tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87655055154855524412024-03-14T10:36:43.051+05:00Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140683305378236993noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-37654238022439500832013-09-02T10:36:00.002+06:002013-09-02T10:36:41.403+06:00Asia Pacific Youth Forum: Mountain issues and Post 2015 Development Agenda, 30 September - 4 October 2013, Kathmandu, Nepal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="color: #1f497d;">Moderator’s note:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d;">Please find below call for
application to attend the Asia Pacific Youth Forum 2013 on Mountain issues and
Post 2015 Development Agenda taking place at ICIMOD Headquarters in Kathmandu,
Nepal. For further details contact the event coordinator at <a href="mailto:youthmedia@icimod.org">youthmedia@icimod.org</a>. The
announcement below is available on the web at: </span><a href="http://www.icimod.org/apyf2013">http://www.icimod.org/apyf2013</a>.<span style="color: #1f497d;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e3a5b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Asia Pacific Youth
Forum 2013 on Mountain issues and Post 2015 Development Agenda <o:p></o:p></span></h2>
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<span style="color: #4e3a5b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kathmandu, Nepal <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #4e3a5b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">30 September - 4 October 2013<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Through its
Asia-Pacific Mountain Network (<a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=1522"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">APMN</span></a>), the International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD) has been engaging youth and building their capacity to
bring about positive changes in society through several different initiatives.
Since it began in 2009, the global membership of the Youth Engagement in
Sustainable Mountain Development (Y4SMD) initiative has grown to 5,000 members,
a majority of which are from ICIMOD’s regional member countries – Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. In 2010, ICIMOD
started organizing youth forums in member countries to build the technical
capacity and leadership skills of youth in the region as well as to enhance
their knowledge on the most burning issues in mountain development. The<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.icimod.org/apyf2011"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Asia-Pacific Youth Forum on
Climate Actions and Mountain Issues</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in 2011 and the<a href="http://www.icimod.org/apyf2012"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Asia Pacific Graduates' Youth Forum on Green Economy</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in 2012 were expanded to include the
entire<a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=4130"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Asia-Pacific region</span></a>,
and the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=7354"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Global Youth Forum on Mountain
Issues and Sustainable Actions</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in
2012 held in conjunction with the Rio+20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
included participants from around the globe. As the preparation and follow-up
of the Rio+20 process, In 2012/13 ICIMOD organized a series of National Youth
Forums on Green Solutions in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar,
Nepal, and Pakistan, ran awareness campaigns in Nepal, Pakistan, and other
countries by mobilizing local youth initiatives and ICIMOD Youth Ambassadors.
ICIMOD has partnered with more than two dozen regional, national, and global
institutes in promoting youth activities and have organized several
e-conferences, Climate Cafés, knowledge sharing workshops, the Earth Debate,
capacity building events, and promoted networking-advocacy on the sideline of important
international events. Some of the youth ambassadors were sent to Rio+20
conference in Brazil, the UNFCCC COP 18 in Doha, and the 2nd Asia Pacific
Adaptation Forum in Bangkok to advocate for mountain issues in the context of
ongoing debates on sustainable development and climate change adaptation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Building on
the success of these ventures, ICIMOD is now preparing for the Asia Pacific
Youth Forum 2013 on Mountain issues and Post 2015 Development Agenda, which
will take place in Kathmandu, Nepal from 30 September to 4 October 2013. The
event will bring together young scientists, early career professionals, young
politicians and youth initiative leaders from the region and develop their
knowledge on mountain issues and the Post-2015 Development Agenda as an input
towards global processes on the development of the Post-2015 Development Agenda
.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Asia
Pacific Youth Forum 2013 will bring together 40 participants from more than 15
countries who are engaged in sustainability issues. With technical support from
several leading institutions, the five-day programme will include capacity
building and knowledge exchange sessions, leadership exercises, and excursions
to nearby environmental projects. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">This forum
has been made possible with support from the the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.deza.admin.ch/en/Home"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Swiss Agency for Development
Cooperation (SDC)</span></a>,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.mountainpartnership.org/members/members-detail/en/c/42844/"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">the Consortium for the Sustainable Development of the Andean
Eco-region (CONDESAN)</span></a>, and the<a href="http://www.icimod.org/"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">International Centre for
Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e3a5b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Who can apply? <o:p></o:p></span></h4>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Youth between the ages of 18
and 29 from the Asia-Pacific region with an academic or a professional degree
in related fields are eligible to apply. Those with demonstrated leadership in
sustainable development issues are strongly encouraged to apply. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e3a5b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sponsorship?<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Selected participants will be
provided with International airfare, accommodation, food and local transport.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e3a5b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Selection<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The names of selected
participants will be posted on the<a href="http://www.icimod.org/"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></span></a><a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=11492"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">event page</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></span></a>and<a href="https://www.facebook.com/APY.Rioplus20"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Facebook
page</span></a>. Selected participants will also be notified via email.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Selected participants will be
required to present a copy of their valid passport/national identity card from
their stated country of origin. Inability to do so will result in disqualification
from the programme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #4e3a5b; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How to apply?<o:p></o:p></span></h4>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Please<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=11494"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">click here</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>for the application form. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Deadline for Application<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">10 September 2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">For further information, please
write to:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Event Focal Point:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:smghimire@icimod.org"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #ac5612; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Smita Ghimire</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140683305378236993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-38069039679681637822013-06-27T10:54:00.001+06:002013-06-27T10:54:54.530+06:00World Environment Day 2013, "Talks with Youth"<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:normal'><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter" /> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0" /> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0" /> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1" /> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2" /> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth" /> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight" /> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1" /> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2" /> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth" /> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0" /> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight" /> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0" /> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" /> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" /> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_s1030" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="New Logo 2013 jpg" style='position:absolute;margin-left:-4.5pt;margin-top:13.5pt;width:113.1pt;height:108pt;z-index:2;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:margin;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:margin' stroked="t" strokeweight=".25pt"> <v:imagedata src="cid:image001.jpg@01CE7322.A5A13190" o:title="New Logo 2013 jpg" /> <w:wrap type="square" anchorx="margin" anchory="margin"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WPKogpDOt-M/UcvFnpxgicI/AAAAAAAAFtE/SVUZKSEY8vc/s1600/image002-794530.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WPKogpDOt-M/UcvFnpxgicI/AAAAAAAAFtE/SVUZKSEY8vc/s320/image002-794530.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5894021822363503042" /></a><![endif]><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_6" o:spid="_x0000_s1029" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="APYTF-final-TJM" style='position:absolute;margin-left:393pt;margin-top:12pt;width:104.5pt;height:108pt;z-index:1;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:margin;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:margin'> <v:imagedata src="cid:image003.jpg@01CE7322.A5A13190" o:title="APYTF-final-TJM" /> <w:wrap type="square" anchorx="margin" anchory="margin"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b90owRfgAzM/UcvFodqYjvI/AAAAAAAAFtU/jUJ6pMOg7P0/s1600/image004-797532.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b90owRfgAzM/UcvFodqYjvI/AAAAAAAAFtU/jUJ6pMOg7P0/s320/image004-797532.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5894021836292263666" /></a><![endif]><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>World Environment Day 2013, “Talks with Youth”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>Event Report: Organized by Youth Informed, Myanmar<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>First of all, we thank <b>Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on (Rio +20)</b> regional coordination team and Youth Informed members who participated actively on our talks and discussion on the occasion of World Environment Day 2013, Event. Thanks to <b>Mobile Training Team</b> who were also contributed to Youth Informed activities and ideas for youth capacity building program as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>On the day of 1st, June 2013, Youth Informed organized one of the discussions about “Resource Consumption on the Food we eat and Consumer Rights Issues in urban areas”. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>Seven participants from different background areas involved in the discussion- main lead by <b>Ms. Soe Kalaiyar Htike (Myanmar Consumer Rights Association)</b> and <b>Ms. May Zin Thaw (Youth Informed)</b>, based on the Theme of World Environment Day 2013, “Think, Eat, Save”; through our discussions, “Resource usage the food we eat” and ‘Consumer rights’ was discussed, and issues about environment, civic, social, and development areas were also included. Our objective was to be aware on the resource consumption for food we eat and resource consumption we consumed and the way we could reduce. Thought the talk’s event has received registration from the youth over 20 members, they could not join with the team because of the political demonstrations happened on that day. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>The result of the event talks, Yi will manage and survey on the resource consumption the food we eat in local and food production for video records develop IEC (Information, Education and Communication) especially for communities and youth who were living in urban areas. The summary of the discussion was concluded as- to spread the information, knowledge more about the water consumption in the food we daily have. Another contribution on environmental education and awareness session was, online – publishing newsletter for “Sustainable Living and Eating”. This e-newsletter was the first articles of Yi and contributed on WED Event Day 2013. And the next coming newsletter thematic area focus is on the “Water Consumption and The Food We Eat”. It is based on the result of WED Event talks, is to develop the survey / assessment to assess the water consumption on the food we eat in local, after assessing the facts and figures, it has to be inform via newsletter, pamphlet etc. through Yi page, to the other networking groups of youth as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>After our talks, the 2<sup>nd</sup> coordination meeting of <b>mobile training team (MTT)</b> proposed to discuss about community development, environmental issues, civic education, consumer rights, human rights and the health issues both in urban areas and slung areas of Yangon. I would like to introduce MTT team because of their capacity building action plan which contributed to Yi environmental education and knowledge management activities in return. The WED talks group wanted to continue joining with Mobile Training Team as well. Mobile Training Team was founded in the last two months and it was running with the members who have different background and capacity. They were also providing various capacities building training to the Youth from poorest families. Their target audience was 10 Grade Students and the Graduate level of Youth in urban areas. The group’s objective was every human being has right to be educated and right to share the knowledge they have and learn. We discussed about the trainings we provided last two months (including training evaluation) and the needs of urban youth in which issues and recruiting mobile training team resource persons. MTT team constituted with over 10 members to provide Capacity Building Trainings till now. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>The result from MTT 2<sup>nd</sup> coordination meeting was; <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>- Inviting more members for resource person as trainers<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>- Coordination meeting has to conduct 2 times per month including capacity building program for team members <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>- The team has to back up by the members of State and need recommendation for policy issues, permission <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>- The fund raising will need to be done for the team expenses on each trainings and need to contribute own expenses by ourselves and the team agrees <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>Mobile Training Team</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'> has not joined in Facebook yet. The page will be develop by May Zin Thaw <a name="_GoBack">and will transfer to the team organizers as soon as possible. <o:p></o:p></a></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>The <b>WED event talks</b> and <b>Mobile Training Team</b> Photo records <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><u><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>WED Event Talks Photo Records<o:p></o:p></span></u></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ONfJEI7fi-U/UcvFpEvQZDI/AAAAAAAAFtk/ocfIKeblyyQ/s1600/image005-700023.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ONfJEI7fi-U/UcvFpEvQZDI/AAAAAAAAFtk/ocfIKeblyyQ/s320/image005-700023.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5894021846781682738" /></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DlHs9-HFO4U/UcvFppZw26I/AAAAAAAAFt0/vboboxvcxvc/s1600/image006-702502.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DlHs9-HFO4U/UcvFppZw26I/AAAAAAAAFt0/vboboxvcxvc/s320/image006-702502.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5894021856623647650" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>Mobile Training Team Photo Records <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7c61Uc6Itrk/UcvFqd8AnUI/AAAAAAAAFuE/KgH-QhIUUhY/s1600/image007-705070.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7c61Uc6Itrk/UcvFqd8AnUI/AAAAAAAAFuE/KgH-QhIUUhY/s320/image007-705070.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5894021870725930306" /></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ay95O2s1HE/UcvFqyR_cAI/AAAAAAAAFuU/GRz4XneBMok/s1600/image008-707275.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Ay95O2s1HE/UcvFqyR_cAI/AAAAAAAAFuU/GRz4XneBMok/s320/image008-707275.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5894021876186836994" /></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>Contact Point:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>May Zin Thaw<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>Founder & Director /International Affairs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>National Focal Point (APYTF on Rio +20)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>No. 255B, 5<sup>th</sup> Floor, Damaryone Street, Postal Code: 11111(Sanchaung)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>Sanchaung Township<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>Yangon, Myanmar<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>T: +959 42800 4807, +959 731 98929<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:normal'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>M: mz.thaw.mm@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140683305378236993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-36612618234136014612013-06-25T09:55:00.001+06:002013-06-27T14:16:15.104+06:00Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20 (APYTF)'s World Environment Day 2013 & Biodiversity Fair in Nepal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">“Small area High Diversity, Healthy Home Garden Healthy Family”-Home Garden Project, <i>LIBIRD</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">World Environment Day 2013 & Biodiversity Fair<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Dhobi bazaar Ramechhap, Nepal, 5 June 2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Background<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">World environment day celebration is global event organized to aware community people about the environmental issues. The awareness about role of local community takes care about environment for sustainable livelihood. This year 2013 theme of world environment Day is “THINK EAT SAVE” i.e. in Nepali “Save Food Save Environment”. We organized the WED 2013 in climate adversely affected district of Nepal Ramechhap. Biodiversity fair is demonstration of agriculture biodiversity of certain locality where they are grown for their livelihood. The biodiversity fair provides the opportunities of identification and situation of any species; their uses in house hold purposes. The collection of local endangered species also collected for research conservation and further uses of that species. The fair also have spaces to dissemination of local knowledge about any plant and species. Thus to disseminate the role of local agro biodiversity for climate change adaptation we jointly organized the WED and Biodiversity fair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Objectives:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The main objectives of WED & Biodiversity fair was to explore the importance of local knowledge skill, regarding the plant and plant species, disseminate message of biodiversity conservation and their role in sustainable livelihood development especially food security. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The farmer group who are participated in Biodiversity fair and WED 2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Magarmishrit Farmer Group Nagdah-3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Mukhiya tol Farmer Group Nagdah -3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Manedanda Farmer Group Nagdah 5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Saipatri Farmer Group Nagdah -5<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Rankha Devi Farmer Group Bijulikot -2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Saipatri Farmer Group bijulikot -2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Juntara Farmer Group Bijulikot-9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Ksharghem Farmer Group Bijulikot-9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Attraction of the program:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The farmer group has demonstrated the biodiversity that are using in their community for sustainable livelihood in mountain region. The most of farmer stall was female managed in the fair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Local Biodiversity Display<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Farmers has brought following species to display in fair.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Cereals: 53 species (Rice: 26, Maize: 11, Finger millet (Kodo): 16)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Fruits: 28 species</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">- </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Vegetables: 28 Species</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">- Spices and condiments: 6 species<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">- Medicinal Plants: 15 species<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">- Flowers: 25 species<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">- Forage and Fodder: 108 species<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Demo of Home Garden & Sustainable Soil Management Technology</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The demonstration of home garden was done at the program venue. The local farmer and student of school visited the display.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Integrated home garden<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Improved shed and composting<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Rain water harvesting / waste water collection demonstration<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Vermin-compost<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Tomato cultivation ( Off season in tunnel)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Bio-pesticide preparation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Veterinary related awareness stall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The different forage and fodder related poster was displayed in the fair. Many disease awareness pamphlets were also distributed at that program. The seed of many grasses were also kept for farmers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HIV/ AIDS Awareness stall<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">ASMAN Nepal has also distributed the pulp let of AIDS/ HIV for awareness. The poster of that concern subject was also one of the attractions of program. