AfA CONNECT 2026: Choose Your Conversations, Share Your Resources, Build Connections
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One Open Room, Many Conversations
On August 19, 2026, over 40 participants joined AfA CONNECT 2026 for an interactive virtual networking experience built around a simple idea: Choose your conversations. Share your resources. Build connections.
Rather than a traditional webinar, CONNECT invited participants to move between Working Group rooms, meet Asia for Animals (AfA) Coordinators and fellow animal protection professionals, exchange experiences and resources, and discover more about the work happening across the Asia for Animals Network.
Across the conversations, one thing became clear: while animal protection work can look very different from one country, organization, or issue to another, many of the challenges are shared – and there is much to learn from one another.
A Space to Learn
One of the aims of AfA CONNECT was to give participants a closer look at who AfA is, what its Working Groups do, and the knowledge and resources available across the network.
From policy advocacy and disaster resilience to dog and cat welfare, farm animal advocacy, wildlife rescue, online animal cruelty and macaque conservation, participants could choose the conversations most relevant to their interests.
I'm grateful that we have such a platform in Asia to unite organizations and activists to join the movement and help the animals.
AfA CONNECT gave me the opportunity to connect with passionate people from across Asia who share the same commitment to improving animal welfare. I especially valued the exchange of knowledge, ideas and practical experiences. It was inspiring to be part of a friendly community working together to create meaningful change for animals.
The Working Group rooms offered an opportunity not only to learn about each group's focus, but also to hear directly from people working on these issues across Asia.
Around the Rooms
APC | Policy Made Practical. Voices Made Stronger.
The Asian Policy Coalition (APC) explored practical approaches to engaging with policymakers and international policy processes.
Participants discussed how organizations can create entry points even when they do not already have government connections, including through direct outreach, introductions, regional events and connections within the AfA/APC network. They also explored opportunities to connect local animal protection priorities with broader global processes such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) and Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs), United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA), High Level Political Forum (HLPF), United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
A key theme was that effective policy advocacy requires patience, relationship-building and the ability to adapt messaging to different audiences and political contexts.
DACC | Joining Forces for the Dogs and Cats of Asia.
The Dog and Cat Coalition (DACC) focused on the importance of moving beyond reactive responses towards longer-term approaches to dog and cat welfare.
Participants discussed the need to combine rescue and other downstream responses with prevention, stronger legislation and regulation, public education, community engagement and collaboration beyond the animal welfare sector.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of making existing resources more accessible and visible. Participants explored different ways of sharing knowledge, including storytelling videos, on-demand learning and other formats that can reach wider audiences.
DRC | Vulnerability to Resilience: Empowering Organizations to Withstand, Recover, and Lead.
The Disaster Resilience Coalition (DRC) brought together experiences from disaster responses across countries including Hong Kong, Iraq, Nepal, the Philippines and Viet Nam.
Participants discussed the gaps that remain in national disaster preparedness for animals, as well as the challenges organizations face in accessing funding and navigating government systems during emergencies.
The conversation also recognized another important part of disaster response: the wellbeing of the people doing the work. Participants discussed burnout and the importance of rotating volunteers during prolonged emergency responses.
FAC | Connect, Collaborate, Create Impact for Asia’s Farm Animals.
The Farm Animal Coalition (FAC) explored the importance of evidence, resources and context when developing animal advocacy approaches.
Participants discussed resources developed by FAC and AfA Coordinators, including the Asian Funding Landscape report and OneLife materials, while also considering how existing resources could be made more visible and useful to the wider community.
Another key conversation focused on how advocacy approaches cannot always be transferred directly from one country to another. Cultural differences can significantly influence whether an intervention is effective, highlighting the need for more research into public attitudes and effective approaches across Asian countries.
SARCC | Connect with the Wildlife Rescue Community.
The Sanctuaries and Rescue Centers Coalition (SARCC) created space for participants to share positive experiences from wildlife rescue and advocacy work.
The discussion highlighted the importance of celebrating progress – not only as a way to recognize achievements, but also as an opportunity for organizations to learn from one another and stay motivated through challenging work.
Participants also reflected on the role of collaboration, recognizing that many successes in wildlife rescue and advocacy are made possible through partnerships between organizations, governments, communities, experts and other stakeholders.
SMACC | Together Against Online Animal Cruelty.
The Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition (SMACC) explored the challenges of identifying and responding to animal cruelty online.
Participants discussed situations where harmful treatment may not appear clearly intentional, as well as the need for stronger evidence and better access to global data and resources to support advocacy and legal reform.
The discussion demonstrated the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in tackling an issue that increasingly crosses geographical boundaries.
MACC | Respect Their Nature. Protect Them Together.
The Macaque Coalition (MACC) offered a peer-led space for participants to exchange experiences, identify knowledge gaps and share practical approaches related to macaque conservation and welfare.
Participants also discussed International Macaque Week, awareness activities, campaign ideas and resources that could support future outreach and advocacy.
The session demonstrated how specialized networks can provide valuable opportunities for people working on similar issues to learn directly from one another.
A Space to Exchange
AfA CONNECT wasn't only about listening.
Participants were encouraged to bring their own experiences, questions and resources into the conversations. The Resource Hub provided a shared space to explore materials from AfA and its Working Groups, while attendees could also contribute resources from their own work.
The discussions showed that sometimes the most useful resource is not a report or toolkit, but simply knowing who to ask.
A connection made during a conversation can lead to a new source of information, a shared solution to a common challenge, or an opportunity to collaborate beyond the event.
A Space to Connect
Between Working Group discussions, participants could meet others through Speed Networking, join optional animal-themed games, or continue informal conversations across the virtual venue.
The open format meant there wasn't one "right" way to experience CONNECT. Participants could choose where to go, who to speak with, and which conversations they wanted to explore.
For some, that meant diving deeper into a Working Group discussion. For others, it meant meeting someone new during Speed Networking or discovering a resource they hadn't encountered before.
The goal was simple: create more opportunities for people in the animal protection community to find one another.
A Space to Collaborate
Across the different rooms, a recurring theme emerged: animal protection challenges rarely exist in isolation.
Policy advocacy connects with community engagement. Disaster resilience connects with government preparedness. Resource development connects with access to knowledge. Wildlife rescue connects with collaboration across sectors and borders.
The Collaboration Hub gave participants another place to explore these possibilities, while the Working Group discussions provided opportunities to identify shared challenges and potential areas for future cooperation.
AfA CONNECT was therefore not just about introducing people to AfA. It was about showing what can happen when people working on different parts of the animal protection landscape have the opportunity to meet, exchange ideas and discover common ground.
The Conversation Doesn't End Here
AfA CONNECT 2026 may have ended, but the conversations and connections can continue.
If CONNECT gave you a glimpse into the work happening across the Asia for Animals Network, there are many more ways to stay involved – from following AfA's Working Groups and exploring our resources to joining upcoming events and connecting with others working across the animal protection community.
Whether you're looking for resources, new connections, opportunities to collaborate, or simply a better understanding of animal protection work across Asia, we hope you'll continue exploring the network – one conversation at a time.
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