Unknown Vincentians gather in Kuala Lumpur (Video) – Unknown at least to many in Europe, North and South America. But not unknown to “the least, the lost and the last” in  31 countries in Asia and the Oceanic region.

They will gather to reflect on “Thy Will Be Done – A Vincentian Response”

PANASCO is an assembly of members from the St Vincent De Paul Society from the Asia and Oceanic region. Hence the acronym “PANASCO” (Pan Asian Congress) It includes  Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji Islands, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Malaysia, Micronesia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Samoa island, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga Islands, Vanuatu and Vietnam. (30)

A Panasco Conference is usually held every four years for members of the St Vincent de Paul Society to share their experiences in helping and serving people experiencing poverty and marginalisation.

These assemblies serve as platforms for members to network and share their experiences in helping and serving the poor and the marginalized – the least, the lost and the last.

The 8^th edition of PANASCO would be held in Kuala Lumpur from 1^st to 5^th October 2014 with the theme “THY WILL BE DONE – A VINCENTIAN RESPONSE”.

It was the brainchild and was initiated by the Australian St Vincent De Paul Society which held the inaugural Congress in 1968.

To keep abreast with the rapid global changes especially those affecting our region, faced with new challenges, it was decided that the PANASCO would be held once every 4 years.

The last 2 assemblies and their respective themes were:

2006   –   Perth, Australia       (Theme: The Vincentian vocation in a globalizing world)

2010   –   Goa, India                (Theme: Justice & peace will embrace)

The first Conference was held in Sydney in 1968. Since then Panasco has been held in Singapore in 1975, in Sydney in 1989, in the Philippines in 1994, in South Korea in 2001, in Perth in 2006 and in 2010 it was held in India.

 PANASCO  8 in depth (PDF)