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Best Farmer Group awards<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The farmer group who has managed the high biodiversity level in their group has awarded with attractive prize. The eight farmers have participated in the competition through stall demonstration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Prize:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Position<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Prize & certificate of Achievement<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Remarks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Winner<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">4000 Nrs (44 USD)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Magarmishrit Farmer Group<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1<sup>st</sup> Runner up<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3000 NRs (33 USD)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Mukhiya tol Farmer Group<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2<sup>nd</sup> Runner Up<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2000 Nrs (22 USD)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Rankhadevi Farmer Group<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Consolation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1000 NRs (11 USD)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">5 Groups ( All Participated)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Participants of the program<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Chairperson</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">: Pasang Lama (VDC Secretory of Nagdah)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Chief Guest</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">: Dipak Pd Shubedi (Program Officer, District Development Committee Ramechhap)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <b>Chief Judge</b>: Dr Narayan Bdr Shrestha (Livestock Development officer Ramechhap)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Guest:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Gobinda Barakoti (Agriculture Officer, District Agriculture Development Office)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Alok shrestha (Sustainable soil Management program)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Roshan Pakhrin ( Community Human Power Development Centre, Golmatar)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Padam P Poudel ( Vegatable seed project, CEAPRED)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Mausam Mainali ( Local infra structure for livelihood improvement)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Nabraj partik ( Journalist)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Local Political Parties representatives<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Local organizations representatives<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Farmer groups representatives<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Participants:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Farmer Groups of Nagdah and Bijulikot<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Student of Jhatteshwor Secondary school<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Community people<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Farmer Groups of Nagdah and Bijulikot VDC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Master of Ceremony:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Umang Mainali , GGP Ramechhap<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Welcome Speech and Vote of Thanks:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Roshan Mehta (<b>Home Garden Project, LIBIRD</b> Representation of organizing Team)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Participated organizations:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Organizer<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Home Garden Project, LIBIRD, APYTF<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Co-Organizers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">District Agriculture Development Office<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">District Livestock Service Office<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Vegetable seed project, CEAPRED<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Agriculture Forest and Environment Committee of Nagdah VDC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Agriculture Forest and Environment Committee of Bijulikot VDC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Community Human Power Development Centre, Golmatar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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- <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Farmer to Farmer Committee, Sustainable soil management program, Helvetas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Photo Slides:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z9nEUnOmUJ0/UckUs-KptVI/AAAAAAAAFqk/e6xXHJv5P3s/s1600/image008-731968.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5893264350225478994" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z9nEUnOmUJ0/UckUs-KptVI/AAAAAAAAFqk/e6xXHJv5P3s/s320/image008-731968.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aMr7IkrFn-o/UckUtbwSkGI/AAAAAAAAFq4/IhVgwy0XFiI/s1600/image010-733652.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5893264358167973986" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aMr7IkrFn-o/UckUtbwSkGI/AAAAAAAAFq4/IhVgwy0XFiI/s320/image010-733652.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HuTzQ7yP9Bs/UckUt4-7lEI/AAAAAAAAFrI/RgbtpWydVGg/s1600/image016-735547.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5893264366014010434" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HuTzQ7yP9Bs/UckUt4-7lEI/AAAAAAAAFrI/RgbtpWydVGg/s320/image016-735547.jpg" /></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Thanks Everyone for Nice Cooperation.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140683305378236993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-82462052661301217302013-05-08T12:35:00.001+06:002013-05-08T12:35:35.280+06:00ICIMOD Youth Ambassadors Champion the Mountain Agenda (Summary 2012, and Jan-March 2013)<div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F497D'>The year 2012 was an important one for the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD); it marked 20 years since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio recognized the importance of mountains by introducing Chapter 13 as a separate chapter in Agenda 21 – also known as the Mountain Agenda. As part of UNCED’s follow-up (Asia’s regional response to Agenda 21, Chapter 13), ICIMOD organized the first regional conference in Kathmandu, Nepal in December 1994. The participants of this conference adopted a declaration on the Sustainable Development of Mountain Areas of Asia – known as the SUDEMAA Call to Action – which resulted in the creation of the Asia-Pacific Mountain Network (APMN).</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F497D'>APMN is a communication platform that facilitates information and knowledge sharing and advocates for the mountain agenda in the Asia-Pacific region. Over the last two decades APMN has made significant contributions by involving different stakeholders (such as governments, development partners, local communities, civil society, youth and media), facilitating networking and partnerships among them at different scales, and promoting two-way communication and knowledge exchange. </span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F497D'>One of most important steps forward has been realizing the need to engage youth in the sustainable mountain development process and developing suitable platforms for them to advocate for the mountain agenda at the national, regional, and global levels. ICIMOD’s Youth for Sustainable Mountain Development (Y4SMD) initiative is such a platform. Since it began in 2009, the global membership of Y4SMD has grown to almost 4,000 members, the majority of whom are from ICIMOD’s regional member countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. Y4SMD has been involved in e-conferences, national campaigns, Climate Cafés, knowledge sharing workshops, the Earth Debate, capacity building events, and networking-advocacy meetings on the sideline of international events such as the Annual Adaptation Forum, Rio+20 Conference, and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (UNFCCC COP) 17 and 18. </span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F497D'>Several other youth-led initiatives in the HKH region have also benefitted from ICIMOD’s sponsorship, knowledge, and network. The Asia-Pacific Mountain Courier, APMN’s biannual periodical, and social networking platforms (such as Facebook, Twitter, discussion lists, blogs) have proved to be important platforms for young emerging leaders to share their views and initiatives, network with others, and find out about different opportunities. In the last four years ICIMOD has trained over 500 youth on mountain issues from 20 Asia Pacific countries through capacity building workshops, Climate Cafés, and various forums such as the Asia Pacific and the Hindu Kush Himalayan Regional Forum, Eastern Himalayas Sub-Regional Forum, and national youth forums in ICIMOD’s regional member countries.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F497D'>In 2012 alone, hundreds of youth were engaged in advocating for the mountain agenda from the national to global level through the Earth Debate (February), Mountain Youth and Green Economy side event at the Planet Under Pressure Conference (March), National Youth Rio+20 preparatory and follow-up campaigns in Nepal and Pakistan (throughout the year), various side events at Rio+20 Conference, and the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Youth Blast (June). Likewise, the Global Youth Forum in Rio de Janeiro (June), Asia Pacific Youth Forum on Green Economy (September), and national youth forums in Pakistan (November), Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal (all in December), Myanmar (February 2013) and Afghanistan (March 2013) trained over 330 youth on the green economy in the context of mountain development. All of these events were driven by ICIMOD Youth Ambassadors with minimum guidance or support from ICIMOD. Some ICIMOD Youth Ambassadors attended the UNFCCC COP 18 in Doha, at which they organized the Second Global Youth Forum and a knowledge café on mountain issues. Last, but not the least, the Member’s Mountain Courier you are reading now is also prepared by Youth Ambassadors as part of ICIMOD’s efforts to take youth initiatives to the national level.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F497D'>- Anja Møller Rasmussen, Senior Manager, ICIMOD; and Tek Jung Mahat, APMN Node Manager, ICIMOD</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><i><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#1F497D'>* This is the key highlights of the activities carried out in the year 2012 itself in preparation of and following –up Rio+20 conference in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in June 2012. All these activities were implemented by ICIMOD through the Asia Pacific Mountain Network (APMN) Project in partnership with several national, regional and global youth initiatives, youth organizations and youth alliances. Representative articles/pictures etc are available at<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.570285699671252.1073741825.100000694825417&type=1"><span style='color:#888888;text-decoration:none'>https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.570285699671252.1073741825.100000694825417&type=1</span></a></span></i><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><i><span style='color:#1F497D'>----------------------------</span></i><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#00B050'>Special initiative for Youth (Youth for Sustainable Mountain Development – Y4SMD)</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#222222'>In 2012, the youth initiative gained a different height in multiple ways. With support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), ICIMOD’s youth Initiative has now<span class=apple-converted-space><b> </b></span><b>trained over 500 youth from 20 counties on mountain sustainability issues,<span class=apple-converted-space> </span></b>and has<span class=apple-converted-space><b> </b></span><b>rich membership base<span class=apple-converted-space> </span></b>with<span class=apple-converted-space><b> </b></span><b>2400 subscribers,<span class=apple-converted-space> </span></b>with more than<span class=apple-converted-space><b> </b></span><b>4000 people connected</b><span class=apple-converted-space> </span>through social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and youth managed blogs (</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><a href="http://nepaliyouthrio20.blogspot.com/"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'>http://nepaliyouthrio20.blogspot.com/</span></a></span><span class=apple-converted-space><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#222222'> </span></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#222222'>and<span class=apple-converted-space> </span></span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><a href="http://rioplus20.blogspot.com/"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'>http://rioplus20.blogspot.com</span></a></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#222222'>)<b>representing more than 40 countries</b>. This year ICIMOD<span class=apple-converted-space> </span><b>Youth Ambassadors advocated Mountain Agenda at global and regional level</b><span class=apple-converted-space> </span>(Rio+20 Conference in Brazil, Planet Under Pressure Conference in London, UK, 2<sup>nd</sup><span class=apple-converted-space> </span>Adaptation Forum in Bangkok, UK, and UNFCCC COP 18 in Doha among others). After organization of National Youth Forums in Afghanistan</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#1F497D'>,<span class=apple-converted-space> </span></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#222222'>Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#1F497D'>,<span class=apple-converted-space> </span></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#222222'>Nepal and Pakistan and finalization of events in Afghanistan and Myanmar, our<span class=apple-converted-space> </span><b>youth initiative is one of most widely and uniformly distributed programme</b><span class=apple-converted-space> </span>in the ICIMOD member countries (in seven countries, except China). The year 2012 was<span class=apple-converted-space> </span><b>concluded issuing Member’s Mountain Courier with focus on Rio+20</b><span class=apple-converted-space> </span>related initiatives in the HKH countries, which can be seen as next level impact ICIMOD trained youth are showing. This was achieved through following major activities:</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>A. The Earth Debate in the Hindu Kush Himalayas: Can We Put a Price on Nature?, 24 February 2012</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LrW0hVSi89I/UYnrRB6l-wI/AAAAAAAAFbA/ApoRBL5PZhw/s1600/image024-756226.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--qgI2_ZdrVQ/UYnyN5cZJAI/AAAAAAAAFeI/pfxJpFtBM7w/s1600/image021-735281.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--qgI2_ZdrVQ/UYnyN5cZJAI/AAAAAAAAFeI/pfxJpFtBM7w/s320/image021-735281.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493509453652994" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#222222'><br>The Skype-enabled Earth Debate, “Can we put a price on nature?”, organized together with the British Council Nepal, with participation by country groups from Dhaka, Bangladesh; Vishakhapatnam and Kochi, India; Beijing, China; and Kathmandu, Nepal, was held on 24 February 2012. The debate was moderated by Daan Boom, Programme Manager, Integrated Knowledge Management, ICIMOD, and Tek Jung Mahat, Node Manager, Asia-Pacific Mountain Network, ICIMOD. The highlight of the Earth Debate was the discussion that took place between country groups and the panel, which was comprised of three experts from the development, media, and tourism fields.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>B. 2nd Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum, Bangkok, 12-14 March 2012</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#222222'>ICIMOD participated in the 2nd Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum, organized by the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Knowledge Platform for Asia and the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network in Bangkok from 12 to 14 March 2012. Attended by over 700 participants, the forum provided a unique opportunity to share findings, innovations, opportunities, and challenges in mainstreaming climate change adaptation into development. Building on from Adaptation Forum 2010, the forum this year aimed to focus on ‘Adaptation in Action’, signifying a shift from deliberations to decisions, plans to policies, and policies to practices. ICIMOD had three youth representatives selected for the Forum. Of them Dipesh Chapagain from Nepal was selected as invited youth speaker for opening planetary and Ms. Tian Wang was invited as invited youth speaker for the closing plenary. Both the speakers acknowledged ICIMOD’s contribution and highlighted importance of role of youth in climate change adaptation, including in mountain areas.</span><span class=apple-converted-space><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'> </span></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#222222'>Top 15 posters from ICIMOD Youth Forum 2011 were exhibited in the Market Place which was received very well by the participants. Additionally, Tek Jung Mahat led/managed a session on ‘Youth and Adaptation’ on 14 March (other panelists included representatives from Asia-Pacific Media Alliance for Social Awareness, SEAMEO/SPAFA, the World Bank, CANSA, and ICIMOD Youth Forum representative from Bangladesh Ms. The session was useful in knowing youth engagement in climate change in different countries and regions and through different means. Media Alliance presentation on ‘Hopenhagen’ campaign (aimed at COP15) and the World Bank Presentation on ‘Connect4Climate’ campaign were particularly interesting to raise mass awareness as well to mobilize the youth with effective use of social networks and artistic means. Similarly SEMAO presentation on their youth initiative, particularly in engaging youth in disaster management and raising awareness on bio-cultural heritage through artistic means was notable.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>C. Special Panel on Youth and Mountains at the Planet under Pressure Conference in London, 27 March 2012</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:#222222'>ICIMOD’s APMN together with Small Earth Nepal, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Major Group on Children and Youth (MGCY), and the Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20, organized a special panel discussion, ‘Youth Perspectives on Promoting Green Economy in South and Central Asia: With a Focus on Mountain Regions’ at the Planet Under Pressure Conference, which was held from 26 to 29 March 2012 in London. Chaired by APMN Node Manager Tek Jung Mahat, the session included presentations by youth delegates from Uzbekistan on Central Asian issues; from India on South Asian issues; and from Nepal on national-level youth movements in preparation for Rio+20. Mr Mahat shared key impressions from the Asia Pacific Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Climate Actions, held in August 2011; the International Conference on Green Economy and Sustainable Development organized by ICIMOD in September 2011; regional assessment reports prepared for Rio+20 in October 2011; and a virtual consultation on youth perspectives on Rio+20 in the Hindu Kush Himalayas and Central Asian mountains organized by ICIMOD and Small Earth Nepal. An interaction session followed presentations by the panelists, with lively questions and suggestions from the floor. The event provided a major platform for sharing knowledge about sustainable mountain development in Asia and the Pacific with a global audience.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>D. Mountain Youth Session at UNCSD Youth Conference – Youth Blast in Rio De Janeiro, 7-12 June 2012</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_1bxpIZSdJk/UYnrR13jKOI/AAAAAAAAFbM/LcTO2dhYx20/s1600/image025-759184.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M8Yw_FH5-8o/UYnyOGUcQ8I/AAAAAAAAFeU/wa-RP0CIxg8/s1600/image022-736685.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M8Yw_FH5-8o/UYnyOGUcQ8I/AAAAAAAAFeU/wa-RP0CIxg8/s320/image022-736685.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493512909964226" /></a></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdN5EElK5PM/UYnrSLEw2rI/AAAAAAAAFbY/w129EwsSbNM/s1600/image026-760783.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aBM-x_k9Bgs/UYnyOrfP_OI/AAAAAAAAFeg/frEiOG0iOg0/s1600/image023-738827.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aBM-x_k9Bgs/UYnyOrfP_OI/AAAAAAAAFeg/frEiOG0iOg0/s320/image023-738827.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493522887408866" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>Five ICIMOD Youth Ambassadors – Avishek Shrestha, Jaya Jung Mahat, Kabita Gautam, Sameera Zaib, Shreejana Bhattarai, guided by Tek Jung Mahat organized two side events (on ‘Mountain Youth and Green Economy’ and ‘My Sustainability Dreams’) as part of the UNCSD Youth Conference – Youth Blast. These events were particularly useful in mainstreaming ‘mountain issues’ in ongoing youth debates that lack mountain contexts.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>E. Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions, Rio De Janeiro , 15 June 2012</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>Over 50 youth representing all regions of the globe participated in the Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions jointly held by ICIMOD, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and the Mountain Partnership at the Mountain Pavilion on 15 June 2012. The Global Youth Forum commenced a busy week of mountain-related events to be held at the Mountain Pavilion – a global initiative at Rio+20 led by the government of Peru bringing together mountain countries from around the world. The event proved to be important platform to facilitate SMD relevant discussions among youth representing all continents, especially in preparation of the Rio+20 main sessions. The event concluded preparing an appeal to the Rio+20 Delegates which was later shared with them.<br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'></span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>F. National Mountain Youth and Rio+20 initiatives in Nepal and Pakistan, April-August 2012</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Iab0pjJ4ZsA/UYnrS1dw1oI/AAAAAAAAFbk/Wqsjji2-EjI/s1600/image027-763426.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--f7a-p9-zxQ/UYnyPG9UvSI/AAAAAAAAFes/kCkPN5G953o/s1600/image007-740756.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--f7a-p9-zxQ/UYnyPG9UvSI/AAAAAAAAFes/kCkPN5G953o/s320/image007-740756.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493530261306658" /></a></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KvUXC_pnxxM/UYnrTecboiI/AAAAAAAAFbw/Y-NO9tuBEYI/s1600/image028-765344.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kl8jBk0gOE0/UYnyPtNW7mI/AAAAAAAAFe4/wnmTX9NKolo/s1600/image008-742560.jpg"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kl8jBk0gOE0/UYnyPtNW7mI/AAAAAAAAFe4/wnmTX9NKolo/s320/image008-742560.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493540529106530" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>With guidance from ICIMOD, the Youth Ambassadors from Nepal and Pakistan launched local initiatives helping advocate Mountain agenda at national level. They organized series of interactions; conservation hiking and workshops in preparation of Rio+20 collect the views of youth and communicate that to the national governments. After the Rio+20 conference, they organized Rio+20 message sharing sessions in both the counties and shared their views using blogs and articles.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>G. Asia Pacific Graduates Youth Forum on Green Economy, Kathmandu, 25-29 September 2012 and UNFCCC COP18</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kEEpdnil36E/UYnrT0qHlUI/AAAAAAAAFb8/b3tFYu9mjRk/s1600/image029-767208.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nYWMf08mEhE/UYnyQH4hSfI/AAAAAAAAFfE/cWtElZpX3KQ/s1600/image024-744150.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nYWMf08mEhE/UYnyQH4hSfI/AAAAAAAAFfE/cWtElZpX3KQ/s320/image024-744150.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493547689462258" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'><br>The youth forum brought together 40 motivated young people between the ages of 18-30 from 14 countries across the Asia-Pacific Region, with majority of them coming from the HKH countries, to deliberate on and better understand the promise of green economy in the context of mountain development. The goal of the forum was to build the capacity of the young participants on issues relating to green economy and climate change adaptation, especially in anticipation of the UNFCCC-COP process and COP18 events that followed directly after in Doha, Qatar. The main objectives of the youth forum were – (i) Developing the capacity of selected Asia-Pacific youth on green economy, environmental governance and climate change adaptation; (ii) Facilitating information and knowledge sharing, networking and advocacy in the Asia-Pacific Region through the establishment of virtual and physical networks of dedicated youth; and (iii) Improving participation of regional youth in the globally important meeting of UNFCCC COP-18.