The EI Community gathered in Bangkok, Thailand for its 10th Annual Forum from January 22-24, and the launch of EI’s 10 Year Anniversary. It was a milestone moment that brought together current and senior Fellows, the entire CMB Board of Trustees, partners, and leaders from across Southeast Asia, China, and beyond. The Annual Forum offered a space to reflect on a decade of collective work while looking ahead to the next chapter of equity-centered leadership: What does it mean to continue moving together toward greater fairness in health?

Since its founding, CMB Foundation’s Equity Initiative Fellowship program has grown into a diverse, networked community working across disciplines, sectors, and geographies to advance health equity. The 10th Annual Forum reflected this evolution. It was not simply a retrospective celebration, but an action-oriented gathering shaped by the belief that lasting change does not take root without cultivating skills, systems, and culture in concert with one another.

Polwish Subsrisunjai (2025, Thailand) (second from left) gather with Fellows to discuss regional themes

Across the three days, participants engaged in plenary sessions, thematic workshops, and interactive formats designed to surface both experience and emerging priorities. Conversations were grounded in the understanding that political, social, and economic forces shape health and health equity, and that addressing systemic inequity requires grappling with these realities directly. From the outset, the forum emphasized shared responsibility, setting a tone that balanced reflection with forward momentum.

A central feature of the forum was the Regional Themes Festival, which created space for focused, participatory work across priority equity areas, including Climate Justice, Disability Inclusion, Mental Health, Equity in Gender and Sexuality for Lifelong Health, Health Systems Strengthening, and the critical country-specific context of Myanmar. Rather than formal presentations, sessions emphasized co-creation by inviting Fellows and partners to build shared language, align approaches, and explore pathways for collaboration.

“Meeting with Fellows, mentors, and colleagues working on climate issues at the Annual Forum enabled me to view the incredible breadth, depth, and creativity of the work within our network. The diversity of perspectives also helped us craft concrete plans as we move from defining our goals and values to understanding how best to metabolize these in ways that would lead to material change for both community and policy partners in the region” said Pamela Cajilig (2024, Philippines).

These discussions reflected EI’s growing emphasis on regional communities of practice, where Fellows move beyond individual projects toward collective action. Across sessions, participants examined how leaders must respond to complex realities shaped by policy environments, lived experience, and systemic constraints while remaining grounded in community-led practice. Even with more nascent themes such as the Equity in Gender and Sexuality for Lifelong Health, Sabrina Gacad (2023, Philippines) said “This working group carries rich experience and expertise, a deep sense of empathy and solidarity, and the fab energy to get to work!”

Riri and Angie discuss after XR viewings how climate change affects their daily life

The event also featured the premiere of Living in Water, an immersive 360°/XR film created by Ana P. Santos (2018, Philippines) in collaboration with the Atlantic Institute’s XR Lab and the CMB Foundation. Shot in Isla Tibaguin, Bulacan, the 15-minute experience followed residents Rizalito (Riri) Sacdalan and Angeline (Angie) Atienza in their daily routines shaped by rising waters due to climate change. Riri and Angie were present at the forum to engage directly with viewers after the screening, sharing firsthand reflections on what it means to live with chronic flooding and why addressing the climate crisis requires both environmental action and political accountability.

Rennta Chrisdiana (2019, Thailand) with Phan Thi Ngoc Linh (2019, Vietnam) at Community Marketplace

The forum also highlighted how ideas developed within the Fellowship translate into practice. During the Project and Community Marketplace, Fellows and partners shared initiatives spanning disaster response, disability-inclusive care, mental health preparedness, maternal health, education, and community organizing. The Marketplace created opportunities for connection, learning, and partnership, reinforcing the forum’s role as a bridge between reflection and implementation. Dong Dong (2022, China) thought “This year, the Marketplace really felt like a market- people exchanging ideas, sharing knowledge, responding to what others actually need.”

As the forum progressed, attention turned toward how EI captures, communicates, and learns from impact. Learning Labs and workshops explored practical tools for documenting change, combining data, narrative, and systems thinking to strengthen accountability to both communities and decision-makers. These sessions underscored a shared commitment to learning as an ongoing practice that evolves alongside the work itself.

Dr. Adeeba Kamarulzaman giving keynote speech facilitated by Jeremy Lim (2016, Singapore).

Keynote sessions from Dr. Adeeba Kamarulzaman, President and Pro Vice-chancellor of Monash University Malaysia, and Marshall Ganz, the Rita E. Hauser Senior Lecturer in Leadership, Organizing, and Civil Society at Harvard Kennedy School brought out some key points on moving towards equity in uncertain times. Marshall reminded Fellows that “Leadership is taking responsibility for enabling others to achieve shared purpose under conditions of uncertainty’. While Dr. Adeeba stressed that in such a dynamic and chaotic world, “The skill that matters most now is adaptability, the ability to learn, unlearn, and pivot without losing your core values.”

Alongside technical and thematic discussions, the Annual Forum also made space for care, embodiment, and community wellbeing. Sessions that centered on relational movement, safeguarding practices, and mind-body connection reflected an understanding that equity-centered leadership is sustained through trust, safety, and attention paid to how individuals show up within collective spaces. Practices that have been emphasized throughout the decade of EI convenings remain grounded in community-led practice and a deep respect for one another.

“I think what makes EI unique is people come in as individuals and they leave as a community, and the community keeps getting bigger and bigger with a really deep and sincere commitment to equity and kind of mutual support and solidarity in a way that is much more genuine than I think I've seen almost anywhere in my life” said Suzanne Siskel, a CMB Board of Trustee. Leah Cuizon (2025, Philippines) echoed that sentiment: “For the first time, I really felt that I’m not alone in what I do, and so many others are with me.”

2024 EI Fellows bid farewell to Le Nhan Phuong

As CMB/EI enters its next chapter under the leadership of Dr. Thaksaphon (Mek) Thamarangsi, the forum also made space to acknowledge the contributions of former Executive Director Le Nhan Phuong. Several cohorts took the opportunity to share their farewells, reflecting on the relationships and moments that shaped EI’s first decade.

Marking its tenth year, the Annual Forum created space to reflect on how the Equity Initiative has grown over a decade of shared practice, evolving leadership, and building a strong community across the region, a key aspect in equity work as Vu Hai Truong (2024, Vietnam) puts it: “Equity work lasts only if people feel safe enough to stay. We became happier when we worked with people we care about, and who care about us. We become more creative, and diligent in solving problems. And I think it’s imperative for anyone to have such a group of people around them.” At the same time, it pointed forward, affirming a continued commitment to collective leadership that can navigate complexity and advance equity across diverse contexts. A decade on, the work continues, rooted in what has been built together and guided by what still lies ahead. CMB/EI produced a film to celebrate this milestone and celebrate the community that brought it to life. The film first premiered at the Annual Forum, and can now be viewed here.

The Equity Initiative would like to thank all participants who made this special event possible. This includes all Fellows, external guests, the entire CMB Board of Trustees, and many others. We would also extend our special thanks to the Annual Forum Planning Committee Members which include: 

Nguyen Quoc Thanh (2019, Vietnam)
Nay Lin Tun (2022, Myanmar)
Christian James Nazareth (2023, Philippines)
Sabrina Gacad (2023, Philippines)
Suan Ong (2024, Malaysia)
Anthony Cu (2024, Philippines)