A high-level conference in Taipei will explore the relationship between sustainability and the media on September 27 and 28.

ASAP90 is an ambitious invitation-only conference that will bring together over 250 media practitioners, specialists in sustainability, journalists, editors and politicians.

It is the centrepiece of the 90th anniversary of Taiwan’s international broadcaster, Radio Taiwan International (RTI).

RTI has a rich heritage in bringing award-winning stories from and about Taiwan to audiences throughout the world. Now, as it begins its tenth decade, it is positioning itself at the centre of initiatives around sustainability and other major issues of our age.

The UN Sustainable Development Goals represent one of the most significant initiatives in contemporary human history. With a target of achieving all 17 goals by 2030, the clock is ticking to ensure that the most pressing issues of today are addressed. The media has a major and central role to play in helping humankind succeed in securing its future on this planet.

The conference will kick-start conversations among the media industry and develop a collaborative approach to engaging the public in discussion and debate about how the media industry can aid the successful implementation of the SDGs.

The conference intends to put in place an accord between media companies to establish ways to work together on this vital project. I welcome your input to these important discussions; there is no fee to attend this event.

The Association for International Broadcasting, the global trade association, is working with RTI on this event.

To ensure that ASAP90 addresses the concerns of citizens in the Asia-Pacific region, there will be vox-pops screened at different points during the day. Gathered from key locations around the region by the AFP news agency, these vox-pops will help to inform the debate and demonstrate the level of understanding that exists about sustainability in different territories.