4. Diversity of Communities and Natural Resource Management

Rational:

The Mekong River is a major river in South East Asia, originates from Tibetan Plateau and runs through China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam to South China Sea. Mekong River has been feeding millions of peoples that are rich of cultural diversity, with her abundant natural resources in the river basin. Mekong region is one of the regions that comprised of numerous ethnic groups. Land and forestry has been significant for local people due to agriculture is their fundamental livelihood. Fishery is also very important for their livelihood particularly in Lao PDR and Cambodia. Livelihood of local people has been relied on land, forests and rivers for generation to generation. Relationship between people and natural resources has been varied in different parts of region according to their local wisdom on natural resource management. Beside geography and natural resources, different historical and political background of each country in the region has been varied and affected to local people consequently. Since colonialism to the Cold War, our region was clearly divided into two main political camps of communism and democracy. Political conflicts and violence of civil wars has been with our painful memories until nowadays. Different political situations in each country are still complex and connected to each other. Burma is one of an obvious example of complicated political issues in our region.

Obviously seen that political problem is one of the main factors of natural resource exploitation in our countries. Particularly when Mekong Region has been opened for the world market and liberization in the name of ‘development’. Various economic cooperation such as Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), Ayeawady- Chao Phraya- Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMEC) has been driving economic changes in our region dramatically. Trades and investments have been attracted from through out the world by abundant resources, cheap labor, weak environmental protection standard and poor governance. Not only those transnational companies (TNCs) from other regions, but also demands of raw material from industrial sector in China, Vietnam and Thailand become one of the factors of rapid changes. Mega development projects have been constructed through region such as roads, dams, power plants, mining, navigation, gas pipeline and so on. Current destructive practices including conversion of forestland to large-scale mono-crop or agri-business plantations areas which have affected to the livelihood of local communities. Including illegal logging has become both national and regional issues when forest products from Lao PDR, Burma and Cambodia have been serving demands in Thailand, Vietnam and China. As the results, competition and conflict on natural resource have emerged in every level. Impacts from mega-development projects will bear consequences to marginal minority communities including future generations not only in the temporal but long term costs. These are the shared issues and concerns that both present and future generations of the Mekong region will face the challenges.

According to ASEAN will be another mechanism to accelerate economic force in our region together with other international financial institutions and organizations such as World Trade Organizations (WTO), World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) that has been driving our world economy. As youth will play a very important role for further development of our region, we will take part of this opportunity to learn more from each other. In order to build up understanding and awareness of different issues regarding development and natural resource management. With the aim that we will be able to seek for alternatives to development in our region, the Region of Diversity that can not use only ONE mainstream model to deal with our problems. Toward genuine sustainability and justice in our motherland, Mekong Region.

Host Organizations:

1) Cambodia: Mlup Baitong , Cambodian Volunteer for Society (CVS), Urban Poor Development Fund (UPDF), Youth for Peace (YFP), and Khmer Youth and Social Development (IKYSD)

2) Lao PDR: Dokchampa Group, Lao Youth Network (LYN)

3) Vietnam : Social Policy Ecology Research Institute(SPERI)

4) Thailand: Thai Volunteer Service (TVS)

5) Burma: Burma Partnership and KESAN

Objectives

1. Youth are able to share situations and experience on natural resource management and development issues in their own countries
2. Youth are able analyze the problems and identify possible areas for collaborating and networking among each other
3. Youth are able to recommend development direction and alternatives to development and natural resource management at individual, national, regional and ASEAN level.

Process:

· Presentations 5 topics (10-15 minutes for presentation and discussion)

1) Fishery resource in Mekong River: Power development and trans-border issues in Lao PDR

2) Dams in Vietnam and impacts on youth: Regional connections

3) Eco-authoritarian conservation and ethnic conflict in Burma

4) Youth and Community Base Forestry Management in Cambodia

5) Overview of Mega-development and Impacts on Local Peoples and Environment

· Big group discussion

· Analysis by resource person

· Conclusion

Participants: 50 participants

- Youth and students

- Peoples’ organizations

- NGOs workers

Logistics arrangement: LCD/projector

Translator: NEEDED

3. Impact of Globalization and GNH Youth Movement

Rationale

As our world is facing with the Globalization stream that is driving towards Neo-liberalism for the unlimited modernity in development, the influences of consumerism is slowly integrating into our lifestyles in almost every aspect, especially to those young people in Southeast Asia that has been growing up under the challenging changes of two cultures. One is the world of local wisdom and its emphasis on values, spirits and collectivism, and the other world, that emphasize on materialism and individualism. Amidst the transitions of the two contrasting cultures, the social paradigm as well as lifestyles of young people has inevitably shifted and accidentally fallen into being slaves for materialism and consumerism, as they might or might be not fully aware of the issues.
So it is necessary that the youth of today empower themselves and recognize the social problems in local, national and regional level, so that they will together search for the ASEAN identity and issues of the youth of ASEAN, who are facing the challenges that comes with various forms of development. The most important key is that the youth must have roles and participation for crating the fair, just and peaceful society in local, national and regional level.

