Between the 13th and 17th of November 2013, some 800 participants from 40 countries gathered at the Sendai International Center, Sendai city, Japan, to attend the first ever Asia Parks Congress (APC). This landmark event was organized by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan and IUCN, with the aim of bringing together representatives of governments, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, academia, and students to share knowledge and experiences relating to protected areas in Asia.