For any further information, please E-mail: rushsap.bgk@unesco.org

Greetings from Thailand!

Allow me first to introduce myself to the group: my name is Danny Padilla, Chief of ESD Unit and Liaison Officer at UNESCO Bangkok.

Following Darryl Macer’s departure from UNESCO and pending the arrival of his replacement, I will be Acting Chief of the Regional Unit for Social and Human Sciences in Asia-Pacific (RUSHSAP) working closely with the SHS team  comprising Ms Sophia Sarinya and Ms Siriwan Tanggriwong here in Bangkok. I would be grateful if you could please address any correspondence relating to “UNESCO Youth Forum Looking Beyond Disaster” programme (LBD) to me at d.padilla@unesco.org or discuss the same by calling me at +66-2-391-0577 (extension 344).

While I am new to the unit and still trying to get familiar with its activities, with help from Sophia and Siriwan, I have known the LBD programme  since it was launched, aware of its many initiatives as well as achievements, and amazed at how the network has grown and gotten stronger over the years. It is therefore great pleasure to work with you, continue the excellent work initiated by Darryl, and build on the group’s achievements to carry the programme forward. There is opportunity to enhance our work on disaster risk reduction as well as to strengthen the network.   

As you may know, UNESCO Bangkok’s ESD Unit implements regional activities on climate change and disaster risk reduction education, including the recently-concluded Regional Asia-Pacific ASPnet Project for Japan Solidarity and Disaster Risk Reduction in Education (Abbr. ‘Japan Solidarity Project’, Acronym ‘JSP’). JSP was initiated to provide support to Japan in the post-disaster situation following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami in March 2011. The project aimed to encourage learners both in Japan and in the Asia-Pacific through solidarity message exchange and also to strengthen the linkages between ASPnet schools in the region. It also set out to increase disaster risk reduction knowledge, while also advocating for and supporting the institutionalisation of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) education among UNESCO Member States.

Before I conclude, I would like to inform you that the next LBD Youth Forum is tentatively scheduled to take place in Indonesia in October this year and that relevant information will be communicated to you as soon as available.   

I look forward to meeting you all in person very soon.

Best regards,

Danny Padilla (Mr)
ESD Programme Coordinator and
Liaison Officer
UNESCO Bangkok
920 Sukhumvit Rd, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Tel. +6623910577 ext.344 Fax. +6623910866
http://www.unesco.org/bangkok

Background:

In Southeast, South and Southwest Asia, the youth population constitutes a higher proportion of the total population or over 19%. By 2030 the youth segment for the region is estimated to grow to exceed over 700 million, constituting almost 15% of the total population.

Some issues facing youth in the Asia-Pacific region include: i) poor employment prospects; ii) increasing crime, violence and risky behaviour; iii) education systems that do not support the development of relevant skills for sustainable livelihoods in current socio-economic circumstances; iv) impacts of natural disasters – Asia-Pacific has the highest rate of natural disasters globally with approximately 50% of all disasters and 80% of disaster-related deaths for the past decade.

This workshop will be held with a cross section of youth to examine in greater detail the issues facing them, and how they attempt to overcome these issues.

Agenda, venue and registration here.

8-10 December 2012

Kumamoto, Japan

(Draft agenda)

Despite overall economic development worldwide, inequalities have grown dramatically in the last ten years, both within and between countries. More than one billion people live in extreme poverty today. This situation is a violation of basic human rights and an obstacle to development. The struggle to eradicate poverty must be at the forefront of all efforts to uphold human dignity and promote sustainable development.

Progress is within our reach. Since 2000, extreme poverty has been halved. This proves that with political will and the joint commitment of States, outcomes can be achieved. To succeed, we must redouble our efforts to combat new forms of poverty and social exclusion. We must also understand all aspects of poverty in order to tailor our response appropriately. Poverty is not merely a matter of minimum income thresholds or insufficient resources, nor must it be remedied only through charity or wealth redistribution schemes. There is educational, cultural, scientific and social poverty, which is the corollary of material poverty and must be combated with the same determination. Poverty results in deprivation of individual capacities for development and in the lack of autonomy. Poverty eradication entails building each person’s capacity to create wealth and to tap each human being’s inner potential. Sustainable human development entails harnessing that potential and broadening the choices open to individuals. 

