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Youth leadership regional exchange workshop focused on marine and coastal environmental advocacy will be held from March 16-20 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
WASHINGTON – Ninety-five percent of Southeast Asia’s coral reefs are at risk. This environmental issue, among others, is the inspiration behind the “YSEALI Generation: Oceans” workshop to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia from March 16-20, 2016. The workshop will bring together sixty-four young Southeast Asian leaders between the ages of 18 to 25, representing all 10 ASEAN member countries.
The workshop and exchange initiative, funded by a grant through the Embassy of the United States in Jakarta, Indonesia and administered by Cultural Vistas, is part of President Obama’s Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI).
The focus of the YSEALI Generation regional exchange workshop is to engage 64 rising Southeast Asian leaders on current issues in marine and coastal environments. The four-day event will focus on developing paths to policy, technical, and civil society solutions for the most serious problems.
The workshop will include a series of lectures on regional and global marine and coastal issues, interactive discussions, and a field trip to an island in the Thousand Islands archipelago to illustrate the lessons discussed. The site visit will also include an activity that will promote sustainable growth of a healthy coastal ecosystem.
The young Southeast Asian leaders participating in the workshop will be divided into 16 multi-national teams guided by one ‘Leader Mentor’ from the ASEAN region or the United States. Each team will have a participant from Indonesia.
The group will focus on enhancing skills by applying them to real-world situations. They will develop action plans to address marine and coastal issues and jointly carry out the solution across the region. At the end of the workshop, the young leaders will be equipped to help prepare their communities to the changing conditions of the oceans through a more collaborative approach on environmental sustainability.
The YSEALI Oceans workshop will also give participants the opportunity to learn about the U.S.-ASEAN partnership and develop skills in advocacy, outreach, project management, and resource and partnership development.
As part of the curriculum, participants will learn about and apply the latest crowd-funding techniques to their projects. After the workshop, each team will raise money for their action plan will be eligible to receive up to a $1,000 in matching funds. In addition, the two teams with the most exceptional plans will have the opportunity to travel to the United States and take part in the YSEALI Oceans U.S. Study Tour later this fall.
YSEALI is part of the United States’ continued commitment to the Asia-Pacific region, which is home to two-thirds of the world’s population and among the world’s fastest growing economies.
President Obama made the strategic decision at the beginning of his administration to rebalance U.S. foreign policy towards the Asia-Pacific, recognizing that the future prosperity and security of the nation is linked to that of the region. The United States is building upon its active and enduring presence in the region as a Pacific nation.
About the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI)
Launched in 2013, YSEALI is President Barack Obama’s signature program to strengthen leadership development across ASEAN, deepen engagement with young leaders on key regional and global challenges, and strengthen people-to-people ties between the U.S. and Southeast Asia. Recognizing that over 65% of ASEAN’s population is under the age of 35, YSEALI is a critical investment in the next generation of Southeast Asian leaders. Learn more at yseali.state.gov.
Fast Facts
YSEALI Generation: OCEANS Workshop & Exchange Initiative
March 16-20, 2016 | Jakarta, Indonesia
General Info | Program Overview | #YSEALIoceans
This initiative will take place in three distinct components: virtual learning exercises (February 8-March 11), a four-day workshop in Jakarta, Indonesia (March 16-20), and post-workshop activities, including the:
- Issuance of seed grants to implement environmental action plans (May-June)
- YSEALI Oceans U.S. Study Tour for top two teams (September)
Key Statistics:
- .007% of water worldwide is accessible and drinkable (Reference: National Geographic)
- Over 30% of the world’s fish stocks are overfished. (Reference: WWF)
- By 2025, there could be 155 million tons of plastic in the ocean (Reference: National Geographic)
- 65% of the ASEAN population is under 35 years old (Reference: YSEALI.gov)
- Asia’s rivers have three times more waste than the world average (Reference: Global Water Forum)
- 95% of Southeast Asia’s coral reefs are at risk. (Reference: World Resources Institute)
About Cultural Vistas
Founded in 1963, Cultural Vistas is a nonprofit exchange organization promoting global understanding and collaboration among individuals and institutions. We develop international professional experiences that create more informed, skilled, and engaged citizens. Our programs empower people to drive positive change in themselves, their organizations, and society. Cultural Vistas is headquartered in New York with regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Berlin. Learn more at culturalvistas.org.
Follow @CulturalVistas and @YSEALIoceans on Twitter