The Asian Professional Negotiators Network (APNN) successfully held the landmark opening ceremony of its first conference at the Royal Pacific Hotel in Hong Kong today (April 14). The event will run from April 14th to 16th, 2026. The event brought together over 100 senior practitioners, government officials, law enforcement leaders and mental health experts from across Asia and beyond.
Under the theme "The Past, Present, and Future", the three-day conference spotlighted the evolving role of crisis negotiation in modern public safety, covering suicide prevention, acute psychological distress and high-risk urban conflicts. It featured keynote addresses, panel discussions, interactive tabletop simulations and dedicated networking sessions that fostered evidence-based, cross-sector solutions.
The Opening Ceremony was officiated by Mr. Keith Yip Wan Lung, Deputy Commissioner of Police of the Hong Kong Police Force, who emphasised the profession's shift toward communication-led, compassionate responses. International speakers included APNN President Mr. Neil Stapley, APNN Vice President Mr. Matthew Herter and Dr. Gilbert Wong, Professor Paul Wong Wai-ching of The University of Hong Kong, Dr. Nurashikin Binti Ibrahim, Director of Malaysia's National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health, Professor Michelle Yik of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and other distinguished experts from law enforcement, psychiatry and clinical psychology.
Co-organised with the Department of Social Work and Social Administration of The University of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Mental Wellness Association, and supported by the HKSAR Security Bureau, Hong Kong Police Force, Hong Kong Fire Services Department, Hong Kong Department of Health and several local non-governmental organizations that serve a wide spectrum of people in needs, the conference successfully advanced regional cooperation and laid a strong foundation for a more integrated and humane model of crisis intervention.
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