MEKONG PEACE JOURNEY 2012

The Mekong Peace Journey (MPJ) 2012 is a part of the Regional Learning Process on Peace Building initiated by Mekong Working Group for Peace since 2010 consisting of the regional strategic team from Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

The MPJ is designed for young adults in the Mekong Region: Vietnam, Burma/Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and China, who are interested in the practice of peace building in the region, with the following objectives:

• To build trust and inner peace among young adults in the Mekong region;
• To define the concept of peace-building, conflict and its root causes;
• To address other social factors contribute to building peace in the region;
• To identify appropriate and effective strategies for intervention to build peace in the country and the region; and
• To strengthen and expand cooperation and network for further peace building in the Mekong region.

The MPJ will be held for 25 participants on July 7th – 29th, 2012 in the cross border areas of Laos, Thailand and Burma/Myanmar. General contents of the training cover peace-related issues such as peace concept, conflict resolution, nationalism, pluralism, and identities. The training methods are in-house training and field trip.

After the training, 8-10 representatives would be selected amongst participants to enroll in Internship Program. This program will be conducted in different Mekong countries in accordance with interns’ interested fields.

Mekong Peace Journey Application
The participants must be young adults at 18-30 years old from diverse backgrounds (social works, economics, laws, agriculture, media, etc.). Successful applicants must be open-minded, able to travel and adapt to new environment, committed and willing to apply what they learn from the training into their community and field works. Having working experience in social issues at least two years, good English skill and strong networks (either formal or informal) are an advantage. Young adults from ethnic minority and indigenous groups are strongly encouraged.

Applicants are required to submit via Email the following documents (PDF files are preferable):
1) Completed Application Form – Download 2012 MPJ Application Form.
2) Resume or CV
3) One Letter of Recommendation – Download Letter of Recommendation Form.

The deadline of submission is 20 May 2012. Applicants should send an email with subject “Mekong Peace Training Application – [Name] [Country]” to mekongpeacejourney@gmail.com.
For more information please contact respectively:

Thailand
Ms. Benjaporn In-ngam
Email: mekongpeacejourney.th@gmail.com
Tel. +662-691- 0437-9

Vietnam
Mr. Pham Tran Thang Long
Email: mekongpeacejourney.vn@gmail.com
Tel: +84 913-582-146

Cambodia
Mr. Dy Thehoya
Email: mekongpeacejourney.kh@gmail.com
Tel: +855 12 21 01 71, 67 600 863

Laos
Mr. Khamsa Homsombath
E-mail: mekongpeacejourney.laos@gmail.com
Tel. +85620-78224449

Note: The participants from Burma/Myanmar had been selected since last March 2012.

Experience from MPJ Training 2011

I came to China in September, 2010. The timing was perfect. As a recent graduate, China gave me the opportunity to apply what I learned in college, explore a whole new culture, learn a new language, and find what I really want to do with my degree in geography.

When I applied for the China Council’s scholarship, I had two goals in mind. One was to learn Chinese, as a language, a country, a culture, and a person. The other was to volunteer in an environmental NGO. I wanted to know what kind of sustainable development plan and environmental protection policy China had in mind as part of its rapid growing period. Two and a half months of adjusting and learning basic Chinese, I felt I was ready to fulfill my second goal.

I tried an environmental club on campus, but it wasn’t what I was looking for. I wanted to dig deeper into this sustainability realm. I wanted to know how an organization made changes in a bigger society, bigger than a campus wide activity. I contacted the United States’ consulate and they gave me an email address for Chengdu Urban Rivers Association (CURA).

After only one email, I knew CURA. This Chengdu-based NGO works to keep local rivers pollution free. Formed in 2005, this seven years young organization has become a worldly known environmental organization for its numerous accomplishments.

Although the word “urban” is in our name, our effort is not only strictly within the urban Chengdu environment but also cover the peripheral rural villages. One has to remember that everything in the environment interconnected. If the upstream river is dirty, the downstream will be too. So, CURA works with both rural villagers and urban dwellers to tighten their relationships in improving the quality of local rivers.

The main project we’re working on is to create a model for sustainable villages in which we can apply this model to any agricultural communities. We partnered up with Anlong Village, located 30 kilometers northwest of Chengdu city. We provide the funding and knowledge to assist farmers in their transformation to become organic and sustainable. The farmers put the ideas into action. The whole process is basically encouraging farmers to go back to the old ways of farming, the environmental-friendly one, with a little help from modern technology to increase efficiency. The result of all these? Concisely put, we’re limiting pollution to enter our soil, rivers, air, and ultimately our bodies.

But it’s not just organic farming we aim for, we want the whole lifestyle to be sustainable and low carbon. That’s why we developed a low waste sustainable living cycle that’s easy to adopt. It’s like a package deal for anyone. This green package include composting toilets, biogas generated cooking and heating facilities, water pollution filtering wetlands, toxic-free agriculture, and, of course, organic fertilizers.

