My Team is complete!! Thanks to those who responded

LOOKING FOR BLOGGERS/WRITERS for Team Asia

Ok, this is not my usual post but I need to do this for a reason - I am looking for bloggers/writers/journalists - so I decided tweeting, Facebooking or blogging about it might spread the word and get me the people I need for Team Asia.

I have recently (fortunately) been given the Country/Regional Editor post at Future Challenges (www.futurechallenges.org)

Future Challenges is a new initiative - an internet platform - that was recently launched by the Bertelsmann Foundation. The platform will have bloggers/writers from all over the world covering issues/subjects like Climate Change, Natural Resources and Biodiversity, Demographic Change, Globalization, New Governance, Pandemics, Migration, Security and Anti-terror policy.  The bloggers that I hire for my team will cover these topics or subjects relating/co-relating to these mega-trends.

What does the blogger/writer/journalist have to do?
Writers will post one story per month on any of these topics or subjects relating to them. I can go over the editorial details with you'll.  The posts are voluntary initially but commitment can lead to monetary compensation.

I need bloggers/writers from:

Bhutan
Nepal
Thailand
Burma
Laos
Philippines
Vietnam
Japan
Korea

You can contact me: methokny@gmail.com

LOCALISATION: Development Without Destruction. (Globalization isn't necessarily that great after all)

Helena Norberg-Hodge is Founder and Director of International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC), the Ladakh Project and Local Food Program. She is a native of Sweden and a linguist by training. She is a leading critic of conventional notions of growth and development. The ISEC examines the root causes of social and environmental crises, while promoting more sustainable and equitable patterns of living.  Helena is author of numerous books including ANCIENT FUTURES: LEARNING FROM LADAKH, based on first hand experience of the effects of conventional development in Ladakh. Her work has received wide support and recognition and in 1986 she received the Right Livelihood Award known as the "Alternative Nobel Prize." Helena is also director of documentary ECONOMICS OF HAPPINESS, which advocates localization.

This is the talk she gave at Trace Foundation's Latse Library (www.trace.org) in the West Village of New York [during their event entitled Local Knowledge & Sustainable Development in the Himalayas]." 

When we talk about "development" we have to look at the bigger picture. This "Economic Development" in the world today is the one and same system that is being imposed on everyone and has
its roots in the Colonialism and Slavery era. It is important to examine this in a compassionate way and understand that it is not to name and blame anyone but to re-examine the process.

In Britain there was a small group of wealthy elites that broke up the local economy, not only in Britain but also in other parts of the world. Through colonization they destroyed local economies by force - for example, the forced mass production of cotton in India for consumption in England and re-selling the factory generated garments from that cotton back to India.  This process destroyed the consumption for locally produced hand-spun clothes produced and made by locals in India. It broke down the local community fabric of interconnectedness, the knowledge of the land and community production. It also had harmful repercussions on the environment.

Bangkok - One of my Favourite cities near ruin.

People in Asia should learn a good lesson from what has happened in Bangkok/Thailand. Too much interference from the powers that be (military or otherwise) despite the fact that the government was democratically elected and won legitimately; despite that the man who was elected may have been corrupt, is what causes this sort of violent anarchy.

Did you know that in the entire history of Thailand's Democracy, there has not been a single government that was able to serve its elected term, except for Thaksin?

And talk about coups. Thailand's democratic history has been spotted with them thus making you realize that an elected government can never be sure of its term in such an environment because of such interference whether it be from the army or the monarchy or whatever powers that be.

In 1976 there was a coup, in 1981 another coup but one that failed, in 1991 another coup then in 1997 the country saw a catastrophic economic collapse from staggering foreign debt. In 2001 finally Thaksin (a billionaire and telecom tycoon) came to power but his record was not all that clear. He was already facing corruption charges in 2000 but managed to clear them in 2001.

How the resettlement of Tibetan Nomads causes a loss in local knowledge of sustainable development

 JIGME GYALTSEN from Golok Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture talks about how the relocation of nomadic Tibetans, who lived so in sync with the environment and their natural surroundings, is causing a break-down and eradication of the local knowledge of sustainable development and an ancient sustainable way of living.

He is the Principal of Nationalities Vocational School at the Golok Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.  He holds a degree from Qinghai Nationalities University and has studied at several prominent Tibetan Buddhist Colleges. To promote his vision for educational reform Jigme Gyaltsen established in 1994 the Jigme Gyaltsen Nationalities Vocational School in the Golok Prefecture which now has more than 800 students. With assistance from a U.S foundation he has recently also set up the Machen Rajun Girl's School which now has 400 students.

"When you talk about Sustainable Development it can be applied to both the positive and negative. in talking about it, it has to be focused on benefits - the essence is not whether it can be beneficial temporarily but whether it can have benefits over long term from life time to life time. This kind of development is based on Tibetan philosophical view of sustainability.

