Daily brief by the

participants,
for the participants

13 August, Issue No. 5

Photo: Nabin Baral, ICIMOD

Our Voice
...Connecting Green Youth

Celebrating the International Year of Youth: Pro-

Highlights of the day

moting Dialogue and Mutual Understanding

Youth

Tanzima Shahreen, Bangladesh & Jigme CHOKI, Bhutan

Steele. The exercise was focused to find

International Youth Day was celebrated by the Forum with the presence of Honorable Member of Constituent Assembly, Government of Nepal and a Youth Icon
Mr Gagan Thapa. Mr. Thapa made a guest speech stating that the Youth are
the agent of change. In his inspiring speech, he also reiterated on the need to
include youth in all policy developing processes. In the formal program, the Asia
pacific Youth Position Paper for Rio+20 was recited by Ms. Sameera Jaib, a delegate from Pakistan which highlights on the youths perspective on three aspects;
Institutional framework for sustainable development, Green economy to eradicate
poverty and Energy for low carbon future. Asia Pacific Youth Declaration on
Climate Change and Sustainable Development was presented by Tanzima Shahreen from Bangladesh. The declaration strongly advocates for the justice, equity
and global sustainability demanding a safe future from the global leaders and
the citizens. In this special day, Mr. Tek Jung Mahat read out the message of the
Director General of ICIMOD that emphasizes on the role of the youth in combating challenges faced by the world in reference to environment, social stability,
economic progress and an overall attempt to secure sustainable development. Dr.
Madhav Karki, DDG - ICIMOD also gave his closing thoughts emphasizing on
the importance of positive attitude with societal responsibility. The formal closing
of the youth forum was done by Mr. Daan Boom underlining on the importance
of networks for the follow up actions in his closing remarks.

Sustainability

Leadership

exercises was run by Prof. Robert D

the connection between nature, society,
economy and well being; identify the
problems, come out with the solution.
Prof. Steele kept the youth thinking when
he quoted Margaret Mead Never
doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the
world. Indeed, it is the only thing that
ever has.
Nicol Wojewoda, Director of Road
to Rio+20 project of Peace Child
International (PCI), a UK based NGO,
shared his works and how we can be
connected in the global youth.

More at
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Official Event Page
http://www.icimod.org/?q=3279

We are the ones weve

been waiting for! The Asia
Pacific region has thrown a
great challenge in the form of
climate change but I am sure
the youth are gearing up to
put up a brave fight.
Chaitanya Kumar

Photo: Nabin Baral, ICIMOD

Reflecting Back the Memories, Missing the Forum

Kabita Gautam, Nepal

Well, time comes-time goes and however, footprint remains as the sweet
memories. The Youth Forum had the
great initiation with the youngsters
from Asia-Pacific Region led by many
youth motivators. As the journey began from reception session to the final day, nobody realized when and
how, people living on the same planet
but yet the stranger, became a single
family. Sharing ideas, learning new
things, chit-chats, fun and enjoyment
among the delegates went on for
days. Within a blink, time passed and
played its role again, as the early bird
must return home at the dusk, youth
have to carry their achievements from
the forum to the place they belong
to and sow the seed of their learning for the better tomorrows of the
country and of the living planet. The
bloomy faces of the youth no sooner
turned gloomy as they came together
for some revolutions and had to walk
away alone leaving the core attachment to colleagues, facilitators and
organizers. With a hard labor, the
Asia Pacific Youth Position Paper for
Rio+20 and Kathmandu Youth Declaration on Climate Change and Sustainable Development have been prepared. The most memorable moment
of the forum was on the final day;
the youth were much more excited to
take photographs with the facilitators
as if the worlds celebrities had gather together and voices aloud LAST
PHOTO was just not letting the youth

go out of the hall. Running hither and thither for compliments on profile book,
collecting autographs, singing and last but not the least, leaving the hope
alive that being far apart they will still stand together to change the climate
change from youth to youth and country to country they fare welled each other.

We would like to acknowledge to all who contributed for the newsbrief by

providing news, photos, and quotes. Special thank goes to the organizer of the
Forum, ICIMOD, for designing the news brief template. Editorial team

Daily news brief by participants for participant to Asia Pacific Youth Forum on
Climate Actions and Mountain Issue, 8-12 August 2011.
Edits and layouts by: Jeeban Panthi and Piyush Dahal
(This daily news brief is not edited by ICIMOD team but template design was
provided by the ICIMOD publication team)
Contact: apyf2011@gmail.com