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>The project was conducted fostering increased science-policy interaction by embracing the interdisciplinary approach of green economy. The workshop also included the formulation of a declaration that demands policymakers and other powerful stakeholders to listen to the voices of the young generation when debating policy agendas that must include measures that ensure sustainable development. Specifically, the program focused on the capacity building and knowledge sharing sessions, leadership workouts and excursions to neighboring environmental project areas. The workshop facilitated youth involvement through knowledge sharing in diverse aspects of green economy through various expert presenters with whom participants were given many opportunities to interact. The workshop communicated about the challenges and opportunities of green economy, REDD+, application of GIS, low carbon growth, social media, and quantification of energy, renewable energy technology, green entrepreneurship, ICT and climate change. A day-long visit to a nearby green entrepreneurship site motivated the participants by showing them how working in green sectors is often done by motivated individuals like themselves. The participants concluded the scientific discussion of the forum with the formulation of the<span class=apple-converted-space> </span><b>declaration</b>: Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies for Climate Change through Green Economy Initiatives. The declaration is aimed at government officials and decision-makers, asking them to take immediate steps towards implementing the six key areas chosen as crucial by the young participants. Those key areas are green entrepreneurship, sustainable energy, low carbon economy, climate change adaptation, collaboration, policy implementation and monitoring, and youth empowerment and inclusiveness.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><u><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>Participation at COP 18</span></u></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>:<span class=apple-converted-space> </span><b>Four delegates amongst the workshop</b><span class=apple-converted-space> </span>participants were selected to participate at COP18 as representatives of the Asia-Pacific region. They had the chance to participate in various events like the World Climate Summit, the revival of the Asian Youth Climate Network, Momentum for Change, etc. They utilized the moment by disseminating the workshop declaration to national and international stakeholders as well as to climate negotiators. Their participation also motivated them to be active role models within their communities, and especially for young people, and to further develop their genuine concern for the global environment.<span class=apple-converted-space> </span><b>ICIMOD separately funded two additional youth from Myanmar and Pakistan</b><span class=apple-converted-space> </span>to join them, who later organized the Global Youth Forum on 1 December 2012.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><u><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>H. Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Green Solutions (1 December 2012)</span></u></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>: ICIMOD Youth Ambassadors organized event offered opportunities to youth delegates to discuss on appeal, declaration, views and concerns of the youth of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific. At the end of the event they issued an appeal to the world leaders and COP18 delegates to take into consideration the voices of the youth as the decisions taken today will affect them in future, and the future belongs to them so it is time to Act Now.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left style='margin-left:.5in'><tr style='height:.25in'><td width=18 style='width:13.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:.25in'></td></tr><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-element:frame;mso-element-frame-hspace:2.25pt;mso-element-wrap:around;mso-element-anchor-vertical:paragraph;mso-element-anchor-horizontal:column;mso-height-rule:exactly'><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iF16YFhPCO8/UYnrUe4MW5I/AAAAAAAAFcI/s2FdDkTBpxY/s1600/image030-769693.png"><span style='color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qn6vJFlzYVU/UYnyQcKLzNI/AAAAAAAAFfQ/ORJON1mXT_E/s1600/image011-745727.png"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qn6vJFlzYVU/UYnyQcKLzNI/AAAAAAAAFfQ/ORJON1mXT_E/s320/image011-745727.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493553132260562" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><br clear=all><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'><br>I. National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Pakistan, 5-6 November 2012</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ca_1jL0T1vg/UYnrU3y9jpI/AAAAAAAAFcU/Tg2G_ey12kM/s1600/image031-771443.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkwz1kdoNtQ/UYnyQxj6JnI/AAAAAAAAFfc/LNT7gmj3uAI/s1600/image012-747593.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkwz1kdoNtQ/UYnyQxj6JnI/AAAAAAAAFfc/LNT7gmj3uAI/s320/image012-747593.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493558877300338" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Pakistan was held at the National University of Science and Technology in Islamabad, Pakistan, 5–6 November. The event was organized under ICIMOD’s Youth for Sustainable Mountain Development (Y4SMD) initiative by the Asia Pacific Youth Task Force (APYTF) on Rio+20 with support from the Peace and Development Organization (PDO) and a network of ICIMOD youth forum alumni in Pakistan. Over 40 youth representing all the provinces of Pakistan participated in the event.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>The two-day forum provided Pakistani youth with an opportunity to interact and network while helping them identify potential green economy initiatives. The forum included speeches by notable scientists, plenary discussions, group exercises, and field visits to sites with a focus on green solutions suitable for mountain communities.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>Dr Abdul Wahid Jasra, ICIMOD Country Representative for Pakistan, provided inputs on how youth can benefit from ICIMOD’s various endeavors. Dr Jawad Ali Khan, Director General of Environment and Climate Change, gave the keynote address and Sardar Shahjehan Yousaf, Minister of Education and Training, graced the closing ceremony of the event. Tek Jung Mahat of ICIMOD provided an overview of youth activities at ICIMOD and opportunities for youth from the region, and Utsav Maden shared an overview of social media tools being used for advocacy, information sharing, and collaboration.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>Two outcome documents were developed during the forum: a post-2015 agenda and the Youth Appeal for COP 18. These documents, drafted though group work, also formed the agenda of the Global Youth Forum on Green Solutions organized by APYTF as part of the UNFCCC COP 18 event in Doha. The Global Youth Appeal for COP 18 drafted at the forum was fine-tuned and shared with policy makers and delegates at the international conference.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>J. National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Nepal, 6-8 December 2012</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UU6HAmMu43M/UYnrVd2yc1I/AAAAAAAAFcg/b8sLS6mNOPM/s1600/image032-773047.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c_9PQX7CxJw/UYnyRbOiy_I/AAAAAAAAFfo/FeTrYW-VXcE/s1600/image013-749595.jpg"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c_9PQX7CxJw/UYnyRbOiy_I/AAAAAAAAFfo/FeTrYW-VXcE/s320/image013-749595.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493570061978610" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'><br>A National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Nepal was held in Kathmandu, Nepal, 6–8 December. Under ICIMOD’s Youth for Sustainable Mountain Development (Y4SMD) initiative, the forum was organized by Safe Environment Nepal-Youth 4 Conservation (SEN-Y4C) – an organization led by ICIMOD Youth Ambassadors – in collaboration with Eco-Friends Nepal (EFN). The event saw participation from over 40 youth from districts across the country.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>The three-day forum provided a platform for Nepalese youth to gain greater understanding of the theoretical concepts and underlying practical issues related to green economy in Nepal and to discuss the possibilities of developing environmental entrepreneurship and to expand the network of like-minded people. In his keynote address, Dr Golam Rasul, Programme Manager at ICIMOD and green economy expert, highlighted the importance of green economy in mountainous countries and emphasized the need for establishing a strong link between water, food, and energy. During the forum, participants interacted with notable scientists and green entrepreneurs, and were briefed on vermicomposting and ecotourism projects. Through group exercises, participants also presented their vision for a cleaner country post-2015. The forum culminated with the participants attending the ICIMOD Green Solutions Fair at the ICIMOD Knowledge Park at Godavari where they had the opportunity to interact with environmental entrepreneurs. Participants with the best posters submitted to a poster contest during the Youth Forum were awarded at the Green Solutions Fair by Dr David Molden, Director General of ICIMOD. Awards for posters were given to Prizma Ghimire, Nirmal Jnawali, Kanchan Upadhyay, Laxman Kandel, and Prachan Bhujel.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>K. National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in India, 9-11 December 2012</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uL6ha8mE0wY/UYnrVq5ubTI/AAAAAAAAFcs/Q723LJrLVM4/s1600/image033-774868.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d6toE6tgcHM/UYnyR9kzRbI/AAAAAAAAFf0/VWvynCyWeqE/s1600/image014-751126.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d6toE6tgcHM/UYnyR9kzRbI/AAAAAAAAFf0/VWvynCyWeqE/s320/image014-751126.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493579282138546" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'><br>ICIMOD and the YUVA Foundation, together with Plant a Tree India, the Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20, and SEED, organized a National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Rishikesh, India 9-11 December. About 40 youth participants from seven mountain states of India – Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Mizoram - attended talks by various mountain experts, made presentations on issues facing their states, participated in team building and leadership activities, and explored their role in shaping the emerging green economy. The event, which coincided with International Mountain Day, culminated with a Youth Declaration on Green Solutions in India, which will guide youth activities across the Indian Himalayas. Shantanu Gupta, founder and director of the YUVA foundation, briefed participants on the objectives and expected outputs of the Youth Forum. Speakers from various institutes presented on a range of topics including:</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black'>-</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>impacts of climate change on mountain ecosystems;</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black'>-</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>the need to change consumption habits to reduce our carbon footprint;</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black'>-</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>challenges facing mountain agriculture due to climate change and various adaptation and mitigation measures;</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black'>-</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>issues, challenges, and solutions to address pollution of the Ganges River;</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black'>-</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>the importance of corporate social responsibility and its implications; and</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black'>-</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>linkages between the sustainable mountain development agenda and the movement toward a greener economy.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'><br>The main highlight of the event was a series of presentations by youth on their role in the emerging green economy. Presentations were followed by a knowledge café on identification and prioritization of climate change and adaptation-related challenges and issues in the context of the Indian Himalayas from a youth perspective.<span class=apple-converted-space> </span></span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>On the last day, a field trip to the Ganges River led by Dr K.K. Upreti gave participants an opportunity to interact with a groups of villagers that had led a participatory 37-day hunger strike for their right to access various government services.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>L. National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Bhutan, 14-16 December 2012</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><br></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e1QnranRCGE/UYnrWVlVf-I/AAAAAAAAFc4/zH2T43ZrVoQ/s1600/image034-777184.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hto8D4ki_Ns/UYnySFUyNgI/AAAAAAAAFgA/huKULlsOf5Q/s1600/image015-752891.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hto8D4ki_Ns/UYnySFUyNgI/AAAAAAAAFgA/huKULlsOf5Q/s320/image015-752891.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493581362443778" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>To build the capacity of the youth in Bhutan to promote green solutions and action, ICIMOD partnered with the Happy Green Cooperative, a Thimpu-based youth organization, to organize a three-day National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Thimphu, Bhutan, 14-16 December. The forum successfully brought together government officials, local green entrepreneurs, and over 40 youth from different parts of the country to discuss the development of green solutions in Bhutan.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>Opening the forum, Dr Pema Gyamtsho, minister of Agriculture and Forests, acknowledged ICIMOD’s efforts to engage youth in the area of green solutions and encouraged participants to keep an open mind while discussing pertinent issues. In addition to technical sessions by experts, the forum also included a lively interaction session with young Bhutanese entrepreneurs that provided a platform for participants to share and discuss their ideas. The participants also visited an organic farm run by Druk Organic Growers Cooperatives where Rinchen Dorji, manager of the farm, and Hitoshi Yokota, an integrated agriculturist and organic food consultant from Japan, introduced participants to some of the farm’s activities. In addition, a knowledge café gave participants an opportunity to brainstorm ideas to incorporate into a National Youth Declaration on Green Solutions in Bhutan.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>M. National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Bangaladesh, 11-18-19 December 2012</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pg6026kBpnQ/UYnrWxiaAbI/AAAAAAAAFdE/3caknoVkyIg/s1600/image035-778952.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_U1wDy-n76E/UYnySm98WoI/AAAAAAAAFgM/BCxkAoIG7Sg/s1600/image016-754330.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_U1wDy-n76E/UYnySm98WoI/AAAAAAAAFgM/BCxkAoIG7Sg/s320/image016-754330.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493590393444994" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'><br>Together with ICIMOD, Green Hill and the Bangladesh Youth Forum organized a two-day National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Bangladesh in Rangamati District 11 and 18-19 December 2012. Organized in the framework of ICIMOD’s National Youth Forum initiative, which aims to prepare youth to take action to promote green solutions in their own countries, the event was attended by 40 youth from different parts of the country, the majority of which had backgrounds in the hilly part of the country.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>The meeting brought youth together with representatives of central and local governments, experts from the Chittagong Hill Tracts, non-governmental organizations, and local communities to discuss potential areas for development of green solutions in the hilly areas of Bangladesh. The programme consisted of technical sessions, a knowledge café, and a visit to villages located in the Kaptai Lake area where participants were able to interact with local communities. At the end of the event, the participating youth prepared a National Youth Declaration on Green Solutions in Bangladesh, which will guide youth activities in the hilly areas of Bangladesh.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'> </span><i><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span></i><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>N. National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Myanmar, 2-4 February 2013</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) together with the Myanmar Council of Churches and the Youth Informed, a youth led NGO based in Yangon, organized a National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Myanmar 2–4 February 2013 in Yangon. Attended by over 30 participants from across the country, the 3-day event provided participants opportunities to learn about green economy and low carbon pathways, including eco-friendly lifestyles and eco-agriculture. Maung Maung Than, Director,</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'><a href="http://www.myanmarteak.gov.mm/" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black;text-decoration:none'>Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry in Myanmar</span></a>;</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'><a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=7532"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black;text-decoration:none'>Tek Jung Mahat</span></a>, ICIMOD; Prof. Dr Khin Ni Ni Thein; Dr Tun Lwin, Former Director General of</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'><a href="http://www.dmh.gov.mm/" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black;text-decoration:none'>Department of Meteorology and Hydrology in Myanmar</span></a></span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>and other experts highlighted environmental threats and potential areas of youth engagement in Myanmar. During the event participants had the opportunity to visit organic farms where they were able learn about animal husbandry practices, soil and land management techniques, and water harvesting. The forum was coordinated by May Zin Thaw, an ICIMOD Youth Ambassador and founder of Youth Informed.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:white'><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iBFZQA5vay8/UYnrXMGxlKI/AAAAAAAAFdQ/761CCttyAxA/s1600/image036-780628.jpg"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J-PIHH7YPvU/UYnyTGJVicI/AAAAAAAAFgY/-ytv9MI6cSA/s1600/image017-755989.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J-PIHH7YPvU/UYnyTGJVicI/AAAAAAAAFgY/-ytv9MI6cSA/s320/image017-755989.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493598762731970" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:white'><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pT1CaCCC-g4/UYnrXuEhbAI/AAAAAAAAFdc/M_7xmsQSXRc/s1600/image037-782484.jpg"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FmsKKPNeRyU/UYnyTS9NCcI/AAAAAAAAFgk/vBArlZzyKWQ/s1600/image018-757855.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FmsKKPNeRyU/UYnyTS9NCcI/AAAAAAAAFgk/vBArlZzyKWQ/s320/image018-757855.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493602201504194" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;background:#FFF9EE'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>O. National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Afghanistan, 26-27 March 2013</span></b><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JD2N8sfHZ2k/UYnrYVF7AEI/AAAAAAAAFdo/l_EQWejYezU/s1600/image038-785102.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jMbjknji5g/UYnyT3tGzgI/AAAAAAAAFgw/T43bzpy6Usk/s1600/image019-759647.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2jMbjknji5g/UYnyT3tGzgI/AAAAAAAAFgw/T43bzpy6Usk/s320/image019-759647.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493612066098690" /></a></span></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EI7_6qtQ2k0/UYnrYiyItEI/AAAAAAAAFd0/ae2IXrgaEDc/s1600/image039-786555.jpg"><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#888888;text-decoration:none'><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LevVOGD8M-U/UYnyUZTpvOI/AAAAAAAAFg8/Zk8MiFTZEu0/s1600/image020-761203.jpg"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LevVOGD8M-U/UYnyUZTpvOI/AAAAAAAAFg8/Zk8MiFTZEu0/s320/image020-761203.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5875493621086141666" /></a></span></a><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;background:#FFF9EE'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Futura Std Book";color:black'>National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Afghanistan, 26-27 March 2013 at Kabul University went very well. The Forum had wonderful start with Keynotes from Dr. David Molden, Director General of ICIMOD; Mr. Mr. Gulam Hassan Amiry, Deputy Director General of NEPA (Deputy Minister) and Dr. Habibullah Habib, Chancellor of Kabul University as well as special message from Dr. Eklabya Sharma, Director Programme Operations of ICIMOD, Welcome note from Mr. Azim Doosti, ICIMOD Afghanistan Country Representative and Overview Remarks on Youth for Sustainable Mountain Development (Y4SMD) by Mr. Tek Jung Mahat, Initiative Coordinator ICIMOD :) The event received around 100 participants from Afghanistan, including 80 full time participants who were trained on different issues related to green economy and environmental management in Afghanistan.</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:#222222'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140683305378236993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-64605473144466802062012-11-26T15:03:00.000+06:002012-11-26T15:03:00.862+06:00National Youth Forum on Green Solutions in Bangladesh, 11, 18-19 December 2012 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">National Youth Forum on Green
Solutions in Bangladesh, 11, 18-19 December 2012<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The <a href="http://www.icimod.org/" target="_blank">International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
(ICIMOD) </a>values the potential role that young people can play in promoting
sustainable mountain development in the greater Himalaya region. Through the
Youth Engagement in Sustainable Mountain Development (Y4SMD) initiative, ICIMOD
has been informing and empowering youth from the Asia Pacific region and
building their capacity to bring about positive changes in society. The Y4SMD
network is made up of over 4,000 youth from the region and beyond, with a
majority from ICIMOD’s eight regional member countries – Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. To date, the
Y4SMD initiative has implemented over 50 major youth events, including a Global
Youth Forum at the Rio+20 Summit in Brazil in June 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The National Youth Forum on Green Solutions
in Bangladesh, organized by ICIMOD, our Youth Forum Alumni in Bangladesh and
Green Hill, aims: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To take
ICIMOD’s youth initiative at national and local level and promote youth
actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To promote
SMD relevant education and discussions in Bangladesh among youth living in
mountainous areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To share
widely SMD relevant outcome of the Rio+20 Conference, UNFCCC COP18 and APGYF
2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To enhance
youth capacity to understand mountain issues and develop green solutions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">To
initiative a process of developing a mountain conscious youth network in
Bangladesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Programme highlights:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Technical and training
sessions <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Paper presentations and
discussions on the role of youth in the emerging green economy in the
Hilly Regions of Bangladesh.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tour of sites that exhibit
climate-friendly practices.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Poster presentation
highlighting ‘International Mountain Day 2012’. <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Expected outcomes:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Improved
understanding of local youth about mountainous issues like geo-environmental
hazards, climate change and sustainable agriculture etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Establishment
of mountain development dedicated youth’s network in Bangladesh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Success
replication of ICIMOD’s Youth Forum at national level.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Create a
focal point in Bangladesh for national, regional and international collaboration
and cooperation on sustainable hill management among youth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Call for application:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Bangladeshi youth who are
interested in participating in the forum and meet the eligibility criteria
