ARNEC held its first ever face-to-face learning forum post-pandemic in Cebu, Philippines on 9-11 August 2023.

With the theme ‘Connecting and collaborating for holistic ECD agenda in the Asia-Pacific region,’ around 80 participants from the ARNEC Learning Groups and other guests coming from 17 countries gathered to share and learn from each other’s practices and insights on responsive caregiving and playful parenting, ECD and climate resilience, early childhood workforce initiative and multisectoral approaches to ECD.

The ARNEC Learning Forum had mixed learning methodologies, such as learning visits to various sites of ECD approaches between the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Incorporated (RAFI), a local NGO based in Cebu, and its partners; sharing of good practices all over the region; keynote presentations; and breakout discussion sessions.

The Forum was also supported with cultural appreciation activities, such as holding museum visit and an interactive cultural dance, where participants had the chance to participate in folk dances after the welcome dinner sponsored by the ECCD Council of the Philippines. The staff of the ECCD Council also volunteered to document the 3-day Forum proceedings.

Dipu Shakya, ARNEC National Representative for Nepal, stressed that the forum was an excellent learning opportunity post pandemic. “The sessions were well designed and content was excellent,” he said.

Participant Neelima Chopra from India added, “Thank you for coordinating a very interactive, engaging and thought-provoking Learning Forum. The event enabled face-to-face meetings of old friends and helped in making some new ones. All the sessions were reflective and engaging.”

Bhutan participant Dilli Ram Darjee shared, “Thank you for organizing such a wonderful event (ARNEC Learning Forum), meeting new people in a new place and learning was a great opportunity for me.”

The ARNEC Learning Forum was co-hosted by the ECCD Council and RAFI Foundation.