A distance learning seminar organized by the World Bank and the Vietnam Development Information Center in cooperation with the following World Bank Offices and GDLN affiliates:

Many young people in the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region have become interested and actively engaged in the world development process, and some are continuously making efforts to have their voices heard when policies are considered that affect them. The objectives of this seminar is to support those efforts.

This seminar will bring together youth leaders, Bank staff, and policy-makers from the region, to discuss development programs initiated by youth as well as their concerns about role of youth in development. The seminar will also explore the potential for increasing youth participation in the decision-making process at national levels.  The focus of this seminar is in line with the key message of the World Development Report 2007: Development and the Next Generation, which emphasizes youth as partners in the development agenda. By acknowledging the efforts of youth and their potential as effective partners, this seminar should serve as first step toward the creation of a more permanent dialogue between youth, the Bank, and national policy-makers on issues of mutual concern relating to international development.

For further information, visit:
http://www.worldbank.org/wdr2007 (East Asia and Pacific regional highlights)http://www.worldbank.org/eapyouth (East Asia and Pacific youth website)

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The seminar will focus on increasing youth participation in the decision-making process at the national level. In response to interests expressed by youth during the first seminar, this seminar will explore the themes of employment. During the session, the youth will present ideas and discuss with policy-makers on how they might be able to contribute to the development process and how current policies might be improved from their perspectives. Policy-makers from respective countries will also provide their views on stated issues and discuss potential solutions and prospects for collaboration with youth in tackling the issues. The seminar provides an opportunity for inter-regional knowledge sharing on youth participation and seeks to stimulate discussions between youth and policy-makers in all participating countries. Dialogue between youth and policy-makers will also take place off-line in order to facilitate the discussions and develop plans for further collaboration.

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Moderator: Nina Bhatt, Social Development Specialist, Social Development Sector, World Bank

Introductory Speaker: Emmanuel Y. Jimenez, Director, World Development Report 2007 and Director, Human Development (Education, Health, Nutrition and Population), East Asia and Pacific Region, World Bank.

Additional presentations and discussions will be provided by Youth and Government Officials Representing: Vietnam, Lao PDR, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Youth Presenters:

• Presentation 1 (76kb pdf):  Busawan (Bo) Kachonnarongvanish, Thailand.
   Thailand Participants List (72kb pdf)

See also:
 e-discussion on youth employment in Thailand
 Thai Youth Leader Urges Peers to Speak Up (feature story)
 Youth Engagement Program in Thailand

• Presentation 2 (272kb pdf): Youth Group from World Bank Office Jakarta, Indonesia.
   
• Presentation 3 (40kb pdf): Khampoune Keoviphakone, Deputy Head of Young Pioneers Development Department, Lao PDR.
   Lao Participants List (78kb pdf)
   
• Presentation 4 (42kb pdf): Nguyen Minh Hoang and Nguyen Thi Anh Nguyet, Vietnam.

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Bangkok, Chulalongkorn University, Development Learning Center, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, June 29
Tinnakorn Sareenun. Email: tsareenun@worldbank.org
Achara Kuwinpant, DLC Coordinator. Email: achara@car.chula.ac.th

Hanoi, Development Information Center, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, June 29
Mai Thi Hong Bo. Email: mbo@worldbank.org;
Nuong Dieu Nguyen. Email: nnguyen2@worldbank.org

Jakarta, World Bank Office, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, June 29
Wiwiek Sonda. Email: wsonda@worldbank.org

Phnom Penh, World Bank Office, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, June 29
Bou Saroeun. sbou@worldbank.org

Singapore, World Bank Office, 10:00 AM - 13:00 PM, June 29
May Ann Lim. Email: mlim3@worldbank.org

Tokyo Development Learning Center, 11:00 AM - 14:00 PM, June 29
Mika Iwasaki. Email: miwasaki@worldbank.org

Vientiane, World Bank Office, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, June 29
Viengsamay Srithirath. Email: vsrithirath@worldbank.org

Sydney, World Bank Office, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM, June 29
Susan Jane Spencer. Email: ssspencer@worldbank.org

Washington DC, GDLN Studio, 10:00 PM, June 28 - 01:00 AM, June 29
Cesar Gordillo. Email: cgordillo1@worldbank.org

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