Quality education, scientific development and cultural diversity are therefore essential strategic tools that can be used to develop human intelligence and to enable people to take control of their future. This dynamic approach must be central to the formulation of public policies. This, then, is the thrust of UNESCO’s action.

On this day, I call on all Member States and partner international and non-governmental organizations to join their efforts to strengthen action in these fields in order to speed up action to combat poverty for 2015 and beyond. This programme is our road map for the defence of human dignity, the promotion of sustainable development and the construction of peace.

Activities from others:

ATD Fourth World Thailand invited you to share with a child a true knowledge about poverty. For more information, download the flyer (EN) or (THAI), or visit: overcomingpoverty.org

The call for paper can be found here, and the online registration at http://www.ysdwl.cn/conference2012

Deadline soon!

The annual conference of the Asian Bioethics Association (ABA) was hosted in Malaysia from 27 to 30 August 2012. This 13th Asian Bioethics Conference brought together scholars and policy makers from many disciplines all around the world to discuss and deliberate on the theme Bioethics and Life: Security, Science and Society. Paper presentation and participation were welcomed from academics, scholars, policy makers, students and enthusiasts in the various disciplines. 

Abstract book is on-line.

Organizers: Asian Bioethics Association and Asia Pacific Forum on Ethics & Social Justice (Malaysia) in partnership with UNESCO, the Institute of Diplomacy & Foreign Relations (Malaysia), the Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities (UKM), Institute of Malaysian and International Studies and the Eubios Ethics Institute.

Past annual conference proceedings and abstracts (1995 - 2011).

The Conference Flyer (PDF)

Program materials (file here)

This is an international forum with youth from different countries of the world, especially Asia and the Pacific, to share experiences of disasters and to develop realistic action plans to rebuild communities that meet the needs and aspirations of young people. To view the flyer of the event, please click the link - Call for Participation to the Second UNESCO Youth Forum: Looking beyond disaster, 16 - 19 August 2012, Sendai, Japan [PDF-541k].  

Applications are only accepted from 28 July from those who do not need a visa, or from Japan.

On 11 March 2011 Tohoku area experienced a record magnitude 9.0 earthquake that in its 10 minutes led to the world’s most expensive disaster, and a tsunami (that was 15m high in places). Since then they have experienced several major earthquakes and many thousands of aftershocks. Over 15,000 people died and thousands are still missing. The debris has spread across the Pacific Ocean. Sendai airport was flooded by the tsunami. While Sendai city has rebuilt, many coastal villages still suffer from debris. The first day of the forum, 16th August, will be a full day bus trip with chances to join in some community service as well as see the area.  

While hazards are natural, disasters are not.  Young people need to not only be aware of the risks and impacts of hazards, but also have take action to prepare for and respond to disasters. Young people have shown already their potential to create a world that takes a proactive stance against tragedies caused by disaster.  Disasters can destroy communities but also rebuild them. As key agents of promoting change UNESCO has gathered young community leaders in the Youth Looking Beyond Disaster programme. The first UNESCO Youth Forum: Looking Beyond Disaster, was held in December 2011 in Christchurch, New Zealand, with 100 participants from around the world. Youth developed 25 action plans to rebuild communities from disasters. Some of these will be presenting the implementation of their action plans.  Many new participants with experiences from rebuilding communities will join the network in the Sendai meeting from other communities around the world.

