20 Years of ACTAsia
ACTAsia is proudly celebrating its 20-year anniversary, marking two decades of dedicated work to educate children, consumers and professionals in Asian societies to help build a kinder and more sustainable world. Since founding in 2006, ACTAsia has collaborated with governments, businesses, educators and communities to drive meaningful change – advancing humane policies, supporting sustainable food systems and inspiring ethical choices that benefit animals, people and the environment. This milestone not only honours the impact achieved over the past twenty years, but also reaffirms ACTAsia’s commitment to building a more compassionate future through education, advocacy and collaboration.
Where it all started – Pei’s Journey for Social Change
When ACTAsia’s Founder and CEO, Pei Su, embarked upon social change advocacy in Taiwan, she volunteered with young offenders, advocated for victims of domestic violence and later campaigned for prison reform and environmental causes. While marching for the environment in Taiwan in her twenties, Pei realised that nobody was speaking up for the humane treatment of animals. At the time, Taiwan had a very poor animal welfare reputation, including millions of stray dogs roaming the streets of Taipei. It was never solely a love for animals that compelled Pei to bring about societal change, moreover, how caring for animals should be an integral part of a whole and humane society.
In 2006, Pei founded ACTAsia, believing that respect for people, animals and the environment will lead to a more compassionate and sustainable world. After years of being campaign-driven, Pei was ready to create societal change by pursuing long-term solutions rather than ‘firefighting’ to resolve issues. Education became a key focus. ACTAsia worked with a pedagogical specialist to develop an innovative curriculum, called ‘Caring for Life Education’ (CFL) built around UNESCO’S ‘Four Pillars of Education’, a framework which promotes lifelong learning. Over the last two decades, ACTAsia’s team has developed a six-year-program, that can easily be integrated into a school curriculum with the goal of giving students the tools to make informed decisions that are grounded in moral judgement and understanding their connectedness in the world. The CFL education school curriculum and its approach for children aged between 6-12 years is the first of its kind in the world.
Pei strongly believes that Caring for Life education for children should be taught in schools alongside other essential subjects like other maths, science and English in order that children become well rounded global citizens.
Caring for Life education has been extended to include three key areas encompassing children, consumers and professional. The consumer education includes tirelessly working towards a fur free future by helping consumers make informed choices through our Fur Free Project. The professional education encompasses the incredible Vets for Change programme educating vets across Asia in best practice.
What ACTAsia has achieved– Our Global Impact and Recognition
In the course of 20 years ACTAsia has witnessed incredible results. We look forward to sharing our impact in more detail during our anniversary year but highlights include:
World-Class Recognition from the United Nations
In 20 years, ACTAsia has moved from a grassroots initiative to a globally recognised leader in sustainability and ethics:
- United Nations Special Consultative Status: In 2021, ACTAsia was granted Special Consultative Status by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), giving ACTAsia a seat at the table for global policy discussions.
- A Model for the Future: ACTAsia’s Caring for Life (CFL) children’s education was awarded ‘Good Practice’ as a UN Sustainable Development Goal (2021) and was recognised as Good Practice at the UN Transforming Education Summit (TES) in 2022
- Influencing Global Fashion: Our Fur Free Project was recognised by the United Nations and led to an invitation to join the UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network, bringing ethical fashion to the global stage.
Pioneering Education and Advocacy
We aren’t just following trends; we are setting them.
- The First of Its Kind: ACTAsia developed Asia’s first six-year school curriculum for children aged 6-12, teaching the vital truth that the health of animals, people and the environment are interdependent.
- Leading the Fur-Free Movement: Since 2012, ACTAsia has been the pioneering voice for a fur-free lifestyle in China, successfully elevating this mission into the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- A Unique Mission: We remain the only organisation in Asia exclusively dedicated to education that fosters a compassionate world for all living things.
Sustainable Change through Empowerment
We don’t just provide aid; we provide the tools for long-term transformation:
- The “Train-the-Trainer” Model: By training local professionals—such as teachers, veterinarians and charity leaders—ACTAsia empowers professionals to solve issues and lead change within their own communities.
- Award-Winning Leadership: ACTAsia’s founder, Pei, and the entire team have been honoured with numerous international and Chinese awards, reflecting ACTAsia’s commitment to excellence and integrity.
Our patrons
As ACTAsia reflects on 20 years of progress, this anniversary stands as both a celebration of achievements and a call to action for the future. The challenges facing animals, people and our planet remain urgent, but the past two decades have shown that positive change is possible through collaboration, education and compassion. With a strong foundation and a clear vision ahead, ACTAsia moves forward committed to deepening its impact and continuing to create a kinder, more sustainable world for generations to come.
Twenty Years of Compassion: A Message to Our Supporters and Volunteers
As we reflect on two decades of transformative work, we owe our deepest gratitude to the volunteers and supporters who have been the heartbeat of ACTAsia. Your unwavering commitment over the past 20 years has turned a visionary mission into a global force for good, fuelling the milestones we celebrate today—from achieving UN Special Consultative Status to pioneering Asia’s first compassion-based school curriculum. The prestigious international awards and breakthroughs in the fur-free movement are testament to what we can achieve when we stand together for animals, people and the environment.
However, the global challenges we face remain urgent. We invite you to take immense pride in how far we have come and to continue this journey with us. Your ongoing support is the key to scaling our ‘One Health’ education and empowering more local communities to create a kinder, more sustainable world for the next 20 years and beyond.