The characteristic of Tibetan life is largely herding and nomadic in nature. The Tibetan understanding of Environmental Protection is incorporated within this lifestyle.  There is a Tibetan idiom: The black hair of the humans depends on the quality of hair of the animals, the quality of hair of the animals depends upon the quality of the grass.

For generations we have come to an understanding of how to live and cope with our environment understanding interconnectedness.  Our people have understanding of ow to adjust and manageme environmental protection, as it was incorporated in their everyday life and relationship with the mountains.

Global Voicers like Horton hears the Who!

A person's a person, no matter how small - Horton

There's a tiny person on that speck that needs my help! - Horton

Recouping my thoughts from the Global Voices Summit in Santiago, it reminded me of the story of Horton Hears a Who. All the activists/writers/bloggers/journalists who descended on Santiago for the week were, in many ways, like Horton - trying to make the world hear the voices of people/communities/societies that would, otherwise, never be heard.

Now for many of you who might be hooked or partially hooked to social media networks like FaceBook, Twitter, Blogs etc. you've probably realized how good it feels to (apart from staying connected and sharing information) give vent/voice to the issues you care about and make yourselves heard. That is precisely what this conference was about.

Those of you who knew about my trip to Santiago Chile` - or seen the pictures - my trip there was not all fun and play. I wrote about my reflections on my travels to Chile` but that was more of a travel retrospection and nothing of the real reason why I was there.

PM's call for investigation into the NIE Samchi case is a move to be applauded

The recent Kuensel article about the case @ the National Institute for Education a Teacher Training Institute in Samchi is really nothing surprising. There are many incidents like this that happen or have happened, where authorities or big wigs in a small town go throwing their weight around thinking that they can get away with bullying people.

Unfortunately for these heavy weights it seems like they haven't come to the realization that while this may have been something they could get away with even as recently as a few years ago, things have changed, people have changed. It is good to know that even though the women/teachers who were offended by this incident are willing to keep quiet and rescind their accusations, the Prime Minister is pushing for a full investigation.

This act is what will restore trust and faith in  a government and a system that supports people by pushing for the truth even if the victims/offended ones are unwilling to speak up.  I hope that even though the women think it was no big deal (after all nobody was physically hurt) they will realize that it is indeed a BIG deal when people in positions of power do this, it becomes even more inexcusable.

It reminds me of an incident when I was in college. One evening the principal showed up at the girls hostel reeking of alcohol. I occupied a single seater room and when the door to my room opened without so much as a knock only to find my principal standing at the door with the nun peeking from behind, I was aghast. Although I was not naked (it might have been a catastrophic situation otherwise) I had already removed my koma and my kira was half-way down my waist!  You can well imagine how angry and appalled I was!

But this was way back in the 80's when, even if we knew that such a thing like that was wrong, we didn't have the right no I should say ability, to speak up. Things have changed dear people, especially in the last few years.  Reading this story makes me realize that people often complain about their governments and their rights, yet when a government, especially one like ours, is there trying to empower and protect the people, they refuse to speak up.  If things like this continue to happen, people shouldn't blame the government but themselves then.

Future Challengers

The video link (click on Future Challengers) or You Tube that I have posted is a compilation of interviews of bloggers for the  platform called "Future Challenges".



You can check out the site @ www.futurechallenges.org, on twitter @ http://twitter.com/FutureChall_org
or on Facebook.

Just to admit to you before you watch the video that I am the only one with the "deadpan" expression and happen to be the most un-lively interviewee. Thank God for the other lively speakers. I have never been on camera before and never want to be on camera. I always prefer working behind the scenes, but seeing this has made me realize that I have a great deal to work on if I need to go in front of one.

Would love to hear your comments, rather criticisms, if you have any so that I can work on my act next time (lol!)

Reflections from my trip to Chile`

My trip to Chile` was the first for many things:

*First time in Latin America and therefore first time going to the Southern Hemisphere and south of the equator
* It was also my first time seeing a Volcano, even if it was a dormant one - there was a thrill in realizing what it could be capable of.
* first time experiencing winter at the height of summer!

I was hoping to write posts everyday of my trip but wifi turned out to be bad - really bad - and in some ways it felt good resigning to the fact that I was going to be disconnected. Ironical though, because the conference was all about citizen/digital media and getting people connected. Anyhow, it wasn't the organizers fault, it was probably the hotel.

Now that I am back, though, I've been reflecting on my trip and thought I would pen down some of my observations.

*San Pedro de Atacama is a lovely village and I would go there again - anytime. I was so appreciative to be in a place where there were no shopping malls, commercial structures, golden arches etc etc. but I must remind myself that I was in the desert and that is why. But it still felt good to be far from the madding crowd and good to know that there are places, even if its deserts, that will prevent humans from spotting it with their ugly creations. I also loved the fact that I got to see animals in their natural setting (Vicunas, a fox, exotic birds and wild donkeys) and to see how the native Atacamans lived.