Objectives
1. To exchange and discuss about the youth movement and experiences among different countries
2. To together analyze the problems, issues, causes and come up with solutions that encourage and strengthen the young people’s participation in every level of social development.
3. To gather the proposals for the just and fair society and the ASEAN’s roles on empowering young people.
4. To promote friendship and cooperation among young people in ASEAN.

Workshop methods

1. Brainstorming among the workshop participants on the impact of globalization and the youth movement/ young people’s current situation in each country.
Method using the flash cards for brainstorming, and grouped according to issues. Open the floor for discussion for on causes and impacts of the issues. (30 minutes)

2. Exchanging experiences in regards to the role of the young people and social changes from 3 perspectives; the student movement, the volunteerism for community and society, the local wisdom for self-immunity and globalization.
Method 3 representatives from the 3 movements presents their experiences, roles, lessons learned and policy suggestions, then open the floor for discussion. (1 hour)

3. Gathering the youth proposals for the ASEAN summit (30 minutes)


Target groups

1. Students 15 participants
2. Youth for Local Wisdom 10 participants
3. Volunteers 15 participants
4. General Public 10 participants

Total number of participants 50 participants

Co-organizing organizations

1. Thai Volunteer Service Foundation (TVS)
2. Youth for Local Wisdom Network (YLWN)
3. Cambodian Volunteer for Society (CVS)
4. Student Federation of Thailand (SFT)

Logistics Arrangement Needed
LCD/Projector

Contact detail
Email to: happyseed.movement@gmail.com
Web blog: www.happyseedmovement

2.Bringing ASEAN Youths Voices to End Food Crisis

RATIONALE

Global food prices have increased by 83 percent in the 36 months leading up to February 2008, while wheat went up by 181 percent.In the last nine months alone, food prices have risen by 40 percent. The real price of rice rose to a 19-year high in March, an increase of 50 percent in two weeks alone. Observers predict the current highs could last into 2009, and prices are likely to remain substantially above 2004 levels until at least 2015.

In many developing countries, local food production has been drastically undermined by one-sided trade liberalisation and structural adjustment programmes, leaving them heavily import dependent and nearly defenceless in the face of price shocks on world markets.

ASEAN as a role of Regional institutions as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations –have facing this problem in their region and have tried to mitigate the situation through regional efforts.

Thus, Youth will be participated and involved in responsible, challenging action that meets the effective suggestion, with opportunities for sharing and raise their voices to be heard for policies and decision-maker. On the participatory activity and the opportunity for Youths’s effort toward “End Food Crisis” goal.

OBJECTIVES

1. To recognize youth as equal partners and provide youth a space to discuss Food Crisis concerns from youths’ perspective.

2. To understand the main causes, impacts and current responses to the food crisis at the country/regional level;

3. To identify the sustainable agriculture needed at the country and regional level as an alternative solutions for food security and food sovereignty;

4. To suggest complementary policies that might be necessary to end the Food Crisis.

5. To come up with common strategies for raising the ASEAN Youths’ advocacy for food sovereignty in response to the crisis;

WORKSHOP DESIGN:

The workshop will be co-anchored by ActionAid (Thailand ) , RRAFA (Rural Reconstruction Alumni and Friends Association), and Working group from ASEAN Youths’ People forum as and advocacy network. The workshop is expect to present innovative ideas for alternative solution on food crisis from youths’ perspective thought activities such as exhibition,demonstration and perfomance .The workshop also empower youths to distribute a declaration and recommendations toward the food crisis at the country and regional level.

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The workshop will fall under the category, Social and Cultural Dimensions of Regionalization and Regionalism, as it provides a forum for youths to participate on policies making . The workshop title is “ Bringing ASEAN Youths’ Voices to End the Food Crisis.”

Topics for Panelists:

1. Topic 1 – Causes and Impacts of the Food Crisis in the Region.
2. Topic 2 – Sustainable Agriculture for alternative solution.
3. Topic 3 – Proposed Policy Solutions to Address the Food Crisis from the view of young generation ( 3 speakers)
4. Panel 3 – Youth Action plan to end Food Crisis.

