A-PAD International Symposium 2025 Calls for Unified Action Amid Intensifying Humanitarian Emergencies
As humanitarian emergencies intensify, the A-PAD International Symposium convened with a powerful reminder: solutions lie not only in new funding, but in better coordination, smarter use of current resources, and unlocking the untapped potential within regional systems.
The A-PAD International Symposium 2025 was successfully held under the theme “Strengthening Collaboration in an Era of Escalating Crises” on 25 November 2025 at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo. The event was graced by H.E. Mr. Akio Isomata, Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka as the Chief Guest. Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was the Guest of Honour.
Delivering the welcome remarks, Mr. Firzan Hashim, COO of A-PAD International and Country Director of A-PAD Sri Lanka, highlighted the widening global funding gap, noting that while trillions are required annually to meet SDGs and climate goals, humanitarian financing continues to decline, leaving millions at risk. He stressed that statistics alone cannot capture the real suffering of affected communities and emphasized the need for stronger, continuous cycles of response, recovery, and mitigation.
H.E. Mr. Akio Isomata congratulated A-PAD Sri Lanka on the success of the event and emphasized the need to return to the fundamentals of disaster management as a foundation for strengthening future response efforts.
Mr. Nobutaka Miyahara, Senior Adviser, A-PAD International, delivered his address on the funding challenges faced this year and the urgency of exploring alternative financing mechanisms, reminding participants that disaster response is ultimately about saving more lives in less time.
Prof. Dr. Quazi Quamruzzaman, Chairman of A-PAD International, underscored the Asia Pacific region’s high vulnerability to crises and the importance of collaboration among governments, civil organisations, the private sector, and grassroots communities, commending A-PAD Sri Lanka for taking a leading role in fostering such partnerships.
The Symposium featured two panel discussions – “Rethinking Preparedness: Strategic Interventions for Navigating Complex Crises” and “Enhancing Operational Readiness: Strengthening Emergency Response and Search & Rescue Capabilities” – which explored practical strategies to strengthen preparedness, improve operational efficiency, and enhance medical, logistics, telecom, aviation, and volunteer deployment capacities to better respond to future crises.
The event hosted over 150 distinguished guests, including representatives from diplomatic missions, government institutions, private sector companies, non-governmental organizations, academia, UN agencies, and regional partners, with live virtual participation from across the Asia-Pacific.
The insights shared throughout the Symposium will contribute to shaping stronger, more resilient disaster management systems in Sri Lanka and the wider region.
