Across Asia Pacific in Solidarity: Social Innovations for Impact & Sustainability

16 September 2025

APRU SDG4GC Pitching Competition 2025 From tackling mental health to ethical tourism, advocates of social innovations across Asia and the Pacific pitched their ideas during the Social Innovation for Impact & Sustainability Pitching Competition, the culmination of the 3-month APRU SDG Education for Global Citizenship Program 2025 (APRU SDG4GC), held on August 29th, 2025, at Chulalongkorn University.

    • Co-hosted by the Office of International Affairs and Global Networks and the Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation (CSII) in collaboration with the United Nations, this hybrid event brought together 10 diverse teams composed of 72 students from 17 universities across 16 countries and economy. Each team pitched innovative social projects aimed at addressing real-world challenges, with a strong emphasis on inclusivity and sustainability in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    The program was officially opened by Assoc. Prof. Palanee Ammaranond, Ph.D., Vice President of Chulalongkorn University, who underscored the power of social innovation in transforming the lives of vulnerable and underserved communities. CSII Deputy Director, Dr. Ronnakorn Vaiyavuth further emphasized this point, stating, “Social innovation is not about having a perfect marginal solution. It’s about becoming an expert on a problem — caring deeply enough to try, learn, and keep trying again and again,” reminding all participants the essence of social innovation in today’s world.

    CareVend is the winning team that proposed the idea of inventing a vending machine accepting plastic waste as currency in exchange for sanitary pads, tackling both period poverty and plastic waste (SDGs 3, 5, 10, 12, and 17). It is not only a vending machine that addresses both period poverty and plastic waste, but this innovation project can also generate revenue by upcycling the collected plastic into crafts and other reusable products, showing the potential for sustainable solutions to make a significant impact.

    The winning team is composed of Ananya Varshney (Nanyang Technological University), Han Xiao (The Chinese University of Hong Kong), Kanchanabhadra Sai-Sook (Chulalongkorn University), Quangao Liu (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), Thayananth A/L Kumaresan (Universiti Malaya), and Zhi Ying Tan (National University of Singapore). The judges are distinguished representatives from the United Nations system and academia.

    •  The winning team is composed of Ananya Varshney (Nanyang Technological University), Han Xiao (The Chinese University of Hong Kong), Kanchanabhadra Sai-Sook (Chulalongkorn University), Quangao Liu (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), Thayananth A/L Kumaresan (Universiti Malaya), and Zhi Ying Tan (National University of Singapore). The judges are distinguished representatives from the United Nations system and academia.

    A Call to Action

    To conclude the program, Professor Dr. Yvonne Lim Al Lian, Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) of Universiti Malaya, reminded participants of the deeper purpose behind their innovations: “Change does not always happen in grand gestures. Sometimes, it begins with the courage to listen, the willingness to include, and the commitment to act even when it’s difficult.”

    (Standing row from left to right) – Ms. Ruoxiao Song, Asst. Prof. Dr. Kirati Khuvasanond, Ms. Iwona Spytkowski, Mr. Nutthapon Rathie, Ms. Madelyn Almazora, and Mr. Dipesh Poudel
    (Seating row from left to right) – Mr. Pawat Bhiroonjitti (MC), Ms. Michiko Yoshida, and Mr. Savinda Ranathunga

    Now in its third year, the APRU SDG4GC Program remains committed to empowering young innovators and fostering global citizenship under the theme: “Diversity and Inclusivity – Actions for Sustainability.”


    #SDGs #GlobalCitizenship #Diversity #Inclusivity #ChulaOIA #InternationalGrowth #ImpactfulGrowth #IntegratedGrowth