Deadline: September 7, 2014
Applications are invited for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Youth Forum taking place in Bangkok, Thailand from 19 – 20 December 2014. Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the GMS are looking for youth representatives from each of the 6 GMS countries to participate in the 2nd GMS Youth Forum.
The 2nd GMS Youth Forum (GMS YF2) will enable the young people of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) to further explore what it means to GMS Youth for their countries to be connected and contribute to a dynamic community. The GMS YF2 will provide members of the 5th GMS Summit to hear from youth who represent constituencies of young people from their home countries. One component of the GMS Summit will be the GMS YF2, whose theme is GMS Youth: Connected and Contributing to a Dynamic Community.
Objectives
GMS YF2 aims to:
- encourage GMS youth’s active participation in the GMS Program, consistent with its Human Resource Development thrust;
- draw on the youth’s perspectives towards involving them in community building efforts; and
- enhance the forward-looking dimension of the GMS Program.
The GMS YF2 will have 3 elements:
- National Youth Consultations that will take place in their home country in August-October 2014 (a total of 6 National Youth Consultations will take place, one in each of the 6 GMS countries). The National Youth Consultation will be an opportunity to solicit diverse ideas from the youth across the country and to consolidate these ideas for a youth message to the Leaders. The participants will first receive a general introduction to the GMS program and the 3 Cs. Then, focusing on the theme of the Summit, the participants will discuss and debate the key issues presented. Register here.
- GMS Youth Caravan, which is a 7-day trip (exact length to be confirmed) through all 6 GMS countries in December and ending in Bangkok for the Summit. This event will bring together the 36 (6 participants per country [3 men and 3 women] x 6 countries) selected GMS youth in learning and working sessions to learn more about the GMS and its achievements and challenges, and to prepare for the Second Youth Forum at the 5th GMS Summit.
- GMS Youth Forum itself, which will take place in parallel to the 5th GMS Summit in Bangkok. The GMS Youth Forum is the culminating event, and will comprise working sessions, social events, and a photography exhibit. Apply to be a youth representative.
GMS countries
- Cambodia
- The People’s Republic of China (PRC, specifically Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region)
- Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR)
- Myanmar
- Thailand
- Viet Nam
General Eligibility
- Students who have a strong interest in development, regional cooperation, and the areas of the GMS’s focus: transport, energy, telecommunications, environment, human resource development, tourism, trade, private sector investment, and agriculture;
- Students who have held leadership positions in university or in their personal lives;
- Students who can communicate effectively with others, both other students and senior government officials.
Youth Representative Selection Criteria
Applicants should have a strong interest in development, regional cooperation, and the areas of the GMS’s focus. Successful applicants must demonstrate a commitment to following up the initiative in their own countries after the event.
The selected candidates will represent an even gender balance, urban and rural experiences, and varied courses of studies.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Age: 18-25 years old as of September 1, 2014;
- Educational level and area of study: applicants must be university students studying in their home country;
- Language skills: have a strong command of written and spoken English;
- Passport and travel availability: must hold a GMS passport valid through June 30, 2015 and be available to travel for about 2 weeks in December 2014.
- Residency: GMS resident.
National Youth Consultation Selection Criteria
- Age: 18-25 years old as of September 1, 2014;
- Educational level and area of study: applicants must be university students studying in their home country;
- Language skills: have a strong command of written and spoken English;
- Residency: GMS resident.
Application
For more information, visit 2nd GMS Youth Forum.