The expected outcomes include: 
• Strengthening a new global network of young people across Asia and the Pacific empowered to share experiences and exchange ideas on disaster and community;
• Saving lives and reducing the suffering from disasters;
• Giving hope in concrete ways for self-recovery of communities from disasters;
• Support for youth-led projects to be implemented in different countries; 
• Development of evaluation skills to assess efforts already made;
• Learning lessons from the rapid recovery in this region;
• Examining the psychosocial issues and challenges of community rebuilding, and stigmatization of communities faced with fears of low level radiochemical exposure;
• Getting communities and the policy structures ready for rapid response to disasters;
• Following up on recommendations on information flow in disasters; youth resilience, rebuilding communities and disaster response.
• Considerations of academic and community infrastructures that can assist youth;

Who can come?
The conference is especially for youth who have experienced natural disasters, and the challenges that means for their communities. There will also be some students specializing in disaster recovery, and a few experts to assist in mentoring. We seek participants in their late teens through their twenties. There will also be some older persons who are setting up structures to enhance youth community service, and youth involvement in recovering from communities. If you have any inquiries you can write to the organizers.

How to apply?
There is no application fee. Applications to participate should take the form of an expression of interest email composed by you that outlines (in less than 500 words) why you would like to participate in this forum, post-disaster activities you have been involved in, and/or suggestions for an action plan to develop with other participants. Please also explain what you have learnt from facing a disaster in your community. 

Please email to Dr. Darryl Macer at d.macer@unesco.org, RUSHSAP, UNESCO Bangkok, 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong, Bangkok 10110, THAILAND. Updated programme and other information are available on our web page:
http://www.unescobkk.org/rushsap/youth/youth-looking-beyond-disaster

Organisers
The organisers include the Regional Unit in Social and Human Sciences for Asia and the Pacific (RUSHSAP) at UNESCO Bangkok, Miyagi International Association (MIA), and Eubios Ethics Institute, in collaboration with Sendai International Relations Association (SIRA), Asia-Pacific Cultural Center for UNESCO (ACCU), National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan and University of Hyogo, Japan.

General information
The conference will be informal, and meals, lunches and tea breaks will be provided in the conference package which is approx. USD50 per day including shared accommodation and food. English is the working language, but some interpretation into Japanese will be available. It is possible to develop action plans in other languages, but an English translation should be provided. It is intended to make the conference a memorable time together in sharing lessons and friendships, in various ways across cultures.

Financial issues
We are seeking financial support for assistance but we do not expect to be able to cover the travel of participants, therefore registrants should be prepared to gather their own expenses to travel to Sendai, and pay the meal and accommodation package at JPY25,000 for university students, and JPY22,000 for high school students for the meals and accommodation from 15th afternoon checkin to 20th morning checkout. Accommodation will be booked in either Western or Japanese style rooms at a central venue, Espol Sendai (www.seinenkaikan.or.jp), where the forum will also occur.  

No special safety concerns 
Sendai is 94km from the site of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant where there were 3 meltdowns. The forum will not be going near this area, and we consider Sendai, a bustling and exciting city of over a million persons, safe for visitors to participate in the short period in the area.  Although one of the topics of some participants will be recovery from Fukushima disaster (and some are part of existing action plans), we do not encourage youth to go near the exclusion zone which is about 20km from the reactor site. Travel from Tokyo to Sendai is not near the site also, by the highway bus, shinkansen, or air flight.  

You may wish to take the opportunity to travel in Japan to experience the beauty of the country and hospitality of its people before or after the Forum. Ideas can be exchanged on the facebook group “Looking Beyond Disaster: UNESCO Youth Forum”. 

Call for participation [PDF]

Call for abstracts

Submissions to Dr.M.Selvanayagam, Email:selvam.mariadoss@gmail.com

The Olympic Youth Peace Ambassadors Training and Assistance Programme brings together youth from all around the world including conflict zones and areas suffering violence everyday to the London Olympics to highlight the 6 weeks of Global Truce that has been historically backed by all UN member countries to run from 25th July to 9th September this summer. Whilst in the UK the youth will undergo a profound 10 day workshop programme training them as Olympic youth peace ambassadors. After the Olympics they will continue the work of peace-making in their home communities and around the world in UNESCOs Youth Peace Ambassador Network, providing a lasting Olympic legacy of a global youth peace network continuing to live the Olympic Truce. 

contact GORDON.DESTINET@ECOTRANS.DE

and Darryl Macer d.macer@unesco.org

Further details

UNESCO-Concordian Joint Workshop "Youth Visions of the Future from Dreams of Peace to Reality" to launch UNESCO Youth Peace Ambassador Network in Thailand 

