IFLA Asia-Oceania Regional Division Committee held its first well-attended in-person meeting in November 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand.

IFLA’s Asia-Oceania Regional Division Committee in-person business meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, 16-17 November 2022

On the occasion of the Regional Workshop that IFLA organised in Bangkok, Thailand, Towards a Sustainable Library Field in Asia-Oceania, IFLA’s Asia-Oceania Regional Division Committee had the opportunity to hold their first in-person business meeting as a Committee in their own region.

General Outcomes

2022 has been the first full year of operation for all IFLA’s Regional Division Committees, who have worked hard, within new structures and often without the opportunity to meet together in person.

While they have all made good use of technology to give the opportunity to get together online, meeting people in person either at a working or at a dinner table offers new possibilities to build connections, identify synergies and approach big issues.

Therefore, back to back with IFLA’s Regional Meeting, kindly hosted by the National Library of Thailand in Bangkok, IFLA’s Regional Division Committee for Asia Oceania met on 16 and 17 November 2022. The meeting was enabled by travel funding from Stichting IFLA Foundation.

This meeting gave the Committee members the space and time to maximise their own effectiveness, reflect on their work, seek inputs and define actions for the second year of the committee. It had a great impact on the work done by the Committee, helped in building a community and bringing out key issues, and created a sense of togetherness as a team in the region.

Agenda

In advance of the meeting, the members of the AO RDC had participated at IFLA’s Regional Workshop “Towards a Sustainable Library Field in Asia-Oceania” and at IFLA’s Seminar at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific in Bangkok. In both events, Committee members interacted with colleagues from across the region, as well as with United Nations and UNESCO experts, to explore opportunities for stronger engagement in development initiatives and towards sustainability in libraries.

IFLA’s Regional Workshop in Bangkok, at which IFLA’s Asia-Oceania Regional Division Committee participated among other library professionals from across the AO region
IFLA’s Seminar at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific in Bangkok, at which IFLA’s Asia-Oceania Regional Division Committee participated among other library professionals from across the AO region

Building on this work, the members of IFLA’s Asia-Oceania Regional Division Committee debated on issues concerning in particular the committee’s action plan and the work of libraries in the AO region in general. Some of the issues touched upon during this meeting were:

  • Sharing impressions through brainstorming and reflections from the workshop
  • Development of a roadmap for delivery of the AO RDC action plan, with a strong focus on capacity-building and cooperation in particular
  • Planning for SDGs work in 2023
  • Maximising Asia-Oceania participation in the 2023 IFLA elections
  • Planning a legacy: 2023-2025 edition of the Committee
  • Planning for WLIC 2023

Read more about IFLA’s Asia Oceania Regional Division Committee, their news, events and plans: ifla.org/units/asia-oceania-regional-division/.