outlined below are encouraged to apply at their earliest convenience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Applicants must be: <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level2 lfo4; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bangladeshi nationals <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level2 lfo4; tab-stops: list 1.0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">18–29 years of age <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">From or currently residing in
any districts of the country, but youths from Hilly Regions will get
preference.<i> </i><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Applications must be submitted
through the online system <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?fromEmail=true&formkey=dE1pX2d0NWhfVTJNQ1hITktNRDZQTVE6MQ">HERE</a>
no later than 02 December 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Applicants will be selected by
a small committee of experts. Selected applicants will be notified by 5
December 2012. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The organizers will cover
expenses related to participation in the National Youth Forum (roundtrip
travel, food, and lodging).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">For further information, please
write to Marufa Ishaque at <a href="mailto:marufa_ishaque@yahoo.com">marufa_ishaque@yahoo.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Keep track of ICIMOD youth events
and announcements:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/APY.Rioplus20" target="_blank">http://ww.facebook.com/APY.Rioplus20</a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/apmnicimod%20" target="_blank">http://ww.facebook.com/apmnicimod </a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/icimod" target="_blank">http://ww.facebook.com/icimod</a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/apmnicimod" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/#!/apmnicimod</a><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://twitter.com/icimod" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/icimod</a> <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Subscribe to the Mountain
Forum/Asia Pacific Mountain Network at <a href="http://www.mtnforum.org/en/users" target="_blank">www.mtnforum.org/en/users</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Futura Std Book","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Please kindly circulate this
announcement in your networks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140683305378236993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-7285195758217692042012-08-28T12:27:00.002+06:002012-08-28T13:09:41.321+06:00ICIMOD’s Youth Initiative – Youth for Sustainable Mountain Development (Y4SMD): A legacy of its own <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">ICIMOD’s Youth Forum timeline:</span></u></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2010:
SERVIR-Himalaya Youth Forum on <a href="http://earthobservation2010.blogspot.com/2010/10/youth-forum-from-1-6-october-at-icimod.html">Empowering Youth with Earth Observation Information for
Climate Actions</a> 1-6 October 2010 in Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">------------------</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2011A: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/apyf2011">Asia Pacific
Youth Forum on Climate Actions and Mountain Issues</a>, 8-12 August 2011
in Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2011B:
SERVIR-Himalaya <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=4528">Sub-regional Youth Forum (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and
Nepal) on Climate Actions in the Himalaya</a> at Bhutan Climate
Summit, 14 – 19 November 2011 in <span class="spelle">Thimpu</span>, Bhutan</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2011C:
SERVIR-Himalaya <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=6684">National Youth Forum on Climate Change</a>, 5-8
December 2011 in Islamabad, Pakistan</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">------------------</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2012A:
SERVIR-Himalaya <a href="http://geoportal.icimod.org/NAE/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=302">National Youth Forum on Climate Change</a>, 23-26
January 2012, Dhaka, Bangladesh</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2012B: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=7354">Global Youth
Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions</a> at Rio+20 in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2012C: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/apyf2012">Asia Pacific
Graduates' Youth Forum on Green Economy</a>, 25-29 September 2012 in
Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2012D:
South Asian Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions in
Islamabad, Pakistan (planned)</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Other </span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">M</span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">ajor </span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">Y</span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">outh </span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">A</span></u></b><b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">ctivities:</span></u></b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2009A:
E-discussion on The Young Can Do! Let's Protect Forests with Our Hands, 29
April to 27 May 2009, Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2009B:
Beginning of the youth for Sustainable Mountain Development (Y4SMD) initiative
at ICIMOD, with launch of the special report ‘<a href="http://www.icimod.org/publications/index.php/search/publication/650">The Young Can Do</a>!<span class="grame">’,</span> 12
August 2009, Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2009C:
Cosponsored First <a href="http://southasia.oneworld.net/event/summit-on-climate-change">South Asian Youth Summit on Climate Change</a><span class="grame">, 3</span>-6 September 2009, Dhulikhel, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">------------------</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2010A:
ICIMOD-British Council <a href="http://www.icimod.org/enewsOLD/enews.php?id=35">First
Café Scientifique in Asia on Climate Change Adaptation</a>, 25 February
2010 in Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2010B:
ICIMOD-British Council <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=608">Workshop on Creating a Sustainable Network of Climate
Change Champions from Bangladesh, Nepal and Uzbekistan</a>, 19-24
September 2010 in Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2010C:
Cosponsored <a href="http://smallearth.org.np/news.php?id=67">International Graduate Conference on Climate Change and People</a>,
15-19 November 2010 in Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">2010-2011: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=2040">Promoting
Herbal Gardens in Schools</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">------------------</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2011A:
Youth and Climate Change Poster Competition, January-February 2011, Kathmandu,
Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2011B:
ICIMOD-British Council <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=3522">Youth Corner on Climate Change Adaptation</a>, 12
March 2011 in Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2011C:
ICIMOD-British Council<a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=3213"> Café Scientifique on 'Climate Change and Water' with
Dr Garrett Kilroy</a>, 25 March 2011, Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2011D: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=3374">South and
Central Asia regional virtual consultation on youth perspectives on Rio +20</a>,
9-29 May 2011 in Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2011E:
Asia Pacific Youth on Green Economy-Special Side Event at the UNEP-TUNZA
Conference, 27 September 2011 in Bandung, Indonesia</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2011F:
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">Contributed to <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=6240">Panel Discussion
on Youth Engagement on Climate Change & Rio+20 Processes at UNFCCC COP17</a>,
8 December 2011 in Durban, South Africa<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">2011G: </span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">ICIMOD-CONDESAN-SDC and <span class="spelle">VerbierGPS</span>:
Engaging Children and Youth in Mountain Development (Asia, Europe and South
America) – <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=6238">Test launch of the World Mountain Forum</a>, 11 December 2011 in
Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">------------------</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2012A: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=6645">Earth Debate in
the Hindu Kush–Himalayas - 'Ecosystem economics – can we put a price on
nature?'</a><span class="grame">,</span> 24 February 2012 in
Kathmandu, Nepal</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2012B: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=7193">Youth and
Adaptation panel discussion at the 2nd Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation
Forum</a>, 12-13 March 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2012C: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=6818">Youth
Perspectives on Promoting Green Economy in South and Central Asia</a> at
Planet Under Pressure 2012, 26 March 2012, in London, UK</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2012D:
Formation of ‘Asia Pacific’ and ‘Nepal’ task Forces on Rio+20 and advocacy in
Nepal, HKH and globally, January-August 2012 (<a href="http://nepaliyouthrio20.blogspot.com/">http://nepaliyouthrio20.blogspot.com/</a>,<a href="http://rioplus20.blogspot.com/">http://rioplus20.blogspot.com/</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/APY.Rioplus20">http://www.facebook.com/APY.Rioplus20</a>)</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">2012E:
ICIMOD Funded Youth Alumni organised ‘<a href="http://uncsdchildrenyouth.org/pages/youthblast.html">Youth and Green Economy</a>’ and ‘<a href="http://uncsdchildrenyouth.org/pages/youthblast.html">My sustainable dream and practice</a>’ side events
at the UNCSD MGCY Youth Blast Conference, 8-12 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">ICIMOD Publications on Youth:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">2009: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/publications/index.php/search/publication/650">The
Young Can Do! Let's Protect Forests with Our Hands : e-discussion summary</a>,
12 August 2009 (International Youth Day)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">2010: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/publications/index.php/search/publication/727">Asia-Pacific
Mountain Courier : Special issue on youth and climate change</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">2011: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/publications/index.php/search/publication/755">Asia-Pacific
Mountain Courier : Special issue on youth action for climate change through art</a>
(International Youth Day)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">2011: <a href="http://www.icimod.org/publications/index.php/search/publication/785">Asia-
Pacific Mountain Courier : Special issue on youth perspectives on Rio+20</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">2011: <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/85011945/International-Mountain-Day-2011-Conserve-Construct-and-Celebrate#page=36">Conserve,
Construct and Celebrate Mountains: Test Launch of the World Mountain Forum (WMF)
for Sustainable Development</a>, 11 December 2011 (International Mountain Day)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">ICIMOD Multimedia Products aimed at Youth:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">2011: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN499Y4owt4&list=UUV4FLs92YEJGlP7uaN4CQVQ&index=10&feature=plcp">Herbal
Gardens in Schools</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">2011: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuQX-zQPso8&list=UUV4FLs92YEJGlP7uaN4CQVQ&index=8&feature=plcp">The
Hindu Kush-Himalayan approach to conservation, construction, and celebration</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">2011: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jWYwU-_59s&list=UUV4FLs92YEJGlP7uaN4CQVQ&index=6&feature=plcp">Prakriti
Prem (Nature Love)</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; mso-themecolor: dark2;">2012: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDcnXpiqacA&list=UUV4FLs92YEJGlP7uaN4CQVQ&index=3&feature=plcp">Sights
and sounds of the mountains</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">For more information:</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Tek Jung Mahat, Team Leader and Utsav Maden, Events Manager
at <a href="mailto:youthmedia@icimod.org"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">youthmedia@icimod.org</span></a>.</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140683305378236993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-11091908600174009912012-08-16T11:25:00.000+06:002012-08-21T19:28:33.942+06:00Sharing Workshops on Rio+20 : Flash Back-Youth Perspective, Biratnagar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">-By Kabita Gautam</span></i></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x_JVxgthQxs/UDOI33qXtQI/AAAAAAAAAYM/FaI-oxyWzWQ/s1600/Biratnagar_Rio+Sharing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x_JVxgthQxs/UDOI33qXtQI/AAAAAAAAAYM/FaI-oxyWzWQ/s200/Biratnagar_Rio+Sharing.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On 14th August 2012, a one day sharing workshop on Rio+20 was organized by Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 in with support from UNESCO, SEN and ICIMOD. There were around 18 youth participants from the regions who have been working on the environment and social issue and some students from conservation science background. The workshop was one among the series of the programs organized in Kathmandu and Pokhara.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Mr. Abhishek Shrestha</b>, facilitator of the event started by briefing the history of the Rio+20 Conference and its main themes and objectives. He shared the outcomes on the education for sustainable development from the conference and how it will be effective to the youth from Nepal. He also shared his experience working as a youth campaigner along with other team members of NYTF+20. He also shared how youth from Biratnagar can work with Nepali Youth Task Force on the issues related to sustainable development. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">He also highlighted on the importance of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). He reflected on the outcome document and explained the issues regarding education and the commitments made by the head of states. He made the discussion session more interactive as the youth from Biratnagar were aware about Rio+20 Conference as Nepal Youth Task Force had already organized a workshop on basic of Rio+20 before in same place. The participants were more curious about how youth can be a part of implementation phase of the policy that has been committed by government of Nepal and how they can promote ESD for their better future. They were eager about similar activities to be organized by Nepal Youth Task Force so they can be a part of action oriented policy.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-26998736127611108632012-08-15T14:06:00.000+06:002012-08-21T19:29:45.048+06:00Sharing Workshops on Rio+20 : Flash Back-Youth Perspective, Pokhara<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-<b><i>By Kabita Gautam</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ByoW4S4QqlY/UDOJL2oDvUI/AAAAAAAAAYU/1BvJBIBajmI/s1600/IMGP0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ByoW4S4QqlY/UDOJL2oDvUI/AAAAAAAAAYU/1BvJBIBajmI/s200/IMGP0006.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">On 13th August 2012, the regional level sharing program was organized in Pokhara in collaboration with HRELIC-Kaski with support from UNESCO, SEN and ICIMOD. In the program, a representative from youth organizations, media persons, human rights activists, and students were involved. Nepal’s green economy sectors and their status, Nepalese youth position as compared to the international youth, Nepal’s voice in Rio+20 and major achievements from the Conference were shared among twenty six participating youth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Mr. Sanjay Sapkota</b> from HRELIC-Kaski, the MC of the workshop, invited the chair of the workshop Mr. Jhalak Pokharel, the president of HRELIC-Kaski. Similarly, he invited the district president of Press Chautari Kaski, INSEC representative, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 members on the dias. He gave a very brief glimpse of the workshop. He recalled the past activities of HRELIC-Kaski among youth and by youth. He shared that the organization is very interested to work in environmental and climate change issues and expressed his deep satisfaction to host this workshop even though as a post Rio+20 activities in Nepal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Mr. Jeebann Panthi</b>, Core Team Member, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20, started sharing program with a short brief of that day’s program, its objectives along with welcoming the participants. Mr. Panthi shared the idea of Rio+20 as it was organized just after 20 years of the UNCSD Earth Summit held n 1992 in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. The Earth Summit has been a milestone for sustainable development in this globalization and global warming context. He highlighted the objective of the workshop as that was organized to share the Rio+20 outcomes on youth perspectives and let them know what were the national issues and Nepalese youth advocacy for Rio+20. National issues were revolving towards mountain so were the youth issues too. Nation identified green economy sectors as sustainable agriculture, eco-tourism, NTFPs and other forest products and renewable energy. Youth issues were same but in youth perspective like involvement of youth in green entrepreneurship, establishment of ‘Green Youth Fund’ for green entrepreneurship, training, capacity building activities for youth, involvement of youth in every decision making processes by the nation as the decisions made today will impact future generations the most. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Followed by Mr. Panthi’s session, <b>Ms. Kabita Gautam</b>, Core Team Member of Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20, highlighted on youth participation in Rio+20 preparation processes and during the Rio+20 Conference itself. She urged Nepalese youth to get involved in such negotiations from the ground level so they can make their voice strong at global level. Moreover, she requested to pressurize government to take youth in their coordination during the preparation phase of such negotiations which may help to trigger different issues regarding youth. She also said that youth from other countries were highly supported by their government and were included in Government Delegation which made youth from other countries to get updated with the things those were included in and excluded from the outcome document as well as involved in the decision making processes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">She also shared her experiences from her participation as a UNCSD MGCY Social Media Focal Point during Rio+20 preparation processes and in different events during Rio+20. She acknowledged that due to time variation, being highly populated by youth, Asia has been less active during such negotiation. Moreover, youth from developing countries like Nepal were seemed to be very less active during preparation phase (Conferences call and meetings). She also expressed awfulness that due to technical problem like load shedding, Nepalese youth has been deprived of different opportunities. She explained about the Mountain agendas as well as how it has been a success from Rio+20 Conference along with some other issues regarding Youth Employment and Education. She was disheartened by the education system of Nepal which has been a kind of business for the institutions. “This time is so critical to just think about, we need to secure our future by action”, she further added the importance of Education for Sustainable Development as well as youth involvement in decision and policy making processes. “It is not about participation of one youth in Rio+20 but about those youth who are behind that one youth to make his/her participation fruitful and worthiest. For this we need to spread the messages to every corner of our country”, she then emphasized on the importance of tracking the government for the implementation of their commitments, “What Next after Rio+20?” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The participants were more curious about the major issues that have been triggered in Rio+20 conferences. They showed their due interest to work in the field of those major issues. As Rio+20 was a new topic for them, they requested the organizing team to organize such events frequently so that they can get involved in such negotiation and get informed about what the country is up to in global level regarding sustainable development as well as what are the opportunities for the youth in coming days? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The workshop was then resumed with the thanks giving session by Mr. Jhalak Pokharel. He expressed his vote of thanks for the team of Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 and said that it was a great opportunity to get informed about Rio+20 Conferences. He further hopes that such programs will be held frequently in coming days and it will be easier for strengthening Nepalese voice for change for a sustainable world and the future we want.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Facebook event :<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_24377382"> </a></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/262727473839615/permalink/265023380276691/?notif_t=like" target="_blank">Sharing Workshops on Rio+20 : Flash Back-Youth Perspective</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-71132041612911052662012-08-13T17:28:00.000+06:002012-08-21T18:21:27.714+06:00Call for applications for the Asia-Pacific Graduates' Youth Forum on Green Economy 25–29 September 2012 Nepal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Through its <a href="http://www.icimod.org/apmn">Asia-Pacific Mountain Network</a> (APMN), the
<a href="http://www.icimod.org/">International Centre for Integrated Mountain
Development</a> (ICIMOD) has been engaging youth and building their capacity to
bring about positive changes in society through several different initiatives.
Since it began in 2009, the global membership of the Youth Engagement in
Sustainable Mountain Development (Y4SMD) initiative has grown to 2,000 members,
a majority of whom are from ICIMOD’s regional member countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh,
Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. In 2010, ICIMOD started
organizing youth forums in member countries to build the technical capacity and
leadership skills of youth in the region as well as enhance their knowledge on
the most burning issues in mountain development. In 2011, these forums were
expanded to include the entire <a href="http://www.icimod.org/apyf2011">Asia-Pacific
region</a>, and the recent <a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=7354">Global Youth
Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions</a>, held in conjunction with
the Rio+20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, included participants from around
the globe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Building on the success of these
ventures, ICIMOD is now partnering with the Consortium for Capacity Building
(CCB) at the University of Colorado at Boulder and Small Earth Nepal (SEN) to
bring together young graduates from the region and develop their knowledge on
green economy at the second Asia-Pacific youth forum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Asia-Pacific Graduates' Youth
Forum on Green Economy – to be held in Kathmandu, Nepal, 25–29 September 2012 –
will bring together 40 participants from more than 15 countries who are engaged
in sustainability issues. With technical support from several leading
institutions, the five-day programme will include capacity building and
knowledge exchange sessions, leadership exercises, and excursions to nearby
environmental projects. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This forum has been made possible
with support from the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN)
under the CAPaBLE Program. It is also supported by the Government of Nepal, the
Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC), the Mountain Partnership (MP),
the United States Agency for International Development/Office of Foreign
Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), Small Earth Australia (SEA), and the Centre
for Hydrology at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Who can
apply?