Venue: Concordian International School, 918 Moo 8, Tambon Bangkaew, Amphur Bangplee Samutprakarn 10540 Bangkok, Thailand 

Organizers: Concordian International School, UNESCO Regional Unit for Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific

In January 2011 the Joint UNESCO-Concordian Conference “I Dream of Peace” was held in Bangkok with the active participation by students from a number of schools. The students presented many of their aspirations. This year we would like to gather youth as well as institutional facilitators together to discuss the outcomes of the peace related activities in their institutions (high schools, universities and NGOs), to share ideas that may held in activities in different spaces and places this year. 

Participants
We expect Youth from high schools, universities and NGOs. In order to help ensure continuity we also welcome Institutional Facilitators to join. Those applying to attend should give name, institution, age, and reasons to join, in English. The event will be conducted in English, although individual group planning may be done in other languages.

We request pre-registration for the limited spaces by 1 May to UNESCO by Email: rushsap.bgk@unesco.org 

Expected Outcomes for Youth Participants
We expect participants to network with each other, to share examples of the results they have achieved, the difficulties they faced (whether they were overcome or not), and to share visions of the future. Some youth already have action plans, others will develop more, and a group of youth will also start preparing concretely for the UNESCO Thai Youth Peace Festival, (current planned dates are 22-23 September 2012).

Expected Outcomes for Facilitators
The programme will include a break out activity space for facilitators to share their experiences and consider how institutions can support student peace activities. There may be different activities already underway, and new ones that are planned. Some of the institutional plans can be showcased in the UNESCO Thai Youth Peace Festival, September 2012. There may also be separate activities in different schools and institutions, and we would like to work together to share experience.

Draft Agenda and Background information [PDF - updated 17 May].      

Inquiries to rushsap.bgk@unesco.org.      

The aim of the Conference is to provide a forum for governors, mayors and local governments in Asia and the Pacific regions for sharing best practices and evaluating experiences with others for developing and strengthening their policies to counter all forms of discrimination. Also to advance on the elimination of discrimination in policies and practices through the implementation of Ten Point of Action Plans and to develop concrete activities including a greater social inclusion of city dwellers in the full respect of their political, economic, social, and cultural human rights and fundamental freedoms. 

The Conference theme is Creative Cities for Glocal (Global + Local) Security and Peace, sub-themes are: 1. Human Rights and Cities; 2. Social Inclusion; 3.Cities and Global Environment Change. Participants are invited to have a thematic discussion on discrimination-related issues such as education, culture, housing, employment, economic, environment and others. 

Organizers: Gwangju Metropolitan Government, Republic of Korea, Korean National Commission for UNESCO and Regional Unit for Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific (RUSHSAP), UNESCO Bangkok.

For details please contact Sarinya Sophia, Programme Officer, Regional Unit for Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific (RUSHSAP), UNESCO Bangkok. E-mail: s.sophia@unesco.org

Asian-Arab Philosophical Dialogues on Culture of Peace and Human Dignity. Darryl R.J. Macer (Ed), 2011. Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok, 260 p.

ISBN 978-92-9223-378-5 (Print Version)
ISBN 978-92-9223-377-8 (Electronic Version)

_{Bangkok, Regional Unit for Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific (RUSHSAP), UNESCO Bangkok. v + 110 pp.
ISBN 978-92-9223-355-6 (Print version)
ISBN 978-92-9223-356-3 (Electronic version; PDF file - 1,52MB)}

This report stems from the work of Working Group 4 established under the framework of the Ethics and Energy Technologies in Asia and Pacific project (EETAP), launched in September 2007 by the RegionalUnit in Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific (RUSHSAP) at UNESCO Bangkok. It examines the rights of states to make decisions on energy technologies for their people, and instances when such decisions pose environmental or security risks to the region. This repot identifies the government of each nation state as a body entrusted with the duty of administration and
management, with the authority to direct and implement laws and policies, including laws and policies concerning energy development and use.