Advocacy

Within the quarter of 2026, IMCS remained firm with its regional engagement, bringing together months of preparation into meaningful dialogue with partners, member movements and policy spaces. At its heart was a conviction that advocacy must be rooted in relationships and that regional solidarity is built not only in large gatherings, but in the quiet work of listening and accompaniment between them.

Preparatory Sessions for the 13th APFSD Side Event

In preparation for the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development 2026, IMCS Asia Pacific convened two preparatory sessions with youth networks, faith-based partners, civil society actors, and Indigenous representatives to reflect on the role of interfaith and intercultural cooperation in sustainable development.

The first session highlighted national realities and community-based initiatives, emphasizing youth formation, faith-based action, and

Indigenous knowledge as key contributions to sustainable development pathways.

Participants also explored the role of ethics, religion, and multistakeholder collaboration in advancing the SDGs, emphasizing the importance of meaningful youth participation, stronger connections between grassroots actors and institutions, and responsible engagement from the private sector.

Pathways Forward: Labour Mobility and Workers’ Rights

IMCS Asia Pacific participated in the dialogue “Pathways Forward: Recentering Workers’ Rights in Labour Mobility Systems,” convened by Migrant Forum in Asia and the Migrant Youth and Children Platform.

The discussion emphasized the need to place human dignity and migrant workers’ rights at the center of labour mobility policies. Participants highlighted the importance of strengthening protection mechanisms, amplifying migrant voices, and addressing cross-border vulnerabilities, reaffirming a shared commitment to just and accountable migration governance.

Side Event at the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development

On 27 February in Bangkok, Thailand, IMCS Asia Pacific co-organized the side event “Youth, Interfaith, and Intercultural Partnerships: Weaving the Social Threads for Sustainable Communities” at the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development.

The dialogue emphasized that sustainable development is shaped not only by policy and financing, but also by relationships, shared values, and collective responsibility. Key insights highlighted intergenerational mentorship, the role of faith-based organizations in social cohesion and environmental stewardship, and the link between Indigenous identity, land, and sustainability. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific also highlighted parametric insurance and regional risk-sharing as key approaches to climate adaptation, supporting SDGs 9, 11, and 13.

Catholic Social Forum 2026

On the same day, Pax Romana IMCS together with ICMICA Pax Romana, the International Youth Training Center, and International Young Catholic Students convened an online regional forum under the theme: “UN Sustainable Development Goals and Catholic Social Teaching: Dilexi Te, Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Leo XIV on Love for the Poor.” Drawing on Pax Romana’s consultative standing with the United Nations, the forum positioned itself as a space where Catholic moral imagination meets the language of global development, asking what faithful engagement with policy spaces looks like in 2026.

Interfaith Prayer Gathering for Peace in the Middle East

IMCS Asia Pacific convened an online interfaith prayer service for peace in the Middle East, bringing together voices from Catholic, Muslim, Bahà’í, Buddhist and Indigenous communities across Asia Pacific and beyond. The service offered prayers for those who had lost their lives, for grieving families, for communities living in fear and for leaders that might find the courage to choose dialogue, justice, and reconciliation over violence.

A moment of cultural peace greetings wove through the gathering, with participants sharing salutations from their own languages and traditions: a resonant reminderthat the movement’s diversity is not incidental but part of its shared witness. The gathering affirmed what becomes possible when communities choose to stand with one another across differences holding together both the urgencyof the present and the hope for lasting peace.

International Womens Day : Honoring Her Legacy

On 8 March 2026, IMCS–AP marked International Women’s Day through the intercontinental webinar “Honoring Her Legacy: Celebrating Women in the Journey of the Movement.”

The gathering honored the contributions of women across all levels of the movement, while speakers emphasized mentorship, women’s leadership in decision-making spaces, and the need to address persistent patriarchal structures.

The event also launched the campaign “My Reflection, My Commitment: Rights, Justice, Action for All Women and Girls,” inviting students worldwide to share reflections and commitments throughout March.

Movie Screening: Jhola

On 28–29 March 2026, members of the IMCS Asia Pacific Commission held a screening and reflection on Jhola, an award-winning Nepali film depicting the historical practice of sati and its impact on women.

The discussion examined the broader context of women’s rights, acknowledging the

abolition of such practices while recognizing the persistence of systemic discrimination, including violence and harmful social norms. The campaign aimed to both honor women’s contributions and critically engage with the realities that continue to affect their dignity and well-being.

The discussion served as a meaningful culmination of a month-long campaign on women’s rights, which began with a webinar titled “Celebrating Her Legacy: Celebrating the Roles and Contributions of Women in the Movement.”

Upcoming activities:

In the coming months, IMCS Asia Pacific will continue strengthening regional engagement through a series of initiatives that connect faith perspectives with contemporary social, ecological, and pastoral realities across the Asia Pacific.

Core Formation Programs

Continued Learning and Action Program (CLAP)

National Transformative Leadership Program (NTL)

International Advocacy and Faith-Based Forums

Side event alongside the ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York – April

Laudato Si Week – May

Open to What Emerges

Catholic Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA)

Internship Program

Advocacy training programs;

Other regional formation opportunities