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Youth between the ages of 18
and 30 from the Asia-Pacific region with an academic or a professional degree
in related fields are eligible to apply. Those with demonstrated leadership in
the green economy sector are strongly encouraged to apply. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sponsorship<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Partial funding (including
round-trip airfare and local expenses) is available for deserving candidates
from the Asia-Pacific region. Funding details are available upon request.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Selection
<br />
</b>The
names of selected participants will be posted on ICIMOD web (<a href="http://www.icimod.org/?q=8189">http://www.icimod.org/?q=8189</a>) and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/APY.Rioplus20">Facebook</a> page. Selected
participants will also be notified via email.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Selected participants will be
required to present a copy of their valid passport/national identity card from
their stated country of origin. Inability to do so will result in
disqualification from the programme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">How to Apply? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Please <a href="http://bit.ly/RCwRZ2" target="_blank">click here</a> for the application
form. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Deadline for Application: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">17 August 2012<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">For further information, pls write
to:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Initiative Leader: Mr. Tek Jung
Mahat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Event Focal Point: Mr. Utsav Maden,
<a href="mailto:umaden@icimod.org">umaden@icimod.org</a>.</span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11140683305378236993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-63737482308966879742012-08-05T01:00:00.000+06:002012-08-21T19:43:18.774+06:00Sharing Workshops on Rio+20 : Flash Back-Youth Perspective, Kathmandu<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">- By Kabita Gautam and Shreejana Bhattarai</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cNhWB4_qWvQ/UDOJcQwf8wI/AAAAAAAAAYc/cfBEpCSWyCk/s1600/IMGP0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cNhWB4_qWvQ/UDOJcQwf8wI/AAAAAAAAAYc/cfBEpCSWyCk/s200/IMGP0083.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Welcoming and remarking the International Youth Day 2012, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 organized “Sharing Workshop on Rio+20: Flash Back- Youth Perspectives” at NEFEJ Hall, Thapathali. The program was supported by UNESCO, SEN ICIMOD, WWF and NEFEJ. The program was organized to share the experiences, learning and key messages of the youth who participated in the Rio+20 Conference with the youths and media persons. Twenty eight youth from different educational background and media persons participated in the program.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Mr. Sagar Aryal</b>, Core Team Member of Nepal Youth Task Force started the program with a short welcome speech and brief introduction of Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 and its past activities such as discussion series, workshops, webinar, online discussions, photography competition, and other various consultations. The ultimate impact of the task force has been made at Rio as 3 delegates from the Nepal Youth Task Force raised their voice in Rio via different activities. Representing the voices of Nepalese youth Nepal Youth Task Force also commented and gave their inputs to the zero draft, a draft output of the Rio+20. Then he invited Mr. Tek Jung Mahat, focal point for Rio+20, ICIMOD to deliver his analysis on Rio+20 and status of Mountain Agenda. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Mr. Tek Jung Mahat </b>initiated his delivering by reading out some of the sayings of some international persons and organizations regarding the success or failure of Rio+20 Conference. He said that there are mixed comments regarding success or failure of Rio+20. Some has said that Rio+20 was a success but some has called it as a big failure. But he thinks that Rio+20 was a great achievement however it is not the time to judge its success or failure, time will judge it because its success or failure will depend on how the world can implement its outcomes in the future. Since Earth Summit 1992, there are lots of changes in the world, several agendas have changed with the passage of time, the priorities have changed, new environmental problems have challenged the world and so on. For example, Green Revolution was considered biggest achievement in the history of mankind before some years but now it is considered as a big mistake that man has done after the emerging of several problems due to use of intensive fertilizers, water and pesticides. The world scenarios keep on changing and so do the priorities. In this context, the gathering of so many world leaders at a same place to discuss on the future of our common planet is not a small and easy task. It is obvious to make big expectations when so many world leaders meet at the same time. However, we don’t have a baseline to compare success or failure of Rio+20. According to him, Youth as a group is not included in the Rio+20 outcome document however the document has created an enabling environment for the youth to work and they can give pressure to their local and national government as well as world leaders to hear their voices and include them in decision making process. He further said that mountains have gained special attention in the outcome document. Mountains fall under few groups that receive good attention in the document.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Ms. Prerana Shakya</b>, Program Coordinator of Finland-Nepal Partnership Project at Nepal Scouts shared her experiences during her visit to Rio+20 Conferences. She participated in the Conference as a WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) Young Delegate among other 24 young women from 14 different countries. She said that WAGGGS key messages on Rio +20 was: a) Education; b) Right base approach; c) Gender Lens; and d) Be ambitious. Among them, the more important are Education and Gender Lens. WAGGGS promotes women leadership. In </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rio+20 Conference, it was successful in lobbying for Non-formal education and finally Non-formal education was included in the outcome document of the Conference. Ms. Prerana also participated in the UN Women event called "Future Women Want: Gender Equality and Women Empowerment for Sustainable Development" where she got an opportunity to present her statement in the panel of high level women leaders such as Ms. Michelle Bachalet-Under Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Ms. Kabita Gautam</b>, Core Team Member, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20, shared her experiences regarding her involvement with UNCSD Major Group of Children and Youth (MGCY). She said that MGCY is working since 7 years for making voices of young people to be heard. It is an officially recognized group of UNCSD which plays vital role in such negotiations pressurizing head of states to recognize youth as a major stakeholder and to engage them in policy and decision making processes. She shares her bitter truth during Rio+20 preparation processes that there were very few youth involved in online meetings of MGCY from Asia. She was only a youth from Nepal representing the voices of Nepalese youth, actively participating, facilitating and incorporating different ideas in such online meetings. Due to zone time variation, there was lack of youth involvement in such conference calls which used to be held most frequent at midnight hours. Moreover, the agendas didn't get much priority as she along with few other South Asian youth were advocating whereas there were high number of youth who involved in such conference calls whose voice were easily recognized and was taken into consideration. She urged for a big mass of youth movement and engagement from our region for our voice to be heard. She encouraged the participants that such negotiations are a platform for youth to make clear visions for our future and the future of coming generations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Besides, she was also selected as the team leader for Green Economy Youth Task Force of MGCY, where she advocated for different issues regarding Education and Youth Employment in the document the teams were working on. During her involvement in UNCSD MGCY as a Social Media Focal Point, she tried to engage as many youth as she could via social networking, campaigning and sharing the information regarding Rio+20. “It was one of our achievements that youth were also included in the employment sector and education was given a major priority for sustainable development”, adds Ms. Kabita Gautam. She also highlighted upon the challenges and opportunities for Nepalese in coming days and requested the youth participants to take leadership in such activities to pressurize the government for the implementation of the outcome document that has been committed by different head of states. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Mr. Jaya Jung Mahat</b>, one of the four Nepalese delegates to the 6th World Youth Congress, shared his experiences about his participation in the congress which was held from 4th-13th June, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jaya mentioned that there were more than 300 future leaders from more than 100 nations from across the world in the congress. He said that usually, the youth conferences and programs are held in hotels and other comfortable modern buildings which are very close to the city centers, but WYC was organized by camping in the Brazilian rain forest at Sitio da Pedras. The event venue was located far away from the city center where the participants had very limited access to internet and telephone services. Basically, the event, as mentioned by the president of WYC organizing institution, Peace Child International, Mr. David R. Woollcombe, was meant to bring together all the tomorrow's world leaders for action oriented discussions and come up with achievable ideas and solutions for more sustainable future globe. As a result, the participants were discouraged to get attached to their gadgets and online social networks including Facebook and Twitter, rather they were motivated to attend all the event sessions and regional & networking meetings. It was a great experience as one day due to rainfall, the camps started to float in water. Some of the participants left the camps and went to the available hostels but Jaya and some other delegates stayed there. He says. “We have to practice adaptation because we never know what will happen next due to climate change and other natural events. It is necessary to learn to adapt.” They had field visits and cultural exchange programs in some of the Favelas in Rio de Janeiro. On the first day, they went close to the people living in the favelas, on the second day they had cultural exchange program with exclusive cultural dresses and dance. On the final day of their action projects, the participants listened to the problems of the slums and they helped them by organizing various joint action programmes with the favela inhabitants like by accomplishing activities including wall painting, maintaining their library and building temporary buildings. It was a great learning on practical basis. WYC 2012 concluded with 20 solutions for sustainable world which were handed over to the world leaders at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD). </span></div>
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<b style="font-family: inherit;">Ms. Shreejana Bhattarai</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">, Core Team Member, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20, shared about her learning from the side events. She explained that about 500 side events of the Conference were held from 13th to 22nd June. They were organized by Youth groups, Major Groups, Governments, United Nations Organizations and different International Organizations. Nepal Youth Task Force and Asia Pacific Youth Task Force themselves co-organized “Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Action” on 15th June which was organized by ICIMOD, SDC and Mountain Partnership. In this side event, different youth representatives from youth organizations representing Asia, Africa, North and South America were the speakers. They shared about their initiatives they have taken regarding sustainable development and activities to bring about change in their community and they also emphasized on the importance of youths to mainstream in the decision making process. ICIMOD conducted other side events like “Mountain Knowledge Solutions for Green Economy”, “Global Importance of Mountains in Promoting Green Growth” and “Women and Sustainable Mountain Development”. In these side events, the speakers highlighted the importance of Mountains and managing natural resources of the mountains for the uplifting of the livelihood of mountain people as well as those who directly or indirectly depend on mountains. She also shared about a side event regarding Sustainable Transport in the Context of Green Economy. Application of Green Economy in Transport Sector involves technological change including efficiency enhancement, changes in consumer behaviour: abandoning use of private cars in favour of public transport and non-motorized transport. Improving Communication System can reduce the need to travel and hence reduce traffic. She said that the side events were very useful in widening her horizon of knowledge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Following the sharing by the speakers, there was intensive interaction regarding the queries of the participants who were very curious about carbon trading, zero emission and education for sustainable development. The workshop also came up with the importance of education and including a different course regarding such issues in the curriculum of educational institution in a country like Nepal. It also concluded that sustainability is not achieved by stating the policies in documents but also bringing it into practice from ground level which seems possible by empowering children and youth towards its implementation phase.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-74225022548896482132012-07-05T16:00:00.000+06:002012-08-21T19:14:24.313+06:00Online Discussion : Inputs and Comments on Education, 19th-22nd June 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">-By Kabita Gautam</span></i></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 organized 3 days online discussion program on “Inputs and Comments on Education, 19th-22nd June 2012” where more than fifty youth have participated. The discussion was done during the Rio+20 Conference at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during which youth from Nepal different countries had an analysis on the Issue “Education” in their country and have given their views on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The discussion was facilitated by Ms. Kabita Gautam who shared the updated paragraph on “Education” and collected some views from the youth who participated in the discussion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Listed below are some of the major issues that have been discussed during the event: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Importance of Promoting Green Energy via College Community. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Need of Green Education at Schools and School clubs to promote ESD. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Transformation of Leadership for policy implementation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. School base activities for sustainable development. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Provision of better facilities in the community for education, alternative transport (as in country like Nepal children and youth still have to walk and travel a long distance). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“Just Education is not enough; there should be access to job as well and platform for career development. A book is not sufficient for bringing change, youth and children should be armored with optimum level of knowledge and action oriented education. They should be directed to the way forward for the change in their behaviors and should have a feeling of belonging to environment rather than feeling the environment belongs to them”, stated by Ms. Kabita Gautam.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-87092771948333533712012-06-16T07:20:00.000+06:002012-06-17T07:32:49.522+06:00Mountain Youth’s Appeal to Rio+20 Delegates<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We, the participants of the Mt. Pavilion event on: ‘Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions’, considering also key messages received from the 6th World Youth Congress, Rio+20 Dialogues, Major Group on Children and Youth (MGCY) Conference-`Youth Blast’, and regional youth vibrations in Asia-Pacific, Africa, South, Central and North America, and Europe hereby appeal to the Rio+20 stakeholders with the following points:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Recognize that the benefits derived from mountain regions are essential for sustainable development; Mountain ecosystems play a crucial role in providing water and other ecosystem resources to a large portion of the world’s population; fragile mountain ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, deforestation and forest degradation, biodiversity loss, land use and land cover change, and natural disasters; and mountain glaciers around the world are retreating and getting thinner with increasing impacts on the environment and human well-being.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. We further recognize that mountains are often home to communities, including indigenous peoples and poor communities, who have developed sustainable uses of mountain resources. They are, however, often marginalized and lack access to education and support services, and we therefore stress that continued effort will be required to address poverty, food security and nutrition, social exclusion and environmental degradation in these areas, and invite States to strengthen cooperative action with effective involvement and sharing of experience of all relevant stakeholders, by establishing new or strengthening existing regional arrangements and canters of competence for sustainable mountain development. We call for greater efforts toward the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity as a foundation for green economy. We encourage States to adopt a long-term vision and holistic approaches, including through incorporating mountain-specific policies into national sustainable development strategies which could include, inter alia, poverty reduction plans and programs in mountain areas, particularly in developing countries.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In order to effectively tackle these issues and promote sustainable mountain development, the young populations, who are now facing uncertain future due to lack of employment, gainful education, health and other infrastructures, need to be fully mainstreamed in the development process. For this, we appeal the Rio+20 delegates, parties and concerned agencies to:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Properly recognize the critical role played by mountain ecosystems and people in sustaining the world’s environment and economies, by providing or sustaining water, biodiversity, landscapes, cultures, dialects etc. that are essential for upstream as well as downstream sustainability;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Justly compensate and reward the mountain communities for their good environment stewardship in managing the environment goods and services;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Equitably share benefit among different populations including children, youth, women and elderly population by promoting regional, national and intergenerational partnership for sustainable development;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Rationally develop and improve environmental governance system ensuring maximum inclusion of these groups and most importantly mainstreaming youth in the development processes – from planning to implementation and strategic decision making;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Efficiently develop and run institutional mechanisms offering opportunities to youth to get basic as well as higher education relevant to applied fields and existing development practices, develop their professional capacity, start enterprises and businesses creating green jobs in a responsible manner like in ecotourism, waste management, energy generation etc. and be part of the social, economic and environmental processes;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">6. Timely develop Youth Councils at Global/UN (like UNCSD-MGCY, UNFCCC-YOUNGO, UNEP-TUNZA) as well as regional levels and promote youth knowledge net work and parliament at national/regional level to significantly improve youth engagement in various processes and activities of sustainable development; and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. Develop provision of Green Youth Fund to work on mountain issues and also ensure existing mechanism have funding window for mountain youth – at UN, regional and national level to promote environmental entrepreneurship promoting green economy for sustainable development and poverty eradication.</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-55493084716710189002012-06-15T22:33:00.000+06:002012-08-21T18:59:58.816+06:00Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions 2012, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p></o:p></span>-By Kabita Gautam and Shreejana Bhattarai</i></b></div>
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International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) along with Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Mountain Partnership organized "Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions" on 15 June 2012 at Mountain Pavilion, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20, Activating Talent in Sustainability (ACTIS)/Youth Encounter on Sustainability (YES), Earth Charter International (ECI), Peace Child International (PCI)/Road to Rio+20 and UNCSD Major Group on Children and Youth (MGCY) were the co-organizers of this event.<br />
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The forum was facilitated by <b>Mr. Tek Jung Mahat</b>, the focal person for the Rio+20 from ICIMOD. More than 25 young people from different parts of the world participated in the event. The program started with a documentary show that carried the messages such as mountains are facing many environmental problems including climate change; mountain people are coping with these problems with their own traditional ways; but it is not sufficient; global problems need global solutions; mountain countries should work together to address the problems.</div>
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Following the documentary, Mr. Tek Jung Mahat described the objectives of the forum as to bring together youth delegates from mountainous countries to discuss global issues and priorities as reflected in the Rio+20 submissions; to identify and relay mountain youth’s priorities for green economy and sustainable development; to improve networking among participating youth for future actions; to develop and issue an appeal to the Rio+20 delegates to give greater attention to mountains and to recognize youth as important stakeholders in the outcome document.</div>
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After introduction of Global Youth Forum on Mountain Issues and Sustainable Actions each of the speaker was invited to share the actions they have taken so far and the challenges faced in the context of youth involvement in Rio+20.</div>
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<b>Ms. Ivana Savic</b>, Organizing Partner for Major Group on Children and Youth, was the first speaker and she underscored the importance of youth involvement on sustainable mountain development. She highlighted that youth participation will need time, energy and knowledge. Young people will face the consequences of the decisions that will be made in Rio+20 conferences. She also emphasized that it is necessary to mainstream youths in decision making process.</div>
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<b>Ms. Sameera Zaib</b>, member of Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20, highlighted the involvement of Asia Pacific youth Task Force on various level sustainable mountain development and challenges and expectations from Rio+20. She said that Rio+20 is a milestone and governments to take initiative to engage youths in decision making process, at all levels i.e. national and international levels. She further highlighted the major challenges faced by Mountain people like climate change and its un-predictable impacts. She stressed that although mountains are rich in resources but its people are poor and this is the best time to consider and address mountain youth concerns in post Rio+20 agenda.</div>
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<b>Ms. Nora Mahmoud</b> from Earth Charter International stressed that mountain regions are generally ignored. She explained that there is not only the lack of funding but the lack of awareness and capacity building measures. She emphasized on actions from local, regional and global level to institutionalize sustainable mountain development.</div>
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<b>Mr. Juan Carlos Soriano</b>, representing South America, from 350.org, said that we need to figure out ways; invest in new solutions; improve and share local knowledge collectively for sustainable mountain development. He described that annually, world spends 1 trillion dollar for fossil fuel subsidy but if we could spend that money for sustainable development, we can make the future we want.</div>
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<b>Ms. Kabita Gautam</b>, Social Media Focal Point-UNCSD MGCY, shared the key messages and experiences from the MGCY Youth Blast, Conference of Youth for international young people held from 10th to 12th June. More than 2000 youths participated in the conference where the event became one of the biggest platforms where youth from different countries could share their activities globally. She said that youth engagement in negotiation like Rio+20 is very sensitive for policy as well decision making which can be enhanced by the capacity building programs during the preparation processes. According to her experiences, the youth are still searching for the definition of green jobs and it’s important that UNEP needs to define it. She urged to provide more spaces for journalists and Medias in such negotiations for the dissemination of information and mobilize youth towards sustainable development. She further expressed the need of upgrading the level of advocacy for Mountain Agenda. As mountains are not just an issue of mountain countries and the consequences affects from low lands to high lands and in between, she added the necessity of one person from the Asia Pacific region in the major groups as well, for the mountain issues to be addressed.</div>