We also established a community supported agriculture (CSA) program between urban Chengdunese and Anlong farmers to promote the village’s organic products and maintain a stable customer base for the farmers. Not only that the urban members get organic produce deliver to the city every week, Anlong villagers also welcome visitors to learn their nascent green farming practices, enjoy totally organic lunch, and rent a plot to grow DIY organic crops. But you’re most likely welcomed on weekends only, unless you arrange an appointment with local farmers in advance, because, nevertheless, they’re still farmers and farmers’ work hours are 24/7.

My role in the organization as a volunteer varies depending on the project. Mostly, I participate in green life promoting events and do some translations. It’s a good way to enhance my Chinese language proficiency and learn more about green NGOs here in China. I also get to be a Chinese organic farmer assistant once in a while when I visit Anlong Village on weekends. Although my involvement with CURA is only a side project, I feel more attached to the organization than my true academic purpose.

Fun activities I was involved with CURA include tree planting to celebrate arbor day, farmer’s market at Anlong, frog hunting to assess the village’s ecology condition, and wetland construction as part of a homemade grey water purification system.

In June 2011, CURA’s founder invited me to join a symposium with two volunteer organizations from Hong Kong and Thailand. The symposium turned out to be a great introduction to two incredible organizations: Partnership for Community Development (PCD) and Thai Volunteer Service (TVS). This symposium also gave me the opportunity to be one of TVS many ardent volunteers.

This three-day symposium was mostly held at Anlong Village. I showed up as a CURA volunteer to assist in the Chinese-Thai translation. The goal was to demonstrate the Anlong Ecological Model to PCD and TVS representatives and how young volunteers could contribute into such project. PCD and TVS shared their volunteers’ experiences in projects in rural development and sustainable agriculture. Both PCD and TVS are organizations that recruit youngsters to volunteer their time and knowledge to revolutionize rural areas into self-efficient communities. But the feedback from these exemplary volunteers were more than just how they and the villagers reformed, they learned to be part of a community and had the time to reflect what were really important to them. These things, I feel, are very essential in building a quality youth if we want our society to progress with no regrets.

Being a translator is a challenging job. Not only that you need to be somewhat fluent in the languages, you need to understand what the speaker wants to communicate and exempt personal inputs to avoid any lost in translations or altering the speaker’s message with your own ideas.

Volunteering gives me endless opportunities to meet like-minded individuals, learn and apply new knowledge as well as reflect my personal goals in life. It’s been seventeen months since I first touched China’s ground. My two goals before landing in Chengdu are accomplished. Nevertheless, there are still a giant room for me to fill with new challenges as a scholar and, indeed, as a volunteer.

China joined ASEAN as a full dialogue partner in 1996. among the eleven priority cooperation tasks, Mekong Basic development, environment, agriculture, and culture were included. When look closely at the social-cultural subsection, education and youth exchange were parts of their cooperation goals. Every year, ASEAN-China Young Entrepreneurs’ Forum and ASEAN-China Youth Leaders Symposium are held to build a stronger youth network, enhancing “mutual understanding, respect, and trust” among the member countries. (For more info on China-ASEAN, visit http://www.aseansec.org/5874.htm)

Even Premier Wen Jiabao acknowledged the need to promote cooperation and understanding among the ASEAN and Chinese youths during his opening ceremonial speech in the 2011 China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (CABIS). (source: http://www.asean.org/25554.htm)

So, as an ASEAN partner, a neighboring country (to some of us), and a long time trading friend, what do we know about China? What are Chinese young volunteers are doing? In the next couple posts, I will cover my volunteer experience to show you another side of China some of us may never have heard of.

Under the theme ‘The Power of Giving’, we are seriously interested in the entries of ‘inspiring shots’ that can well communicate with our readers to encourage them to take volunteer action and showing them how volunteerism is important and powerful in for young generation in making a positive change in our changing society. Only 5 most qualified photos will be selected to publish in our magazine in March 2012.

Submission Criteria:
Photo entry can be taken from anywhere around the world. One photographer can
send no more than 3 photos according to the given theme. Your photo entry must be original and never been published in any publication. Retouched pictures using Photoshop technique are NOT eligible to submit. Dimension of a picture must be at least 2000×3000 pixels.

In each photo, please include below detail:
1. Caption for your photo (not only describing the action in the photo, but also the meaningful message with in the picture that you want to communicate with the audiences)
2. Photographer’s name and surname
3. Your age, where you are from, city and country
4. Photographer’s organization/institute/network (if you have)
5. The location of the photo taken (city, province and country)

Where to Send
Your pictures should be sent in JPEG format only. All 5 details should be written in
WinWord file. Email both packages to aymmagazine@gmail.com and do NOT forget to name the email subject as ‘AYM: The Power of Giving’

When is the Deadline:
20 February 2012

THE POWER OF GIVING!!!
A fat chance to inspire thousands of others to make a change by your photo.
Submit your entry NOW!

