ASIAN YOUTH FORUM 2001 FAMILY-BASIS TO CREATE ASIAN CULTURES OF PEACE

Bangkok Governor H.E.Samak Sundaravej addressing the Asian Youth Forum. Rector Dr.P. Martin Komolmas opening the Asian Youth Forum.

Background:

Assumption University proudly hosted the 3rd Asian Youth Forum under the theme 'FAMILY-Basis to Create Asian Cultures of Peace' The Asian Youth Forum (AYF) is an annual conference jointly organized by Assumption University and UNESCO. The AYF team worked closely with the UNESCO' s Principal Unit for Social and Human Sciences based in Bangkok, Thailand and hoped to create a regional platform for young student leaders, using AYF as a focal point to achieve this goal. United Nations described the year 2000 as the International Year for the Culture of Peace under UNESCO's leadership. More than 72 million people world-wide pledged in support for a Culture of Peace under the global initiative.

As a youth organization, AYF responded to the call for a 'Culture of Peace,' in a proactive manner. Activities focused on the decade 2001-2010 that has been declared by the United Nations the international decade for a culture of peace and non-violence for the children of the world.

The first Asian Youth Forum was held in Bangkok in 1998 under the theme, 'Asian Student Leaders for the Next Millennium' It brought together over fifty representatives, from ten participating countries with the support of UN-ESCAP. The conference encouraged student leaders to better understand our increasingly changing world as we venture into the new millennium in the context of multiculturalism.

The second Asian Youth Forum was jointly organized with UNESCO.

The theme of the conference was 'The Young Face of Asia: A continent in transition'. It alluded to the fact that Asia was changing at a dynamic pace due to external influences and internal initiations. Education was seen as a key ingredient that could be used to keep pace with and influence this change

Rationale:

"How can peace. be achieved?" This was the very same question confronted by the United Nations more than half-a-century ago, during its inception after World War II. In answering this question, the UN concluded that in order to achieve global peace, one has to tackle the root causes of war.

These roots often stem from discontent that arises from poverty, ignorance, greed, and other social predicaments. The United Nations thus concluded that an integral part of its resources would be devoted to fighting for the social security of all persons in the hope of securing global peace.

The Asian Youth Forum used the conference this year to take a proactive standpoint on the issue of strong family ties through family solidarity and it created a plan of action that can be implemented by delegates when they return to their home countries.

Objectives:

• To bring the youth leaders of Asia together.
• To cultivate awareness through dialogue, discussions and guest speakers, on the importance of family strength.
• To facilitate a forum for cultural exchange and interaction; among the youth of Asia.
• To extend and strengthen both network and partner relationships of Assumption University with foreign universities and other local universities.
• To set up a channel of linkage of the students in Asia in order to discuss mutual problems.
• To produce a "Plan of Action" to be implemented by the delegates on their return to their home countries.