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.

Initiative of Change Association Cambodia in collaboration with Thai Volunteer Service, Thailand

[This APPLICATION IS FOR THAI PARTICIPANTS ONLY]

7-13 November 2011
Picnic Resort, Sihanouk Ville, Cambodia

A. Background:

Long time of historical conflict and stories passed from generation to generation created hatred, prejudice and unhealthy relationship among people of the two neighboring countries, Cambodia and Thailand. Current clashes at the border have made things even worse and this needs immediate proper actions to be taken.

Initiatives of Change Association (ICA) and Thai Volunteer Service (TVS) have a similar vision to see the future of our two countries related to peace. Both organizations, with the financial supports from American Friend Service Committee, had the first meeting from 22nd – 23rd August, 2010, in Bangkok to discuss the joint programs they could do together to maintain peace building and friendship among the two countries’ youth, which is a cross-border dialogue, namely Cambodian Thai Exchange Program (CTEP). They finally developed a shared vision, mission and priority activities. They met for the second time from 11th – 12th March, 2011 in Bangkok to finalize the programs and the Joint Youth Camp will be the first activity for the CTEP.

B. Theme: “Let’s Learn to Live Together”

C. Objectives:

The camp aims to build deeper relationship among Cambodian and Thai youth through living and learning together in order to reduce discrimination and prejudices.

I. Date and Venue

Date: 07-13 November 2011

Venue: Picnic Resort, Sihanouk Ville, Cambodia

II. Participant

The Camp will be participated by Cambodian and Thai youth who meet the following criteria:

- Aged between 18-35 years old
– Able to communicate in English
– Peace oriented (90% of them interested in and 10% of mixed)
– Sense of ownership by contribution 10 US$. Scholarship of those who are necessary needed
– Committed to participate for a whole period of the camp
– Be open-minded to learn from new friends

III. Travel & Accommodation

All ground transports and meals will be provided as indicated in the program.

ICA will provide accommodation (based on sharing) from 07 to 13 November 2011. All participants are responsible for their personal expenses, such as mini-bar charges, room service, telephone calls, laundry service, use of business center facilities, and the Internet.

IV. Language

The program will be conducted in English.

V. Registration

The participants should complete the registration form and send it to Thai Volunteer Service by 30 September 2011. Download CTEP application form. The completed registration form can be submitted in PDF format to ctep.thailand@gmail.com. We will select 40 participants (20 participants from each country) to participate in this program.

VI. Organizers and Contact Persons

For detail information, please visit our websites at: http://www.cymthaivolunteer.wordpress.com and http://www.icacambodia.org

1- Ms. Jaruwan Supolrai (Netting)
Phone: 0810722714
Email: netting2005@gmail.com

2- Ms. Saksinee Emasiri (Ying)
Phone: 0852121980
Email: yingbangkok@gmail.com

Successful applicants will be announced on the 3rd October 2011 thorough http://www.cymthaivolunteer.wordpress.com

Day 1 May 1, More than 70 youths from 9 countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and China all gathered up here in Jakarta, Indonesia to participate in ASEAN Youth Forum “Shouting Youth Voice-Escaping from Neoliberalism Entrapment”. The youth participants prepared ourselves to raise our voices about challenges we are facing nationally and regionally.

The morning section started with the presentation by Mr. Faisai Basri who gave overall information about ASEAN. Being an intergovernmental association, ASEAN focuses on 3 main pillars including political, economic and social areas. Motivating the youth to actively contribute for ASEAN development, Mr. Basri firmly stressed that the youth need to unite to create a strong network with young people from all walks of life. They can consequently reach mutual understanding and boost regional cooperation via this channel. He also suggested that enhancing policy advocacy activities would lay the foundation for the youth’s voices to be heard by their government.

The afternoon section was the participation in Mayday Festival, started at 12PM. Having been informed about the scale of the Festival – which would have more than 1000 participants, I assumed that joining the walk would just like joining the crowded Flower Street in my city each time New Year comes. However, not until I joined the walk did I realize that the way it happened was beyond my imagination. The walk started when we got off the bus; the street where we were standing was nearly empty that some of us began to feel confused. Would it be only our group making the walk? Our confusion no longer remained after just a few seconds when we saw so many people pulling over from different directions. So many groups of people, so many colors of shirts and so many slogans. Just a few more steps and there we were among the crowd.

Together we were moving in group for about 1.3 km towards the President house, next to the Monas Monument. The atmosphere became more intense when each group shouted their slogans repeatedly and people kept moving faster and faster, we almost run to catch up with the pace. This is the very first event in this form that we, 9 Vietnamese youths, have ever experienced, thus worries and the feeling of unsecured are unavoidable to us. Although the slogans and banderols were all shouted and printed in the language we don’t understand, we definitely felt their zeal for raising their voices. With big help from Indonesian friends, we finally get the meaning of the slogans sounded by thousands of people in different rally. Each has different purposes but generally, they are to raise the demands of Indonesian for increasing wage, stopping outsourcing, calling for protection of labor rights, gender equality and increasing the accountability of the government.

Henceforth, we found our participation in the Festival meaningful. This is lifetime experiences for me to broaden my view and see how Indonesian people actively engaged in national issues and raise their voices. Every moment in the rally was so unique and the experience was precious. Walking a distance of 1.3 km is probably ordinary to many people, but I personally feel like that every step I made in the Walk today is a giant step.