First of all, thank you for visiting our website and being part of this movement. GO ASEAN Youth!

We have noticed that there have been some questions regarding the articles or news we posted on this website in the comment section. Often, the answers are already in the articles so please reread the article before contacting us. If the content does not contain the answer to your question, please do not hesitate to click SEND to aseanyouthmovement@gmail.com or find us on FACEBOOK for a faster response.

Again, thank you for taking part in this movement. We hope to hear from you soon.

Cheers,

AYM

In the name of Young Generation
of Mekong and Southeast Asian Nations
May you be a Seed of Hope and Dream
be a Song of Happiness and Harmony
be a Strong Power of Change
be the Shade of Courage
to Warm our Spirit and Soul
To Bring another Happier,
Healthier, more Resilient
more Just and more
Peaceful Region
in year 2012!

CYM Thai Volunteer Service
and ASEAN Youth Movement

]]> http://aseanyouthmovement.org/2012/01/11/happy-new-year-2012/feed/ 0 nettingtvs newyear2012_b copy http://aseanyouthmovement.org/2011/12/20/livelearn-it-is-here-where-a-bridge-has-been-built-between-each-others-hearts/ http://aseanyouthmovement.org/2011/12/20/livelearn-it-is-here-where-a-bridge-has-been-built-between-each-others-hearts/#comments Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:27:46 +0000 nettingtvs http://aseanyouthmovement.org/?p=1331 ]]> Experience from Cambodian-Thai Exchange Program 2011 by Thiratri Buasri, Thailand

I’m a traveler who loves to learn. I like to share smiles and laughter with all those people around me, even though sometimes it might be too much (“ha ha” Can’t stop laughing when I see myself talk a lot). I do! A human life is born and another dies. ‘Why do we make ourselves feel sad?’I believed that before we can share happiness with someone, it must start from within ourselves, from deep feelings of an unconditional heart.  Whatever the reason, “Peace” can’t happen if physical, mental and emotional states are not designed to work together in harmony, and are hostile in our souls. ‘One must have self-love and self-respect before you give it to other people.’

our team building game for Thai & Cambodian friends!

On the first day of my trip to Cambodia, to participate in the exchange program “CTEP” I really did not think of anything more than having new experiences. At the border between Thailand and Cambodia I met with Rany, a Cambodian friend, who had been waiting for us since early morning. From the border we talked together all the way to the resort arriving in the afternoon. First, all of us, Thai and Cambodian, had lunch together. Everyone introduced each other and talked among each other while eating.  It was a very warm atmosphere.  After lunch, arrangements for accommodation were announced, who was to stay with whom. I was sharing with four participating friends together in the same accommodation; with one Cambodian friend called Sotheara and the rest were Thai (from ‘Isaan’ in north-east of Thailand). At the time I imagined, that since we were from Isaan, Sotheara would probably be learning more of the Lao Language than of Thai!  At first, we were in our own worlds, not revealing ourselves too much, but perhaps that it is not uncommon for people who do not know each other well and have not spent time learning from each other.

The second night was the culture exchange show. I began to see people starting to eye each other with a meaningful smile, that this day is the start for us. Especially with the last Cambodian friend’s performance, which did not end, as we all came out and danced all night long! I saw such happy smiles, so warm; I can’t explain it, how excellent it was. Even myself, I had not laughed like this for a very long time. ‘Really happy.’ 

Enjoy the Cultural Night!

These are things that made my whole life change completely.  Thank you for the wonderful peace project “CTEP”, to Khun Netting, Khun Ying and all who were involved. Thank you for the great opportunity that you put it into my hands. Thank you for the love and respect I received from other participants in the program, and thanks to fate and destiny. So far, we have come to life and learned from each other. We have built a bridge between each other’s hearts. In fact, I did not only win new friends, but beyond that, I’ve got the most amazing feeling that everyone is a part of my family.

This is what I got from participating in this program.

Let’s enjoy. And we are welcoming all comments, suggestion and contribution to this newsletter for its coming issues.