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<b>Ms. Kehkashan Basu</b>, a 14 year child from UAE shared her experiences and said that government of UAE is very supportive in conducting different environmental activities. She also explained her experiences like she has been involved in beach clean-up, and motivating children from slum in sustainable development activities. She said that people are not aware about sustainable development. It is necessary to engage more children and youth so that our future generations should not face problems.</div>
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<b>Mr. Jaya Jung Mahat</b>, one of the 350 participants of the 6th World Youth Congress 2012 and also one of the 10 Youth Mobilizers for the Brazilian Government and United Nation Development Programme initiative Rio+20 Dialogues, shared the general outcomes of both the events and incorporation of earlier neglected voices of the mountain people from Asia and the Asia Pacific region. He mentioned that both occasions had provided enough opportunities for the stakeholders from South Asia and the Pacific to make heard their regional contemporary issues to the world leaders who will be gathering in Rio de Janeiro during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development through participatory and open debates.</div>
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<b>Mr. Jean Paul</b> shared his works on African Youth Initiative on Climate Change. He said that there is a strong link between mountains and agriculture in Africa. Mr. Paul explained the importance of mountains in Africa as the main resources and breadbaskets for the farmers. He further alerted that if the ice caps on top of the Kilimanjaro melted completely, the farmers who live there and their fields would have no water in the dry season.</div>
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<b>Ms. Shreejana Bhattarai</b>, representing Nepali Youth Task Force on Rio+20 shared her experiences, problems and challenges faced by Nepali youth. She explained that while working she has realized that many young people are not aware about sustainable development and Rio+20. Youths are the future leaders and it is necessary that they should be made aware on these issues. There should be collective effort for sustainable mountain development. Mountains are the water towers, sources of natural resources and biodiversity hotspots. However, they are the most hard by environmental impacts including climate change. So a common effort is needed for sustainable mountain development.</div>
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<b>Mr. Avisekh Shrestha</b>, (APYTF), presented a draft on “Mountain Youth’s Appeal to Rio+20 delegates” and the inputs from youth and speakers were incorporated. Based on key messages resulting from the major youth workshops and meetings held in the past years, among its main deliverables were: recognition of the importance of mountain goods and services; compensation and reward mountain communities for their stewardship in managing mountain goods and services; equitably share benefits; ensure maximum involvement of groups such as youth, children, women and elderly population; develop and run mechanisms offering education opportunities to youth; develop Youth Council at Global/UN as well as regional levels, promote youth knowledge network and parliament to significantly improve youth engagement; develop provision of Green Youth Fund at UN, regional and national level to promote environmental entrepreneurship promoting green economy for SD and poverty eradication.</div>
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Suggestions included asking for incentives for green jobs, youth-led entrepreneurial activities, especially as related to eco-tourism and organic agriculture; engaging youth in mountain conservation training and jobs; use specific key words that would attract the negotiators’ attention prompting them to act.</div>
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In his concluding remarks, Mountain Partnership Secretariat Coordinator <b>Mr. Olman Serrano</b> thanked the youth for their overview and engagement. “Unlike my generation,” he observed, “you have powerful communication tools such as social media – not only to get your message across but also to share it with a larger, global youth community.” Youth are the future, Mr Serrano concluded, “Hence your involvement is key for the future we want.”</div>
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<b>Mr. Daniel Maselli</b> from the Swiss Agency of Development and Cooperation (SDC) acknowledge the youth’s efforts and said it was important to invest in youth as “youth are our asset”. Mr Maselli went on to encourage them: “Keep your sharp thinking. Do not let yourselves be blurred. Do not abandon your direction. Only thus will you achieve the future you want.”</div>
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Finally, ICIMOD Deputy Director General <b>Mr. Madhav Karki</b> noted how economic development has moved from North to South, so the youth form the South have much to contribute. “Youth have lots of hope in the future we all want,” Mr Karki stressed. “There are challenges, however. In 1992, global leaders committed to sustainable development. But when they returned home, they did not practice what they had preached. Now, 20 years on, the world has become much more unsustainable. We have biodiversity loss and increasing natural disasters. Youth as future leaders need to take the opportunities and take on the responsibilities.”</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-4255932480492621072012-06-07T00:51:00.004+06:002012-08-21T18:55:44.114+06:00Interaction Program on Education for Sustainable Development!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>-By Shreejana Bhattarai</i></b></div>
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Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 conducted third series of the interaction program “Mobilize the Earth from Earth Day to Earth Summit” on 2nd June. It was jointly organized by Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 along with Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Earth Day Network, WWF Nepal, The Small Earth Nepal (SEN) and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).<br />
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The program started with the registration which was facilitated by Mr. Avisekh Shrestha (Core Team Member, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20). With a short welcome speech and introduction of speakers and participants, Ms. Shreejana Bhattarai (Core Team Member, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20) started the program. About 15 participants attended the program. Mr. Axel Plathe, Head UNESCO office in Kathmandu and Mr. Raju babu Pudasaini, Section Officer & National ESD Monitoring Focal Point, Ministry of Education, served as the speaker. Ms. Tullia Baldassarri was a guest speaker and Mr. Tek Jung Mahat, Rio+20 focal point, ICIMOD facilitated the program.</div>
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Mr Axel Plathe as the first speaker reflected on the overall activities of UNESCO and its work on Education for Sustainable Development. He said there should be investment on education and there will be no development if society is not educated. He underscored that Education for sustainable development (ESD) issues should be mainstreamed in national education policy. He further emphasized that ESD is important for new ways of thinking and education is needed to accept environmental challenges including climate change. Giving examples of some parts of the Nepal, where during monsoon, schools are closed due to lack of infrastructures; he said that education should not be hindered by anything. He added that education should provide skills to students at all level and ages. He also clarified that Education for sustainable development involves behavioral change including energy behavior and the students are taught to change their habits to environmental friendly.</div>
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Mr Raju Babu Pudasaini, from Ministry of Education, gave overview of the activities of Ministry for Education for Sustainable Development. He said that Ministry has developed curriculum and teacher training practice and also the national framework for ESD. He clarified that ministry has conducted policy level workshop among different ministries and ministry has been able to develop 30 master trainers for ESD. He said that the master trainers were sent to different parts of the country and trained 150 teachers. The ministry has also mobilized media houses for advocacy of ESD. He underscored that we have to conceptualize ESD according to our national context encouraging curricular developer and teacher. Emphasizing that everyone is responsible for ESD, he added that ESD needs holistic and integrated approach and thus all stakeholders should be involved for collaborative work. He also said that indigenous knowledge should be given space for ESD and we need to learn best practices from other countries.</div>
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The guest speaker Ms Tullia Baldassari gave an insight on the activities of the Mountain Partership and the upcoming IPROMO Course. </div>
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Answering to the question raised by the participants regarding youths not given due importance on decision making process, Mr Axel Plathe gave an example of the constituent Assembly where there are more than half youth CA members but the decision making is limited to few elder CA members. Mr. Raju Babu Pudasaini emphasized that the youths should be able to grab the opportunities. Answering the same question Ms. Tullia said that youth should do their work from their level and nobody can ignore their work.</div>
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Mr. Avisekh Shrestha raised a question to Mr. Raju Babu Pudasaini regarding the preparations of Ministry of Environment for Rio+20 and its communications with Nepal Planning Commission, being Rio+20 focal point for Nepal. Mr. Raju said that it is doing co-ordination with NPC for preparing agenda.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-75258917948384052712012-06-05T02:56:00.000+06:002012-08-21T18:01:34.661+06:00The Future We Want from Rio<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>-By Abhishek Shrestha</i></b></div>
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In less than a two week’s time, for the historical UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), taking place in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, more than 140 heads of states/governments will be meeting to discussion on future of the planet earth, on the occasion of completion of 20 years of similar major summit on environment and development. Popularly known as Rio+20, this conference is an historic opportunity that will define pathways towards a safer, more equitable, cleaner, greener and more prosperous world for all.</div>
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In 1992 first Earth Summit- UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was held in Rio where more than 19,000 government delegates and civil society members gathered to discuss on the creation of a sustainable future and eventually came up with a vision for sustainable world. The summit delivered six major outcomes - Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the Convention on Biological Diversity, Forest Principles, the Convention on Drought and Desertification, and the Framework Convention on Climate Change and lately also established the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). </div>
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The upcoming meeting in Rio from 20-22 June 2012 will reflect on the progress made over last two decades and identify areas that need to be addressed differently and efficiently. Rio+20 will focus on two themes Green Economy in the Context of Poverty Eradication and Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development for Poverty Eradication. It has three sets of objectives: to secure renewed political commitment, to assess progress and remaining gaps and to address new challenges. Ten years after the Earth Summit in 1992 came the Rio+10 Conference in Johannesburg, known as World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), that produced a follow-up document - the Johannesburg Programme on Implementation (JPOI) focusing on operational steps to ensure poverty eradication, change in unsustainable matters of consumption and production as well as protection of natural resource base. </div>
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Now the world focus is gradually moving towards Rio+20, which is expected to come up with an outcome document with clear mapping of timely plans and strategies to take us closer to sustainable development. Zero draft of the outcome document with the working title “The Future we want” is already released and been negotiated since January 2012the Zero Draft is consolidated document prepared considering over 860 inputs received from governments around the globe, civil society, NGOs, youth groups and several other stakeholders. The Zero Draft is expected to build upon the impact of previous agreements like Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (Rio+10). In its present form the Zero Draft contains a list of objectives, recommendations, and aspirations, which will guide the negotiations in Rio. </div>
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Rio+20 will decide our future and to reflect the voice of Nepali youth; youth have been carrying out activities focusing on Rio+20. To make sure young people voices will be heard in the summit youth have been organizing different programs at local and national level, thematic workshop on youth issues and interests like education for sustainable development, youth employment, green jobs and gender equity. Youth are taking action at communities and raising awareness to address the critical issues on Rio+20. Some are spreading the message via music, photo story, some preparing youth position on Rio+20 and providing regular feedback on the Zero draft document. Actions and activities are not limited at home; message and voices are being shared with millions of youth around the world via The Major Group of Children and Youth (MGCY). Nepali youth are closely working with MGCY which is one of nine groups that officially takes part in the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) sessions. Nepali youth have been very instrumental in lobbying and advocating the issues of youth and national priority and interest with focus on mountain issues in partnership with National Planning Commission as well as promoters like ICIMOD. </div>
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Similarly Government of Nepal is also working on Rio+20 with a set of objectives and targets. Government has prepared country status paper for Rio+20 and has been lobbying and raising voice of poor, vulnerable and marginalized community of mountains in different international forum and organizing national led initiatives. In April 2012 Government of Nepal hosted International Conference of Mountain Countries on Climate Change to underscore issues in mountain climate change regime and its relevance in Rio+20 discourses. Mountain is one of the main agenda for Nepal at Rio+20. It should also equally bring up and raise the issues like youth employment, linking them with green jobs and green economy in a time when thousands of youngsters are migrating daily to gulf countries in search of jobs. Intergeneration inequity and gender discrimination are still prevalent in the country so this issue should not be shadowed and we should have clear set of agendas how we can eradicate poverty and how we can move towards greener economy to achieve the sustainable development. To make the things happen and have influence in the process Nepali youth have been working hand in hand with different agencies of government, inter governmental organization, civil society and wider youth group. </div>
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Actions and activities on Rio+20 have been initiated and the stage is ready to be delivered this June. We need to reach out to more youth and civil society at local level because the decisions that will be made will affect all of them. We need more sensitization and wider outreach to the concerned people. Let’s Hope coming initiatives from government and stakeholders will reach out to these people to have their voices heard and make the conference a beneficial one for the country.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-3259709852932118642012-05-10T14:30:00.000+06:002012-06-07T01:43:24.042+06:00Call for Application: Kathmandu+20, June 2nd-3rd 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iRvR0JZwI88/T8OGUfyruAI/AAAAAAAAAVU/dltUQeuCU5w/s1600/ktm+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iRvR0JZwI88/T8OGUfyruAI/AAAAAAAAAVU/dltUQeuCU5w/s200/ktm+20.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Worldwide Nepalese Students' Organization together with the Nepali Youth Task Force on Rio+20 is organizing <b>Kathmandu+20</b> – a wider gathering of Nepalese Youth on 7th June 2012 in Kathmandu, Nepal as part of </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">"<a href="http://mycityplus20.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">MyCity+20</a>"</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the run-up to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (also known as Rio+20) in Rio de Janeiro this June, young people around the globe want to share their views on the future of their planet. </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Youth are eager to get involved in the decision-making process and learn and apply key issues surrounding sustainable development and the emerging global frameworks for sustainable socio-economic and environmental development as well as inter generational equity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We are organizing one day Conference where we will interact with the experts, negotiators and government officials working on Rio+20. This event also aims to hold the simulation of the summit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Kathmandu+20</b> is a youth led initiative aiming to bring up the voice of Nepali Youth towards Rio+20 (</span><a href="http://www.uncsd2012.org/" style="font-family: inherit;">www.uncsd2012.org</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">) and take them to the real event by organizing simulations of the summit and engaging and educating youth and students on the issues of the Rio+20.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>If you want to be the part of the conference apply before 22:00 18th May 2012 using the link below</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHpCMWx6d3BoYVFMNE1VTTBuY3ZIRUE6MQ" style="font-family: inherit;">https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHpCMWx6d3BoYVFMNE1VTTBuY3ZIRUE6MQ</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: red;"><u>Age Limit:</u> 14-29 Application Deadline: 18th May 2012</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Supporting partners</u></b> include National Planning Commission of the Government of Nepal (NPC), International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Small Earth Nepal (SEN), Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ), Ministry of Youth and Sport (MoYS), Road to Rio+20 and Peace Child International</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>For any queries:</b> Please write to </span><a href="mailto:kathmanduplus20@gmail.com" style="font-family: inherit;">kathmanduplus20@gmail.com</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Find us on Facebook:</b> </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/kathmanduplus20" style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.facebook.com/kathmanduplus20</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Follow us on Twitter:</b> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/NepalYouthRio20" style="font-family: inherit;">https://twitter.com/#!/NepalYouthRio20</a></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-77336887390788885812012-05-09T14:57:00.004+06:002012-08-21T18:57:36.115+06:00Webinar on Mountain Agenda and Rio+20<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iHRF8hIHSbQ/T6oxAEsuCBI/AAAAAAAAAUc/W0atSvRzQ3w/s1600/Webinar_APYTF_Rio+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iHRF8hIHSbQ/T6oxAEsuCBI/AAAAAAAAAUc/W0atSvRzQ3w/s200/Webinar_APYTF_Rio+20.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After organizing different workshops,
consultation and interaction programs regarding different themes of Rio+20 and
Mountain Issues, <b>Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20</b> has decided to
organize a webinar jointly with ICIMOD, Earth Charter and UNCSD MGCY. It aims to
strengthen the voice of youth from HKH Region at global level creating an
opportunity for the youth to form a network from local level to global level.
It will also provide the youth around the world a virtual platform to exchanges
their views and knowledge.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Around 1.3 billion people depend on the water that
flows from the Himalayan Glaciers. The rising temperature in the Himalayas
would be a catastrophe which is not just the future of few mountain communities
at stake, but also the lives of nearly 1 in 4 people in the world, all of whom
rely on the Himalayas for water as well as it will also affect the people and
ecosystems from the mountains to the coast and then to the sea. The critical
conditions that the Himalayas are facing is the population in these regions is
composed of only old aged people and children but youth are rarely found due to
high migration for one or the other reasons. So it is very essential to focus
why the </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">“Water Tower-MOUNTAINS”</b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> matters for the future we want and how
Sustainable Mountain Development will help to stabilize youth in these regions
along with Green Economy as the new opportunity for the youth from mountains.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Objectives:</u></b></div>
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<li>Exchange of knowledge and views on Mountain Issues.</li>
<li>Add values for the Himalayas and strengthen the voice of mountain youth in Rio+20.</li>
<li>Connect and develop understanding between the youth from Himalayas, Coast and in between.</li>
<li>Updates on efforts of youth for Mountains.</li>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="color: #984806;">Date
and Time:</span></u></b></span><span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #984806;"> <b>14<sup>th</sup> May 2012, 2pm GMT (7:45pm, Nepal
Standard Time)</b></span></span><br />
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<b><span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis" style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Recording Link:</u> </span><a href="http://earthcharter.wiziq.com/online-class/855259-webinar-on-mountain-agenda-and-rio-20">http://earthcharter.wiziq.com/online-class/855259-webinar-on-mountain-agenda-and-rio-20</a></b></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Procedures:</u></b> First, Click on the link and then Click on the option “Launch Class”.</span></span><br />
<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then follow the instructions: Click Here<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/o9vmba3oy8ju1m1/Instructions%20for%20Webinar%20on%20Mountain%20Agenda%20and%20Rio%2B20.pdf" target="_blank"> >>>Instructions for the Webinar on Mountain Agenda and Rio+20</a></span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><u>Duration:</u></b><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"> 90 minutes</span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Time Duration (minutes)<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">00-10<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">10-25<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">25-40<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">40-55<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">55-70<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">70-90<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Act<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Introduction<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">1<sup>st</sup> Speaker<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">2<sup>nd</sup> Speaker<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">3<sup>rd</sup> Speaker<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">4<sup>th</sup> Speaker<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Discussion<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Language:</u></b> English</span></span></div>
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<span class="MsoSubtleEmphasis"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><u>Targeted Groups:</u></b> Youth from
local to global level and Media Personnel</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: inherit;"><u>Facilitated by:</u></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Nora Mahmoud (Earth
Charter)</span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Guest Speakers:</span></u></b></div>
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<li><span style="text-align: left;">Mr. David Molden (DG, ICIMOD) : Overview on Science and Policy of HKH Region</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: left;">Ms. Barkha Mossae (Capacity Building Team, MGCY ) : Global Context on Rio+20</span></li>
<li><span style="text-align: left;">Ms. Sameera Zaib (Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20 Team Member, Pakistan) : Regional Youth Voice on Rio+20</span></li>
<li>Mr. Jeeban Panthi (Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20 Team Member, Nepal) : National Perspectives of Youth in Rio+20</li>
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<b style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"><u>Requirements:</u></b><br />
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<li>Browser: generally Chrome, others also can be used</li>
<li>Mic and Speaker or Headphones</li>
<li>Webcam only for the Speakers</li>
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<b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #984806; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">[Note: The Speakers can also do their presentation using
the slides.]</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #984806; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Facebook event : </span></span></span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/385194454856703/?context=create">https://www.facebook.com/events/385194454856703/?context=create</a></b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-71109520772034113112012-04-23T00:00:00.000+06:002012-08-21T18:56:43.012+06:00Interaction Program (Series I) : Mobilize the Earth from Earth Day to The Earth Summit (Rio+20)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>-By Kabita Gautam</i></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KaBfDOuRJQk/T6EYlV1EC_I/AAAAAAAAASo/GFI-rv1WD2k/s1600/Earthday_InteractionProgram2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KaBfDOuRJQk/T6EYlV1EC_I/AAAAAAAAASo/GFI-rv1WD2k/s200/Earthday_InteractionProgram2012.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
