MESSAGE FROM ACB
Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim
Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
To our guests,
Mr. Christian Schwarzer
Co-founder of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network
GYBN Secretariat, speakers, and fellowship grantees,
Good afternoon to all of you!
First of all, I would like to congratulate all the fellows coming from Indonesia and the Philippines, namely the Teens Go Green Indonesia, Salumayag Youth Collective for Forests, Philippines, and Indonesian Invasive Species Action Network, Indonesia, for being chosen as the grantees of the ASEAN Youth Conservation Action Fund Fellowship Funding for Conservation Projects. Your outstanding efforts in the conduct of your project is an inspiration to other youth organisations across ASEAN.
As part of your capacity building, you are given this opportunity to learn more about project management, particularly, regional project management from the experts. You will be taught the fundamentals of the project life cycle, as well as the common tools used in project management, and even the practical ways on how to approach the challenges that may occur during project implementation. With your natural talent and innovative strategies, I am confident that after this session, you will be more inspired to formulate new strategies to enhance your respective projects and strengthen your work to protect biodiversity in your project sites as well as improve the lives of the project beneficiaries.
I am here live online before you to demonstrate that The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity puts a premium on the role of youth like all of you, in sustainably managing the wealth of natural resources in Southeast Asia. This is also the reason why we have institutionalised the ASEAN Youth Biodiversity Programme as one of the flagship programmes of the ACB to encourage and empower ASEAN youth to participate in policy making and project planning and implementation at all levels—from the national, regional, and global scales. I am also hoping we can set up an AYBP alumni squad, at some point, as a source of ACB pool of staff in the future. Our partnership with the Global Youth Network, which is being supported by the Convention of Biological Diversity, strengthens our commitment to scale up efforts on biodiversity conservation, valuation, sustainable management, and equitable sharing of benefits derived from the region’s web of life.
Furthermore, Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity clearly stipulate that the youth are vital in global conservation efforts. Target 22 of the Global Biodiversity Plan states the full, equitable, inclusive, effective and gender-responsive representation and participation in decision-making including the indigenous peoples, women, children, and youth, access to justice and information related to biodiversity for all.
We therefore trust that you, the young ASEAN conservation champions, will be our able partners in promoting the value of biodiversity in the region by pushing for more science-based decision-making at the same time, taking into account our unique cultural and traditional knowledge. These factors must be taken into account in policymaking and in biodiversity mainstreaming into various development sectors and establishing a strong network of youth leaders and organisations. By doing this, you become a strong pillar of our work in the ACB in fostering regional cooperation and community building in the ASEAN region.
I hope that you will all have insightful project management training and enjoyable discussions with other fellows.
I wish you all the best on your next set of activities with the guidance and support of AYBP and the GYBN.
Again, congratulations to all of you and good luck!
