SWS proudly hosted the 1st Steering Committee meeting of Asian Welding Federation (AWF) on 16 March 2019 at SWS Office in Singapore. This committee has been established to chart out the future roadmap for the AWF to ensure its sustainability and growth. The newly formed committee is chaired by Mr Wataru Mizunuma, Japan Welding Engineering Society (JWES). The other members of the committee are Dr Liu Zhenying, China Welding Society (CWS), Mr Mochammad Moenir, Indonesia Welding Society (IWS), Dr Mochamad Zaed Yuliadi, Indonesia Welding Society (IWS) and Mr Sze Thiam Siong, Singapore Welding Society (SWS). Mr Sze Thiam Siong and Dr Mochamad Zaed Yuliadi are also the current AWF President and AWF Honorary Secretary General respectively.

Opening the session, Mr Sze Thiam Siong, SWS President welcomed all delegates to the meeting and highlighted the importance of this committee. He assured that SWS Secretariat will provide all necessary assistance to make this meeting a pleasant and successful one.

The Chairman of the Steering Committee, Mr Wataru Mizunuma, Executive Director of JWES shared the agenda for the meeting. He was assisted by Mr Shochi Nomura of JWES. The agenda and discussions covered important areas such as defining the strategic direction for AWF, potential collaboration with European Welding Federation (EWF) on Additive Manufacturing, current status of Common Welder Certification Scheme (CWCS) implementation, AWF President nomination procedure, conducting regular AWF Welding Technology and Applications Forum, setting up of AWF Awards, review of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between AWF and the International Alliance of Skills Development for Belt and Road (IASDBR), potential for the implementation of JIS WQT in AWF countries, the possibility of holding competitions in Additive Manufacturing etc. The committee members also unanimously agreed on the need to attract more new members to AWF especially those countries in Asia which are not currently represented in the Federation.

The proposals from this Steering Committee meeting will be tabled for discussion and final approval by the AWF Governing Council in April 2019 at Bangi, Malaysia. In closing, Mr Mizunuma thanked SWS for the excellent arrangements and kind hospitality. He commented that the discussion was cordial and fruitful and thanked the delegates for their active participation.