On the occasion of 42nd anniversary of Earth day, the series of Interaction Programs kicked off in Kathmandu which was jointly organized by Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 along with Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ), Earth Day Network, WWF Nepal, The Small Earth Nepal (SEN) and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The program started with the registration which was facilitated by Mr. Jeeban Panthi (Core Team Member, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20). With a short welcome speech and general introduction of speakers and participants, Mr. Avishek Shrestha (Core Team Member, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20) facilitated the program followed by overview presentation by Ms. Shreejana Bhattarai (Core Team Member, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20) on objectives and activities of Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 and the Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on Rio+20. Approximately 30 participants attend first event in this series held on 22 April 2012 at NEFEJ Headquarters, Thapathali. Mr. Bhairab Risal (Renowned Journalist), Mr. Krishna Gyawali (Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Government of Nepal), Mr. Tek Jung Mahat (Rio+20 Co-Focal Point at ICIMOD) and Ms. Kabita Gautam (Major Group on Children and Youth - MGCY) served as the panelists.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y1xWDaBrCOQ/T6Ecns8S24I/AAAAAAAAATI/JVRQxOhS32U/s1600/Speaker+Mr.+Bhairab+Risal+&+Mr.+Krishna+Gyawali.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y1xWDaBrCOQ/T6Ecns8S24I/AAAAAAAAATI/JVRQxOhS32U/s200/Speaker+Mr.+Bhairab+Risal+&+Mr.+Krishna+Gyawali.jpg" width="200" /></a>Mr. Bhairab Risal, as the first speaker of the interaction program reflected the importance of Earth Day Celebration. He gave an insight on the ongoing cruel activities of human adding unnecessary pressure on this earth. Answering to the question rose from the floor; he underscored the consequences of such activities, presenting few examples from the rural areas of Nepal. He also said what have been done by the past generations should be seriously comprehended and considered by present generation and many others to come.</div>
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Mr. Krishna Gyawali then reflected on the objectives and outcomes of the International Conference of Mountain Countries on Climate Change, held in Kathmandu Nepal from 5-6 April 2012, with the aim of developing common positions of mountainous countries and some others who are simply promoting mountain agenda, that eventually concluded with adoption of the ‘Kathmandu Call for Action’. Highlighting the need of institutionalization of the Government of Nepal led Mountain Initiative for Climate Change Adaptation; he said there will be another conference on the month of June in Rio that will specifically focus on the implementation strategies to follow up deliberations of the “Kathmandu Call for Action”. He also updated the improvement of governance and policies regarding environment in Nepal. There was a question from the floor regarding the role of Ministry on IEE and EIA for the ongoing destruction in the environment as well as the loss of biodiversity. Answering on this question Mr. Gyawali explained that the lack of proper monitoring system by government and the commitment between the communities and the respective stakeholders might be the reason for improper EIA process in Nepal. Realizing the importance of proper implementation and monitoring of EIA, he showed his major concerned on Environmental Inspectors and Environmental Council. </div>
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Another question for Mr. Gyawali from the floor was: What had been Ministry of Environment doing for the fresh graduates of Environmental Science? Talking about the opportunities and employment for the environmental graduates he also explained about few policies and practices that the Ministry is trying to bring into action in coming years. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lsz2UtQ6mnM/T6EdgqSQ4II/AAAAAAAAATQ/qwH5shGilc0/s1600/Speaker+Mr.+Tek+Jung+Mahat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lsz2UtQ6mnM/T6EdgqSQ4II/AAAAAAAAATQ/qwH5shGilc0/s200/Speaker+Mr.+Tek+Jung+Mahat.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
The session was then followed by sharing of knowledge on Rio+20 preparations in Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) and South East Asia and Pacific (SEAP) by Mr. Tek Jung Mahat from ICIMOD. Giving the overview of the process and preparations, and level and type of interventions at different level, he underscored the need to advocate mountain issues as Nepal is largely a mountainous country and Nepal’s prosperity solely relies on level of mountain development. He updated the participants on Rio+20 process and present level of development and urged all concerned to support this initiative now and in the coming days in Rio and beyond to better reflect mountain issues in global document and put pressure on national governments to give adequate attention to mountain issues through development of mountain friendly policies and convincing instruments to address mountain issues and addressing need of mountain people. He also added the impact of climate change in Himalayan Region will affect the millions living both upstream and downstream. He also highlighted achievements of Asia Pacific Youth Forum in August 2011, South and Central Asia regional Virtual Consultation in May 2011 and many other activities that were implemented by ICIMOD taking youth and youth organisation on board to contribute to Rio+20 process. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wlX6Vz23H6Y/T6FrHwK1NgI/AAAAAAAAATc/cyT4dLKCQ4Q/s1600/Speaker+Ms.+Kabita+Gautam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wlX6Vz23H6Y/T6FrHwK1NgI/AAAAAAAAATc/cyT4dLKCQ4Q/s200/Speaker+Ms.+Kabita+Gautam.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Explaining on how youth have been contributing in Rio+20, Ms. Kabita Gautam emphasized the importance of youth as the one of the major groups recognized by UNCSD. She highlighted Youth as the effective change agents who are dedicative, enthusiastic, creative and productive as well as are full of energy. She also added Youth to face the consequences of the emerging global issues and they are the one to bring change in behavior to combat the consequences. Answering to the question rose from the floor about the involvement of youth in Rio+20 processes, she reflected the activities and conference calls that has been carried out by the Major Groups of Children and Youth in different sectors. She also encouraged youth to get involved in such activities and conference calls to strengthen the voices of youth. She also said that there is lack of youth from mountainous countries actively working with the major groups which might be the reason that Mountain is not counted in the major seven issues in Rio+20. She alerts that it’s high time for mountain youth to strengthen their presence and speak up for the mountains as 1.3 billion people depend on the water that flows from the Himalayan glaciers. </div>
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After the grand successful of the interaction program, Mr. Sagar Aryal (Core Team Member, Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20) resumed the first series with the vote of thanks. The second series of this Interaction program will be held in the 1st week of May.<br />
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<b>Join us in our Facebook Event : <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/223656601081746/" target="_blank">Interaction Program, Series II- Mobilize the Earth - From Earth Day to The Earth Summit (Rio+20)</a></b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-52697248947703410242012-04-21T02:33:00.001+06:002012-06-07T01:24:54.978+06:00Call for "Asia Pacific Photo-Story Contest 2012"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jqlw-7C3eMs/T5HDuZmgk3I/AAAAAAAAASM/O2gXEvbKXRM/s1600/AP_Photo+Story+Contest_Kg_19thApril.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jqlw-7C3eMs/T5HDuZmgk3I/AAAAAAAAASM/O2gXEvbKXRM/s200/AP_Photo+Story+Contest_Kg_19thApril.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on RIO +20 is organizing the Asia Pacific Photo-Story Contest 2012 to mark the Voices of Youth globally in RIO+20, The UN Conference on Sustainable Development which is going to be held on June 20-22 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. </div>
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<b><u>THEME /CATEGORIES FOR THE PHOTO CONTEST </u></b></div>
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1. Mountain and Green Economy</div>
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2. Youth Employment and Green Jobs</div>
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3. Water, Energy and Food Nexus<br />
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<b><u>AWARDS!!</u></b><br />
The top three entries will receive an attractive prize along with an opportunity to join Asia Pacific Youth Forum 2012 which will be organized by the Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on RIO +20 together with its promoters - the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the Small Earth Nepal (SEN) and the Consortium for Capacity Building (CCB) at the University of Colorado, Boulder (CU) with support from the Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in August 2012. </div>
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<b><u>Conditions for Entry:</u></b></div>
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<li>The entries must hold the copyrights to the contestant.</li>
<li>The contestants must accept that participation in the contest constitutes agreement to allow their entries to be used by Asia Pacific Youth Task Force on RIO +20 for non-commercial promotional purposes (in publications, calendar, screensaver, websites, exhibitions, etc). Due credit will, of course, be given to the copyright-holder each time his/her entry is used.</li>
<li>A story of 200 - 250 words, reflecting the meaning of the Photograph should be included along with the digital photograph.</li>
<li>The contestants may not submit entries, which have already been used elsewhere in whatever form.</li>
<li>The contestants may not submit digitally manipulated or animated entries (e.g. composite image).</li>
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<b><u>Who Can Participate?</u></b></div>
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This contest is open to anybody aged 15-35 from the Asia Pacific region.<br />
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<b><u>Is There Any Participation Fee?</u></b></div>
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No!! Participation in the Asia Pacific Photo-Story Contest is free of cost. </div>
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<b><u>HOW TO SUBMIT ENTRIES?</u></b></div>
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<li>Each contestant may submit up to 3 entries with a story representing the photo of max 250 words. [Contestant may submit all 3 entries on Mountain and Green Economy OR 2 entry on Mountain and Green Economy, and 1 Entry on Youth Employment and Green Jobs OR 1 entry on each theme OR 1 or 2 entries only]</li>
<li>Please Submit only one entry at a time at email: <a href="mailto:APphotocontest@gmail.com">APphotocontest@gmail.com</a> Mention your Full Name, Date of Birth, Address, Contact Number, Theme and the Story of Photograph in the Email Body and selected theme in the Subject. Repeat the process for next entry.</li>
<li>The entries can only be in the form of black & white, or color digital images in 300 dpi resolutions JPEG or PNG format. The size of the entry can be max. 2 MB</li>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Submission Deadline!!</span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">May 10, 2012 (9 AM, GMT +05:45, Nepal Standard Time) </span></b></div>
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<b><u>Judgment Criteria</u></b></div>
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<li>Out of all photos received, 10 photos will be selected by poll through the Facebook Page [<a href="http://www.fb.com/APY.Rioplus20">http://www.fb.com/APY.Rioplus20</a>]</li>
<li>A panel of judges will select the three best entries for grand prizes.</li>
<li>The Asia Pacific Photo-Story Contest Organizing Committee reserves the right to reject entries that do not meet the conditions, specifications, or theme/categories of the contest outlined above.</li>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Find our event page in Facebook:</u> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/422943824398911/">Asia Pacific Photo Story Contest 2012</a></div>
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<b><u>For queries or further clarifications, please write to:</u></b> </div>
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Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio +20 </div>
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Email: <a href="mailto:rioplus20nepalcoreteam@googlegroups.com">rioplus20nepalcoreteam@googlegroups.com</a></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-47760696751058900392012-04-19T12:31:00.002+06:002012-04-19T12:34:27.568+06:00South and Central Asian Youth Perspective on Rio+20<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b><i>-By Jeeban Panthi</i></b><br />
<b style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Consultation Methodology and Participation of Youth</span></u></b></b><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">The youth consultation was made in the South and Central Asia as “South and Central Asia Regional Virtual Consultation on Youth Perspectives on Rio+20”. The consultation was open for all the participants in web based through community group (Dgroup), social networks (facebook and twitters) for the three weeks (9-29 May 2011) on three different themes compatible to Rio+20. Weekly Skype conferences among the country focal points appointed and the facilitators were organized to summarize the discussions. Altogether, 550 youth were participated in the consultation representing 9 countries. Youth had raised their issues and moderators were facilitating the discussion to make sure that the debate is in right track. Different case studies related to sustainable development from the region were also posted in the group compiled by a team. The consultation was organized jointly by The Small Earth Nepal (SEN) and Asia Pacific Mountain Network (APMN) of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Theme I: <u>After 20 years of Rio – where do we stand? What are the new issues and challenges?</u> </span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Rio Summit 1992 was the milestone in highlighting sustainable development globally with its outcomes as Rio Declaration, Forest Principles, Convention on Biodiversity (CBD), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Agenda 21. Climate change and its uncertainty, which was not addressed enough in 1992 Rio Summit, has become the most threatening global, environmental and social problem of this time. Rapid melting of glaciers with erratic rainfall and less snow fall may have severe water scarcity in near future. Monsoon is getting more flooded and winter is getting drier. Himalayan nations are facing the consequences of the climate change day by day and inch by inch in fact. Despite of very little contribution for climate change, Himalaya, the water tower of Asia, which feeds water to more than 1.3 billion people in Asia is ruining with changing climate. Many people think that mountains will be the last resort for people of the world, after urbanization has completely transformed our societies. The trend seems to be more than a myth because we can see with our own eyes that the rate of urbanization across South Asian countries is expanding rapidly, due to availability of economic opportunities. Coastal countries are also equally vulnerable to the climate change as adverse impact have already been started, extreme events like severe cyclones and increased salinity in the coastal region, prolonged and repeated floods and river bank erosion. Climate change is expected to impact on agricultural productivity and shifting crop patterns. The policy implications are wide-reaching, as changes in agriculture could affect food security, trade policy, livelihood activities and water conservation issues, impacting large portions of the population. During monsoon high flood water is creating huge damage to crop production where in dry season water becomes precious than bloods and in the coastal region water and water but all of it out of use for its high salinity. We have already been sacrificing at the cost of developed countries and now its time to raise our voices to stop being sacrificed. Making false promises for financial and other supports by developed countries to developing countries is creating another crisis. Important is also to consider rise of China and India as the new economic powers hub with more net emission in comparison to many developed nations. The Rio summit created the foundation provided a guide how to cope with the situation. Action was also initiated and actively implemented, but entering the crux of real problem was not carried out and lacks in the estimation of magnitude of the problem, its potential and growth was neglected. It demands action to be taken but surprisingly demanding concrete actions to be taken were not observed. This could have been resulted from the lack of seriousness from legislative interest. We know the problem, its consequences but we never acted for its solution due to political and other issues, we just cover these solutions with baseless talks. Agenda 21, a blue print of sustainable development, clearly shows links between sustainability and development but where we failed is gap between our objectives and actions.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is also a little bit of frustration at the global leadership for not doing nearly enough to come up with a binding road map to deal with climate change for instance. Climate change, together with other drivers, is already impacting the earth system, in a way we have barely scratched the surface of. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There has been some progress made in developing transformational technologies especially climate friendly renewable energy and water-related technologies that may someday take us away from fossil fuel. But these have not permeated the mainstream markets, including rural markets, in the way the mobile phone has. Also another positive change has been the rise of the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) and social media tools - and the growing chorus of "Stop climate change", "Another world is possible", "Feed the hungry billions" from all segments of the society, including the youth.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Theme II: <u>Looking at the green economy for low carbon future in the context of poverty alleviation and sustainable development.</u></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The new concept, green economy, is still is in incubation stage so its comprehensive analysis is necessary before switching towards. The term “Green Economy” incorporates many sectors and issues in the Earth so it is like a Green Umbrella giving shelter to the Earth. Assuming the green economy a guitar of poverty alleviation, improved livelihoods, peace and security, and equitable distribution of resources are its strings. we just need to adjust the strings and fine tuning to play soft and eternal music of sustainable development. Agriculture, forestry and tourism are the backbones of the economy in this region, therefore, those three sectors should be “Green” at first for ensuring the green economy is tuning well. On the other hand, due to unstable economy and research gap, switching to green economy is a bigger challenge. Strengthening private sectors, Public Private Partnership (PPP) along with the linkage of client, companies and financing institutions are needed to achieve long term sustainability in development sectors. Therefore, institutional mechanisms should also be strengthened for regional cooperation towards sustainable development. At the outset of growing economy of developing countries, there remains the challenge they have in capacity to develop and use new and advanced cleaner technologies. Also, the region consists of many barren areas where medicinal herbs can be planted to enhance the livelihood of communities. Tourism is a major industry in this region and also livelihood is attached with it especially in mountainous region but escalating problems related to pollution and poor sanitation are faced by the majority of tourism locations. Tourism Impact Assessment (TIA), thus, could be a substantial step for sustainable tourism development. An option in shifting towards village level tourism where the waste can easily be managed and the livelihoods of the local people be enhanced is viable enough.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Energy is the major driver for carbon emission and it leads to green economy. The concept of bio-fuels, solar powers, winds mill, decentralized micro-hydro projects are potential as many parts are occupied by villages in remote areas. But, there is a large gap of research for their proper harnessing for benefiting the community, therefore, the time has come to go for the action oriented researches. Few examples that can be replicated towards the low carbon are production of ethanol which substitutes the use of fossil fuels as the ethanol can easily be produced from the waste straw of rice and wheat which are abundant in this region. Also, one more example is “Car Pooling” system, which is like travelling all the staffs of a company in a single vehicle, in which one pays for fuel, another for hiring the car and so on, which eventually reduces the number of vehicles. The economy of developing countries is growing however their capacity to develop and use of new and advanced cleaner technology is very limited. Therefore, there should be technology transfer mechanism from developed nations to the developing nations which is also a way for re-uniting between developed and developing countries but at first the developing nations should try to explore those technologies and their alternatives within themselves.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Theme III: <u>Environmental laws and governance for establishing an institutional framework for sustainable development.</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Environmental law and guidelines has a pervasive influence in virtually any kind economic or environmental activities these days. It is a complex mix of state and local laws, regulations, policy choices, and science and health concern. One cannot undermine its grave importance and role in transforming the society and eventually our planet which has been tangled into all sorts mess due to anthropogenic activities into more clean and green place to live. Weak implementation of the existing laws, rules and regulations regarding the environmental conservation is the major issue in the region. Various laws and programs are made, sometime they are duplicated and somewhere a single program is not there. Despite of having the proper laws and regulations they are only confined to paper and not much has been done in the ground level. Complex natures of political and societal matrix are main hindrance for the implementation of the policies. Besides that prevalent corruption, lack of respect of law, lack of formal enforcement procedures and non availability of the tools for implementation, and lack of accountability and monitoring are the factor contributing to the present environmental woes. To appease the existing environmental “lawlessness” there is need of concept of political ecology which studies the relationship between political, economic and social factors with environmental issues and changes. Regional cooperation on environment and sustainable development issue like expertise and knowledge transfer, technology transfer and developing low carbon strategy can be the best way for mutual promotion of sustainable development with others. Developing the framework for trans-boundary tourism activities in this region which would not only open avenues in benefiting local community but also can open channel for dialogue to resolve previous unsettled issues within the region was really high point of the discussion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Conclusion: <u>Youth for Sustainable Development</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Youth are seeds, they do not turn themselves into plants unless they are sowed in soil, nourished with water and other required minerals. Youth require skills to function, but skill is not an alien thing, it has to be developed since it is rightly said leaders are not born but are made. However, there are few circumstances that limit the ability of youth to explore their skills and capabilities within themselves which is the very essential phase to be boosted up. The voice of youth should be raised and heard in every decision making process as those decisions made today will eventually affect to the youth in the future that have direct impacts on sustainable development. Old schools of thought do not have proper implementations and practices over the power and skill of the youth to change and have clear objectives for their own future. As even alone but innovative voice has a greater impact numbers of innovative minds together certainly play vital role to bring the greatest influence. So it is high time for the youth not only to sit together and build a pyramid of novel ideas to save the Planet Earth for us and for the future generation but to ACT here and now. Youth must also move to the ground and be the real players to substantiate the idea ‘green economy’ in sustainable development. Therefore, youth are encouraged to join hands to protect the mother earth and pool our knowledge and skills to bring about a Green Change instead of Climate Change.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-71675983977342612592012-04-16T00:33:00.001+06:002012-04-16T00:35:38.577+06:00“REDD+” and “The Mountain Voices of Pakistan”<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b><i>-By Kamran Hussain (Pakistan)</i></b><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the past, there have been experiences of inter-dependencies between the laws, regulations, rehabilitation of degraded forest cover and zoning of protected areas at the cost of relocating communities connected in diversified livelihood, especially the mountain communities. Many conservation policies in the south-east Asia related to shifting cultivation whereas in some governments restricted shifting cultivation without providing alternative livelihood incentives and green productivity mechanism. This practice has resulted threats for future declining of carbon stocks by 90 %. Increase in the population, land use pressures, inconsistent and conflicting policies and degradation of soil and land, reduction in species and plants biodiversity have significantly affected and imbalanced the existing carbon stocks resulting food insecurity and socio-economic hardships for the mountain communities. One can ask the question as to why the past forest conservation management practices failed to achieve the desired objectives?. How the REDD+ would be a possible solution to resolve these worse experiences? There is no concrete answer to it, I think that REDD+, is debated globally and it is now the time to experience and demonstrate it practically.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Experts have opined that the forest conservation and management practices cannot bring fruitful results unless the communities are involved and ownership is given to them in project planning, monitoring, and reporting. This is because of the fact that diversified livelihood is connected with the mountain communities; therefore, verifications are required from carbon finance so to generate additional income from the existing forest cover. There is a need to review forest conservation policies and the socio-economic conditions of local communities with a more focus on mountain people for future interventions under REDD+. Moreover, the impacts of climate change have recently created uncertainty for future in respect of Resilience and indigenous communities to value or revalue the surrounding natural resources (renewable and non-renewable), where they have been living for centuries. This can further be analyzed keeping in view their cultural and traditional practices with the surrounding landscapes and ecosystems. It is considered necessary to enhance the resilience, adaptability and the parameters of socio-ecological management systems, because of poor soil fertility, food and water security, livelihood, resilience of the mountain poor and climate change impacts need to be incorporated, streamlined and supported by REDD+ approach. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The mountain regions of Pakistan are comparatively poor in vegetation growth, and the forests are mostly limited to its northern parts in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu – o Kashmir (AJK). These mountain regions have the natural limitations for its spread in forest cover due to large areas under glaciers, snow cover peaks, meadows, low rainfall and extreme climate and precipitous slope. Most of the areas are short in timber and fuel wood requirements, consequently the local communities have a century’s old tradition to plant forest trees on their farm lands to supplement their timber, firewood and forage requirements. Plantations on farm/barren lands have increased many folds since last three decades. The natural forests are generally found on hill slopes ranging in height from 5000 feet to 13000 feet (IUCN, NASSD 2003). In Some of the areas of Gilgit-Baltistan, Local communities own almost all forests in Diamir District officially designated as "Private Forests" as opposed to state-owned "Protected Forests" elsewhere that have been designated under the Pakistan Forest Act, 1927. As majority of community forest owners (95%) is not benefiting from the huge deforestation (IUCN 2003) which is being pocketed by forest lessees, middlemen and government officials or goes to government exchequer, there is an apparent community readiness in some areas to forgo their demand for commercial exploitation if some compensation mechanisms like REDD are introduced. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The way Forward</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><ul><li>Envisaging COP 16 and COP 17 the implementation of REDD+ it should focus on the safeguards towards reduction of poverty, ensure environmental integrity and respect for the knowledge and the rights of indigenous people and local communities. REDD+ based on the historical perspective, is only way that supersedes many other approaches already used for sustainable forest management. However, the planning processes earlier have been suffering for the main reason that the authentic data is masked.</li>