After the rally, we went back to the Youth forum and continued our discussions. On elaboration of the most significant challenges that ASEAN youth is currently facing, each country team is requested to find out recommendations based on the challenges towards ASEAN. Though each national team raised different issues of their concern, there ended up 4 main challenges including poor public heal services, high unemployment rate, unsustainable environment and low education quality. Being the leaders in actions, the youth participants enthusiastically discussed and figured out recommendations to effectively respond with these significant challenges.

At the end of the day, the youth has a comprehensive picture of ASEAN youth, their common challenges and action plans to build up a single and prosperous ASEAN Association.

Day 2 started with academic talks of “The state politics and attachment of the youth” by Mr. Sugeng Bahagijo and “Marginalized and minority problems in ASEAN’s countries” by Ms. Dinna Wisnu. These talks amounted to the whole morning session.

Have I ever noticed the important role of youth in the mechanism of the state politics? Or have I ever questioned how serious problems faced by marginalized and minority are? If we stopped ignoring these problems and put efforts on solving them, how developed my country would become? Before joining the forum, I absolutely had no answer to any of the questions above. After, keys to these problems were obvious to all of us. We are thankful for what being conveyed by our speakers.

Having got an overview of the situation happening in ASEAN countries, all participants were divided into groups to continue the discussion of the day before. Four groups discussed 4 main issues which greatly affect ASEAN youth: Low quality of education, high unemployment rate, unsustainable environment caused by destructive development project and low quality of public health services. Based on the findings we had on Day 1, there we made our recommendations for the ASEAN in addressing these issues. By allocating problems, making recommendations through Final Statement: ASEAN YOUTH FORUM 2011|JAKARTA, INDONESIA, we called ASEAN to take immediate action to fulfill our recommendations. Finally, we, youth participants, met our objective of joining the forum which is raising our voices about issues directly affecting us as well as those we concern. Through active participation in making change to the social-economic-politic processes, the role of ASEAN youth is undeniably important.

What I appreciated the most during my time at AYF is that, despite the difference of language, culture, political viewpoints, issues of concern, etc., while joining the forum, we temporarily put aside our nationality to be an ordinary member of ASEAN community. Isn’t it wonderful that we are one, we are all the same when it comes to doing good for our common community? Yes, we did take one big step on our way building ASEAN solidarity.

I was so glad to be a participant, to contribute a part, though small, in ASEAN youth movement. Thanks to this forum, we widened and strengthened our network. Together, we believe in a near future where democratic values, peace, equity and development are implemented.

Together, we raise our voice up high.

Our ASEAN!
Our Spirit!
Our Sustainable Community!

We are at the May Day in Jakarta.

Today, May 1, More than 70 youths from 9 countries, including Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and China all gathered up here in Jakarta, Indonesia participated in ASEAN Youth Forum “Shouting Youth Voice-Escaping from Neoliberalism Entrapment”. The youth participants prepared ourselves to raise our voices about challenges we are facing nationally and regionally.

The morning section started with the presentation by Mr. FaisaiBasri who gave overall information about ASEAN. Being an intergovernmental association, ASEAN focuses on 3 main pillars including political, economic and social areas. Motivating the youth to actively contribute for ASEAN development, Mr. Basri firmly stressed that the youth need to unite to create a strong network with young people from all walks of life. They can consequently reach mutual understanding and boost regional cooperation via this channel. He also suggested that enhancing policy advocacy activities would lay the foundation for the youth’s voices to be heard by their government.

The afternoon section was the participation in Mayday Festival, started at 12PM. Having been informed about the scale of the Festival- which would have more than 1000 participants, I assumed that joining the walk would just like joining the crowded Flower Street in my city each time New Year comes. However, not until I joined the walk did I realize that the way it happened was beyond my imagination. The walk started when we got off the bus; the street where we were standing was nearly empty that some of us began to feel confused. Would it be only our group making the walk? Our confusion no longer remained after just a few seconds when we saw so many people pulling over from different directions. So many groups of people, so many colors of shirts and so many slogans. Just a few more steps and there we were among the crowd.

Together we were moving in group for about 1.3 km towards the President house, next to the Monas Monument. The atmosphere became more intense when each group shouted their slogans repeatedly and people kept moving faster and faster, we almost run to catch up with the pace. This is the very first event in this form that we, 9 Vietnamese youths, have ever experienced, thus worries and the feeling of unsecured are unavoidable to us.

Although the slogans and banderols were all shouted and printed in the language we don’t understand, we definitely felt their zeal for raising their voices. With big help from Indonesian friends, we finally get the meaning of the slogans sounded by thousands of people in different parade. Each has different purposes but generally, they are to raise the demands of Indonesian for increasing wage, stopping outsourcing, calling for protection of labor rights, gender equality and increasing the accountability of the government.

Getting ready for the March!

Henceforth, we found our participation in the Festival is meaningful. Those were lifetime experiences for me to broaden my view and see how Indonesian people actively engaged in national issues and raise their voices. Every moment in the parade was so unique and the experience was so precious. Walking a distance of 1.3 km is probably ordinary to many people, but I personally feel like that every step I made in the Walk today is a giant step.
After the parade, we went back to the Youth forum and continued our discussions. On elaboration of the most significant challenges that ASEAN youth is currently facing, each country team is requested to find out recommendations based on the challenges towards ASEAN. Though each national team raised different issues of their concern, there ended up 4 main challenges including poor public heal services, high unemployment rate, unsustainable environment and low education quality. Being the leaders in actions, the youth participants enthusiastically discussed and figured out recommendations to effectively respond with these significant challenges.

At the end of the day, the youth has a comprehensive picture of ASEAN youth, their common challenges and action plans to build up a single and prosperous ASEAN Association.