Download the online newsletter at http://min.us/m2PCZs7gt#1e

by Nuanpan Thamanovanish

The 19^th Century was recognized as the European Century and the 20^th Century was the American Century. The term “Asian Century” has been emerged in this 21th Century where Europe and America are now in decline due to Europe’s sovereign debt crisis and American sub-prime problem. However, the coming of Asian Century might not mean that Asia is the main actor, but the main “geographical location” in which great powers like the United States and European countries face off, and in which the next stage of global governance and future cooperation take shape in this globalization era instead. It is therefore undeniable that most ASEAN countries are nowadays confronted by the question of how they respond to globalization in this 21th Century.Globalization implies participation in world trade as well as active global competition which underlines great challenges to ASEAN region. Since its inception, ASEAN encompasses ten countries in Southeast Asia and started reaching to cooperate with East Asian countries namely China, Japan and Korea under the name ASEAN+3, which has been playing a very significant embodiment of the “new regionalism” in the Asia-Pacific in order to  accordingly cope with the tide of these challenges. Moreover, Korea as one of the rising countries in East Asia along with its key position in the Asia-Pacific region, its contribution to human resource as well as technology and media development, and its awareness of a significant exchange of information and cultural exchanges, all of these brought ASEAN and Korea into area priorities cooperation identified at the 4^th Informal Summit held in 2000 especially in the field of “Multimedia” on which Korea has an advanced development and also a great influence.

Korea’s global expansion through the use of multimedia has been mirrored by its cultural “Korean Wave” which has an effect on ASEAN countries and their citizens from migration to industrial sectors to marriages and the curricula of academic institutions. In addition, under the support by ASEAN-ROK Special Cooperation Fund (SCF) and Future Oriented Cooperation Project Fund (FOCP), the survey of “Knowing where Korean Stands in Future Cooperation with ASEAN” was conducted. It is thus time for us to also know where ASEAN stands in Future Cooperation with Korea as well. In the light of the 22th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations in this 2011, further cooperation and collaboration in terms of Multimedia must be deepened. The questions to be next answered are what should future cooperation be? through which mechanism should be used? and how to deepen ASEAN-ROK cooperation in the future?

Upon my personal experience in ASEAN related affairs as a Thai youth representative to the 1^st ASEAN+3 Youth Caucus held in Nakhonpathom, ASEAN YOUTH FORUM in Bangkok, Vietnam and recently in Indonesia, and also an official observer from ASEAN YOUTH MOVEMENT to AUN Educational Forum organized by Mahidol University in May, I thus recognize a great importance of youth involvement and participation in ASEAN activities in order to enhance ASEAN solidarity and to exercise sensitivity in handling issues which might affect ASEAN’s next step to achieve ASEAN community by 2015 together with a profound cooperation with East Asia in order to build a caring and sharing society. Moreover, there is a significance for education cooperation which was clearly stated as one of the priorities in the ASEAN+3 cooperation under the Second Joint Statement on East Asia Cooperation and ASEAN+3 Cooperation Work Plan (2007-2017) and once again mentioned in Joint Statement of the 5^th ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting (5^th ASED) in 2010. The future ASEAN-ROK cooperation must therefore be exercised in youth engagement in education cooperation through the use of multimedia which I willingly purpose as followings;

In the national level, the two existing activities – Planning Workshop to Develop an ASEAN Consortium of Schools of Social Work and Practices and Exchange Visit of ASEAN and Korean Media People – must therefore be collectively deepened and cooperated as there is a need of youth engagement in promoting people’s welfare especially the poor, marginalized and disadvantages under the establishment of ASEAN Social Work Consortium (ASWC)  and also a need for these disadvantages, not just students living in capital city to gain first-hand knowledge/experience about Korea as a very potential ASEAN+3 member, to develop understanding and also friendship and to learn where ASEAN stands in a relation with Korea in order to be more creative and active through the broadening of viewpoints and the participation in exchange visit of ASEAN and Korean Media People in order to emphasize the role and power of media [not only television and video but also video sharing websites (e.g. Youtube) and social networking (e.g. Facebook and Twitter) ] to educate, engage and empower in as essence that media must also be a means for all to access to information, and this will unleash the potential of young people to contribute to social and economic development in the region and also to make them ready for ASEAN community in 2015 in which a highly well-equipped knowledge is in demand for active competition.

In the regional level, according to the 12^th ASEAN-ROK Summit in 2009, there was an important recognition of future generations in promoting ASEAN-ROK relations, ASEAN-ROK cyber university was emphasized and urged to continue its establishment in ASEAN member countries supported by the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) for an extension of e-learning and e-training systems which will not only reform the education environment and human resource training but also enhance the tight co-operative relations between ASEAN-ROK relations. The youth role especially Thai youth in this aspect is to initiate a long-term plan for Thailand to be hub of ASEAN University with a strong support from AUN (ASEAN University Network) members; Chulalonkorn University, Chiang Mai University, Mahodol University and Burapha University together with their student-run academic divisions.

While government must take the lead, efforts will be more successful if this is done in close collaboration with Youth as young generations of the society because “Youth are not only leaders of tomorrow but partners of today” (Kofi Annan). Participation in both national and regional level as proposed earlier would be great opportunities for youth at all level to exercise both their mental and intellectual skills in living in a region so-called ASEAN.