<li>There is a need to enhance research based activities for collecting multi-dimensional primary and secondary data bank reflecting traditional, cultural, socio-economic, behaviors and attitudes of communities, mainstreaming gender, local governance structures, land tenure and access to rights, from the target area specially the mountain regions that can be used as a tool for future interventions in Pakistan in particular and south-Asian countries in general.</li>
<li>Since REDD+ is expected to provide incentives to the forest dwellers and dependent communities therefore, incentives are inevitable that will lead to enhance carbon stocks and sustainable management of socio-economic environment. This investment should be based or valued on the net change of carbon stocks for a stipulated period both in qualitative and quantitative terms. It would then be realistic to measure the net change in the carbon stocks into certified ‘carbon credits’ that can easily be accessible, bought and sold in the market.</li>
</ul></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-3906203462946060382012-04-09T16:28:00.004+06:002012-04-09T16:53:21.683+06:00Youth Perspectives on Green Economy: From South and Central Asia Regional Virtual Consultation on Rio+20, 9-29 May 2011<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><b style="text-align: justify;"><i>-By Jeeban Panthi</i></b><br />
<b style="text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-size: large;">Green Economy: An introduction</span></u></b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uZ17uimjdl0/T4K0pURV0NI/AAAAAAAAAP8/71fIxxy08d4/s1600/POSTER_Jeeban.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uZ17uimjdl0/T4K0pURV0NI/AAAAAAAAAP8/71fIxxy08d4/s200/POSTER_Jeeban.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Poster Concept : Jeeban Panthi</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP, 2011) defines a green economy to be “one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.” In other words, Greening the economy refers to the process of re-configuring businesses and infrastructure to deliver better returns on natural, human and economic capital investments, while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions, extracting and using less natural resources, creating less waste and reducing social disparities.<br />
<a name='more'></a>There is no unique definition of the green economy, but the term itself underscores the economic dimensions of sustainability or, in terms of the recent UNEP report on the Green Economy, it responds to the “growing recognition that achieving sustainability rests almost entirely on getting the economy right”. It also emphasizes the crucial point that economic growth and environmental stewardship can be complementary strategies, challenging the still common view that there are significant trade offs between these two objectives – in other words, that the synergies prevail over the trade offs. Mankind enjoying the luxury of nature in several forms of services has been posing great threat to the environment and never realized the extinction of species, disappearance of resources and is presently responsible for climate change.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Benefits of Green Economy</span></u></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Green economy is the best solution to food crisis and so to alleviate poverty. Green economy is the stair-case to achieve sustainable development. Green economy aims to profit the people and the planet. It acts as a fulcrum to maintain a balance between the sustainable development of mankind and GDP growth. Due to expanse of urbanization the demand and supply curve of availability of resources has shown an abnormal growth, with more demand of resources (natural and man-made) and less availability with increasing span of time. Green economy is the best option to bridge the gap between scarcity of resources and growth and thus eliminating social inequity.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Green Economy” incorporates many sectors and issues in the Earth’s system; it is a “Green Umbrella” that provides shelter to the inhabitants of the Earth. Path towards Green Economy is strongly recommended by experts to achieve sustainable development and poverty eradication on an unprecedented scale and speed or magnitude. The new concept “Green Economy” is still in an incubation stage in the region of south and central Asia; therefore, its comprehensive analysis is necessary before moving forwards. Assuming the green economy a guitar of poverty alleviation, improved livelihoods, peace and security, and equitable distribution of resources are its strings. we just need to adjust the strings and fine tuning to play soft and eternal music of sustainable development .</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">A green economy substitutes clean energy and low carbon technologies for fossil fuels, addressing climate change but also creating decent jobs and reducing import dependencies. New technologies promoting energy and resource efficiency provide growth opportunity in new directions, offsetting “brown economy” job losses. Resource efficiency becomes a driving proposition – both energy and materials use – be it in better waste management, more public transportation, green buildings or less waste along the food chain.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1992, United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) also known as Earth Summit had developed a way to establish a strong and sustainable bond between man and nature. It gave rise to Agenda 21, a blue print for sustainable development, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Forest Principle and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Tragedy, however, is even after 20 years of the Rio Summit, no improvements are seen on the situation of our planet as anticipated and desired and the situation still remains grim and faceless. Larger ecological footprints of richer people have become a matter of serious concern. The earth is under pressure due to population growth demanding more resources, unsustainable production and consumption mechanisms that hint prophetic warnings to the existence of this living system. The principle of distributive justice demands equal distributions of resources and opportunities. Implication of the same principle in the context of sustainable development, therefore, requires everyone to be endowed with eqitable distribution of resources and opportunities with the adoption of sustainable and low carbon lifestyles to make sure that we hand over the Earth to the coming generation in the same condition that our parents inherited us and maintain inter-generational equity. Energy is the driver of a green economy and agriculture, forestry, renewable energy and tourism are the wheels of the economy in South Asia. These sectors should be “Green” to ensure the green economy is fine tuned. However, there is a large gap in research for their proper harnessing towards benefiting the community. This is the right time for leaving no stone unturned for action oriented research. However,unstable economy and political instability are bigger challenges for sustainable development in South Asia. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Implementing mechanisms of the Green Economy</span></u></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Strengthening private sectors, Public Private Partnership (PPP) along with the linkage of client, companies and financing institutions are needed to achieve long term sustainability in development sectors. Therefore, institutional mechanisms should also be strengthened for regional cooperation towards sustainable development. At the outset of growing economy of developing countries there remains the challenge they have in capacity to develop and use new and advanced cleaner technology. Moreover, donor’s interest does not lie in a long term development. As sustainable development should come from the grass-root level, there should be “an exit strategy” to reduce dependency on foreign fund in development sectors. If the communities are motivated properly and structured with adequate guidance and support, sustainability becomes no longer a problem but an opportunity instead. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Production of ethanol substitutes the use of fossil fuels as it can easily be produced from the waste straw of rice and wheat which are abundant in this region. Also, the region consists of many barren areas where medicinal herbs can be planted to enhance the livelihood of communities. Tourism is a major industry in this region but escalating problems related to pollution and poor sanitation are faced by the majority of tourism locations. Tourism Impact Assessment (TIA), thus, could be a substantial step for sustainable tourism development. An option in shifting towards village level tourism where the waste can easily be managed and the livelihoods of the local people be enhanced is viable enough. Our stake at technology transfer mechanism from developed to developing nations should always be assertive which is also a way for re-uniting them but developing nations’ strive for exploring such technologies and their alternatives within themselves should be more stronger.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sadly enough, technologies available are currently confined to laboratories and research outputs thus do not have much impact on society directly and scientists have been migrating to developed countries for better opportunities. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unemployment is a major problem among youth in the region and migration for earning bread is increasing day by day which is not sustainable. Green jobs are the byproducts of the Green Economy so the practitioners should be trained for their transition by providing on-the-job or off-the –job training.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Youth and Green Economy</span></u></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Youth are seeds, they do not turn themselves into plants unless they are sowed in soil, nourished with water and other required minerals. Youth require skills to function, but skill is not an alien thing, it has to be developed since it is rightly said leaders are not born but are made. However, there are few circumstances that limit the ability of youth to explore their skills and capabilities within themselves which is the very essential phase to be boosted up. The voice of youth should be raised and heard in every decision making process as those decisions made today will eventually affect to the youth in the future that have direct impacts on sustainable development. Old schools of thought do not have proper implementations and practices over the power and skill of the youth to change and have clear objectives for their own future. As even alone but innovative voice has a greater impact numbers of innovative minds together certainly play vital role to bring the greatest influence. So it is high time for the youth not only to sit together and build a pyramid of novel ideas to save the Planet Earth for us and for the future generation but to ACT here and now. We must also move to the ground and be the real players to substantiate the idea ‘green economy’ in sustainable development. Let’s join our hands to protect our mother earth and pool our knowledge and skills to bring about a Green Change instead of climate change. Therefore, a discussion and sharing platform among the youth of this region seems essential for regional cooperation that unites and strengthens us to have a greater stake at as negotiation table.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-87928714877929872392012-03-30T10:47:00.001+06:002012-04-09T16:51:05.223+06:00Green Economy on Youth Perspective: Session in Planet under Pressure Conference held in London, UK 26-29 March 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>-By Jeeban Panthi and Kabita Gautam</i></b><br />
Remarking the scientific guidance to the world leaders in Rio+20 Conference, the session was run to explore the options and opportunities of green economy in South and Central Asian Region. The session was convened by Mr. Jeeban Panthi and chaired by Mr. Tek Jung Mahat, the Team of Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20. There were more than 40 delegates from the world participated actively and four oral presenters who shared their paper, each for regional approach, Central Asia, South Asia and a national case followed by an interaction.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Preparing for Implementation of Green Economy as a Driver by Youth at National Level – A Case from Nepal : Presented by </b><b>Mr. Jeeban Panthi</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Nepal having diverse natural resources and mountain topography, there are lots of resources potential for green economy (such as are hydropower, biomass energy, eco-tourisms) which are almost unique. These resources are not being harvested properly due to lack of methodologies, technology and political instability. Youth capacities and their motivation to work and stay within Nepal has become a great challenge as there is flooding of brain drain towards south for better opportunities. Today’s youth should focus on creating the green jobs with the resources available which prevents them from migrating abroad for employment. Youth require skills to function, but skill is not an alien thing, it has to be developed. Regional and global youth exchange program for skill development seems essential. Research, demonstration and development are the key ways for transiting towards green economy in Nepal. Intensive farming and animal husbandry are some initiatives towards green economy started from the concerned youth in Nepal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Youth Perspectives on Promoting Green Economy in Asia Pacific Mountains: Options and Opportunities : Presented by </b><b>Mr. Tek Jung Mahat</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A large portion of the world’s population depends directly and indirectly on the use of mountain resources for their livelihoods and well-being. Mountains provide water, energy, food and place to live. Asia is unique among the continents as it is home to world’s highest mountains in the Himalayas and Central Asia. These remain unaffected to a large extent despite the rapid industrialization and significant economic growth achieved worldwide in the last couple of centuries. These mountains are inaccessible, marginal, and fragile which has prevented the mountain communities to benefit from landscape, cultural and biological diversities and the niche specific high value unique products possessed by the mountain regions. The situation in the mountain is worsening with low proportion of land available, extremely high rate of deforestation, and low GDP. These changes threaten and weaken mountain systems; which are the opportunities to build on their own contributions sustaining the regional and global environment and economy. Mountain resources and services are a prerequisite for achieving the goals of a low-carbon economy on a global scale. Though mountainous developing countries already have low-carbon economies, they have a high incidence of poverty. Therefore, the concern is how to sustain the availability of ecosystem services, strengthen resilience, and promote low-carbon based economic growth to reduce poverty.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-67275079461985062772012-03-25T11:59:00.003+06:002012-04-09T16:50:34.939+06:00Regional Workshop held in Western Nepal, Dhangadhi 24th March 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ClTjp9I1Qf4/T26zakXqFBI/AAAAAAAAAPU/pfXySbaPp40/s1600/IMGP0028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ClTjp9I1Qf4/T26zakXqFBI/AAAAAAAAAPU/pfXySbaPp40/s200/IMGP0028.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dhangadhi, Western Nepal</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>-By Kabita Gautam</i></b><br />
One day Regional Workshop on Rio+20 was held in Dhangadhi (Western part of Nepal), which was organized by Nepal Youth Task Force for Rio+20 on 24th March 2012. Facilitated by Ms. Kabita Gautam and Ms. Shreejana Bhattarai, there were 45 children and youth from different districts of the Western Region of Nepal who participated in the workshop. The workshop was kindly supported by Far-West Secondary School, Dhangadhi and Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) Program, Dhangadhi.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Starting with the welcome speech, Ms. Shreejana Bhattarai introduced Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 and presented the scenario on Green Economy and Sustainable Development. Focusing on the Mountain Agendas, she explained the status of Nepal in Rio+20. The participants showed their due interest on the topics. She also gave a flash back on how was The Earth Summit started. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then, there was a short Quiz which made the workshop more exciting for the participants. The winners of the quiz were awarded a book by Ms. Kabita Gautam. Introducing Rio+20, Ms. Kabita Gautam highlighted on why is Rio+20 needed? With a short tea break, she shared few successful stories of Sustainable Development around the world and explained what is going to happen in Rio+20. The participants were actively involved in the discussion along with their curiosity on Rio+20. After the presentation, Ms. Kabita Gautam made the workshop more interactive. As “The Earth Summit” is also included in the course book, the workshop was very fruitful for the participants and Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 team members were overwhelmed by the responses from the participants. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After the interactive discussion, Ms. Kabita Gautam asked the participants to share their views on the Role of Children and Youth in Green Economy and Sustainable Development. Their views were collected and compiled. There was also a feedback session on workshop which cheered up the Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 team members. It was really amazing that the children and youth wanted to contribute and work with the team. The workshop was a great learning for the participants. They will be writing on different issues regarding green economy and sustainable development in coming days which will be published in the official blog and website of Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 and other medias as well. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, there was “Vote of Thanks” session, during which Mr. Tek Kadal (Far West Secondary School, Dhangadhi) expressed his sincere gratitude to the team and wished them for further similar activities. Ms. Kanchan Ojha (Terai Arc Landscape Program, Dhangadhi) requested the children and youth not to waste the energy they possess and act in time so they can acquire a secure future. Respected Vice-Principal, Mr. Bishnu Rai (Far West Secondary School, Dhangadhi) conveyed his gladness to have such an opportunity to learn about sustainable development as well as he emphasized the team to organize such events frequently as such issues has to be tackled in time to make this planet a better place to live. The workshop was then resumed with a huge round of applause for everyone for its grand success.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8765505515485552441.post-10054015739517248092012-02-24T20:04:00.012+06:002012-04-09T16:47:25.361+06:00Nepal National Youth Consultation on Response to Rio+20 Zero Draft held<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ApXlNKuhhOc/T3ppyPxkJCI/AAAAAAAAAPs/vb1QhZQAvyo/s1600/Zero+Draft.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ApXlNKuhhOc/T3ppyPxkJCI/AAAAAAAAAPs/vb1QhZQAvyo/s200/Zero+Draft.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">National Consultation, Kathmandu</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>- By Kabita Gautam and Shreejana Bhattarai</b></i></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20 organised a national youth consultation on Rio+20 Zero Draft at the ICIMOD headquarter on Friday, 24 February 2012. The youth consultation was organised as part of the Earth Debate in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas, ICIMOD-British Council initiative to debate on Earth Summit issues in the region.</span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Approximately 50 participants attended the consultation which was facilitated by Mr. Abhisek Shrestha and Ms. Kabita Gautam. The program started with introduction of all the core team members of Nepal Youth Task Force on Rio+20. Then, the briefings on Rio+20 and Zero Draft document was done by Ms. Kabita Gautam.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Focusing on what is there in the Zero Draft and Mountain Issue (Para 94), the session was carried further with an informative discussion by Mr. Abhisek Shrestha. The participants were asked what are the missing links in the mountain issue in the zero draft and what can be the role of youths in that. All the inputs from the participants were collected in meta cards. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The discussion was quite fruitful which came up with curiosity of the participants on the matters. The level of interest they showed in Rio+20 and Role of Youth highly encouraged the team to share the information in coming days. Some of the participants also suggested the team to conduct such type of program to engage number of youth participants and make the issues more inclusive.</span></span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Some of the comments from youth participants:<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>A. Missing links in the Zero Draft regarding Mountain:</u></b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;">Watershed management and sustainable mountain development should be urgently addressed because these have an impact on millions of people who depend on the mountains for their water”.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">As the development of infrastructure can degrade mountain environments and increase migration to urban areas, mountain development should aim to provide basic services and employment opportunities for local communities.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">There should be an emphasis on providing opportunities for young people in mountain areas, because without these people the indigenous communities will rapidly die out.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Capacity building initiatives should address gender, caste and other social inclusion issues in order to build a sustainable future for mountain communities.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Responsible eco-tourism should be promoted and supported as one means of sustaining mountain communities and environments.</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>B. Role of Youth:</u></b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><ol><li>Youth should be responsible towards environment conservation implementing eco-ideas and eco-friendly techniques.</li>
<li>Young people are generally better educated about the threats to our environment than older generations, and are therefore likely to be effective agents of change.</li>
<li>Governments should engage directly with concerned youth groups on environmental issues, involving them in policy discussions and being responsible to them for policy implementation, because in the longer term it is the young who will live with the consequences of those policies.</li>
<li>The huge problem of labor migration and brain drain of youth needs to be addressed.</li>
<li>Selected young people should be trained in advocacy and communication skills so that they will be able to mobilize other people to take appropriate action to limit environmental degradation.</li>
<li>Governments should make use of the energy and commitment of concerned youth groups to spread messages about effective environmental management to the wider population.</li>
<li>Youth can play an effective role to share the outcomes of Rio+20 among the local people from the grass-root to national level.</li>
</ol></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3