The workshop will be divided into the following:

Part I – Opening session: (10 min)

Welcome Remarks and Introduction of the Workshop (10 min)

Part II – Panel Presentations (1 hr and 15 minutes)

The panel presentations are basically divided into three parts, 1) understanding the food crisis problem and; 2) looking at solutions to the food crisis; and 3) Action Plan: Strategies for Advocacy with ASEAN.

Panelists will be given 10 minutes each.

Part III – Question and Answer/Discussion (30 min)

Part VI – Closing session and synthesis (5 mins.)

1.Youth Empowerment and Peace Building

"Youth are agents of peaceful social change"

1-Background Information:

Organized by: Youth For Peace (YFP)"
Tel: (855-23) 881 346, (855-11) 913 058
Website: www.yfpcambodia.org
Email:ean_socheth2006@yahoo.com

2-Rational:
Youth are agents of peaceful social change. However, youth still need as necessary of supporting for
3-Objective:
By the four following main objective of the workshop, it will help to find more on how to empower youth in peace building and also contribute with the them of the ASEAN Peoples' Forum is "Advancing People's Charter for ASEAN"

1- To bring ASEAN people, especially ASEAN youth use their opportunity to share and learned each other about peace building in their countries
2- To identify the main causes and impacts of not empowering youth in society
3- To define the alternative solution at country level and regional level for empowering youth involvement in peace building
4- To come up the common suggestion for raising ASEAN youth empowerment for peace building

4-Workshop Design:
Through 2 hours of the workshop will be organized and lead by Youth For Peace staffs is expected to encourage participants, especially to empower youth group to contribute their idea, experience and intention for alternative solution on empowering youth in peace building at the country level and regional level. This workshop is also designed with participatory approach such as presentation, group dynamic, and performance.

Step I- Opening Session: 10 minutes
Welcome Remarks and Introduction of the workshop
Step II-
1-Cause and Impact of not empowering youth in society (Group Dynamic)
2-To find the alternative ways of empowering youth (Group Dynamic)
3-Set up and Agreement on Youth Empowering Action Plan for Peace Building
Step III-Question and Answers/Discussion (30 min)
Step IV-Closing session and synthesis (5 min)

APF Youth Workshop

There will be 4 workshops in the APF on 21 Feb 2009, organized at Chulalongkorn University.

1. Youth Empowerment and peace Building

2. Bringing ASEAN Youths Voices to End Food Crisis

3. Impact of Globalization and GNH Youth movement

4. Diversity of Communities and Natural Resource Management (Land, Forest, Water) : Alternatives to Mega-Development Projects in Mekong Region from Youth Perspective

Each workshop proposal wil be posted by followings.

ASEAN Youths’ Preparatory Meeting for the ASEAN People Forum

Where: Garden of Fruition (Suan Nguen Mee Ma), Bangkok
When: 16-19 February, 2009

The three-day preparatory youths’ forum will be held from 16-19-11 February 2009 at Garden of Fruition, Bangkok to prepare young people from ASEAN countries for their participation at the ASEAN People Forum, to be held at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok from 20-22 February 2009.

The forum will be co-organized by ActionAid Thailand ,Thai Volunteer Service and RRAFA, where approximately 45 youths from ASEAN countries will participate and play an important role in the preparatory regional meeting. During a three day preparatory meeting, participating young people will have an opportunity to build their knowledge and understanding on ASEAN and its mechanisms (ASAEN Charter and three principal (political, economic and social) pillars) as a regional body that plays important role in the region. They will also have an opportunity to prepare for their participation at the ASEAN People Forum.

The objectives of Young People’s Participation at the ASEAN Youths’ Preparatory Regional Meeting are:

• To provide an opportunity for young people to share their experiences, good practices and models of successful youth led interventions in the region specifically related to key challenges faced by ASEAN people such as the food crisis, human rights and peace, energy and environmental crisis (natural resources management) and people participation

• To contribute to the formulation of measurable advocacy targets (specific targets/goals with indicators) for the governments at the regional level and ASEAN and present their recommendations at the ASEAN People Forum

• To establish preparation processes leading up to the ASEAN People Forum and to select youth representatives to meet with ASEAN leaders in a meeting in Chiang Mai

• To ensure follow-up mechanisms (in terms of sharing of outcomes/implementation of the recommendations of the Preparatory Meeting and the ASEAN People Forum) with wider groups of young people in the region, and to see follow up institutionalized in relevant organizations, youth network and projects in the region

• To promote the participation of young people, especially young women, in the governance of ASEAN and strengthen the institutionalization of meaningful participation of young people within civil society