Lighting the Way Together at the Equity Initiative’s 9th Annual Forum

Lighting the Way Together at the Equity Initiative’s 9th Annual Forum

“The unexpected. The unknown. To meet new Fellows, to learn, to get inspired and just to be here - to absorb something I think I don’t know yet.”  

-Kotchakorn Vorrakhom (2018, Thailand) on what keeps her coming back to the Annual Forum as a Senior Fellow

The camaraderie was buzzing in the air as over 120 Fellows from 12 countries spanning across eight cohorts of the Equity Initiative Fellowship gathered in Khon Kaen, Thailand for the much-anticipated 9th Annual Forum. Held from 23 to 26 January 2025, this year’s forum was an opportunity to reconnect with  EI Fellows and partners and welcome the graduating 2024 Fellows into the lifelong community of the Equity Initiative  - a bridge towards building a regional equity community in South East Asia and China.

Learning new insights about pursuing equity continues beyond the Fellowship Year, and the Annual Forum represented a chance to put that into practice across cohorts. Each Fellow also embarked on a site visit with different groups visiting Ratchapruek Hospital, Kam Koon Learning Center & Ubonrat Hospital, Baan Suan Sum Saeng Farmhouse and a Self-Care Village at the hotel. Observing the successes and efforts of each initiative and gaining insights from the wonderful hosts was a morning well spent at the Annual Forum. In the afternoon, keynote speaker Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, an esteemed Filipino peace negotiator and champion for inclusivity and women’s participation in peacebuilding sparked an insightful discussion about navigating our increasingly complex and interconnected region. 

Learning and collaboration also continues to multiply between Fellows as the community grows. There was ample time at the Forum for Fellows to connect and learn from each other - from cohort reunions and country gatherings to eight Fellow-led learning sessions. The learning session topics ranged from broader explorations such as Decolonizing Development and LGBT Health & Community Engagement to deep-dives on Climate Justice, Mekong Sub-Region Politics and Disability Inclusion. As the graduation ceremony drew nearer, Ittinat Seeboonruang (2022, Thailand), and Angga Dwi Martha (2021, Indonesia) hosted an intimate reflection session titled Bonfire of Failures: Lessons from the Ashes. Exploring the transformative power of failure through poetry, art and stories, the night concluded with a symbolic ritual fostering release and growth.

The third and final day began with a highlight of the Annual Forum- Open Space, where Fellows self-organized and discussed topics ranging from a Regional Advocacy Roadmap for Mental Health, Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, Climate Justice, the Trump presidency’s Implications on Health Equity and more. A subsequent interactive reflection and planning session called Strengthening and Sustaining the EI Community complimented this as Fellows explored how the EI Community can move forward in the region. There was also a fireside chat with Lysa John, Executive Director of the Atlantic Institute, Nicolette Naylor, Board Chair of the Atlantic Institute Governing Board (AIGB) and Amina Evangelista Swanepoel (2021, Philippines), EI Fellow and member of the Global Fellows Advisory Board) where they set the stage for the evolving opportunities of the Atlantic Fellows global network.

At the end of the final day, the 2024 EI Fellows were inducted and welcomed into the EI Community at an intimate graduation ceremony with the theme: Leaving a Legacy of Light. After a performance by the 2024 cohort, the ceremony concluded with Bai Sri, a traditional Thai blessing ceremony that saw EI senior Fellows tie white cotton strings around the graduates’ wrists while offering words of encouragement, as each Fellow was embraced into the growing Equity Initiative Community.

The Forum ended with an evening of music and fun lighting up the night, as bonds were rekindled and new friendships sparked. While the work continues and a new cohort of 2025 Fellows will soon embark on their own journey, there will always be time for learning, connection and celebration with the ones who share our common dream of equity for all.