MAY JUNE 2011

THE 1ST SOUTH ASIAN YOUTH CONFERENCE, 2011

CONFERENCE REPORT

THE 1ST SOUTH ASIA YOUTH CONFERENCE HOSTED BY THE BLUE RIBBON MOVEMENT
23
RD

MAY TO 28

TH

MAY, 2011, AT THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, BANGALORE

Message from all the SAYCians

Dear Friends, We, the youth of South Asia have taken a major step towards building a cohesive region. The first South Asian Youth Conference was planned as a landmark step towards greater co-operation in the South Asian Region. It was a roaring success, with support from all the stakeholders of the conference - Peace Child, IIM Bangalore, Oxfam, the participants, the press and the community leaders. This conference lived true to its theme of 'Peace' - over the six days of the conference, this theme was explored in various ways. The conference has kick started a series of action projects, both at an individual and at a group level. Our declaration is being presented all around the world as the voice of what the South Asian Youth want - from their governments and their people. This report encapsulates not only what the activities of the conference were, but also the spirit of the South Asian youth that this conference brought out. Your thoughts, ideas and opinions about the proceedings are invaluable. Please go through the report and let us know your l bl ti d id

Participant Profile
There were 70 participants from 8 countries in the age range of 18 to 25. Almost every participant has been working at the ground level on some development issue. Around 20% of the participants were working professionals who are working in different development fields. Through the application we have judged the passion and the understanding participants have of the issues and problems of the South Asian region. The participants are action driven and have displayed this quality in their lives. Also they are cohesive already through the online interactions and in-person meetings and on the right path to form long-term partnerships that will help the region of South Asia
Participant Mix

About the Participant Selection Process

The selection of participants was done by selectors from Blue Ribbon and the national selectors from each participating country. The national selectors were nominated by Peace Child International. Written applications were sent in by the applicants that were evaluated using an exhaustive selection rubric. The selection rubric was designed by experts and ratified by Blue Ribbon as well as Peace Child International. The criterion in the rubric were such that applicants who are working on the ground, have shown leadership, have the ability to bring change were selected. The selection ratio was approximately 1 in 5. And the double check (by Blue Ribbon and National Selectors) ensured highest quality standard.

Snapshots

Welcoming the participants

Organizing Chairperson Abhishek Thakore addressing the participants and sharing what one can expect in the days to follow

Our esteemed Guests of Honour inaugurating the C f

SAYcians

A memorable speech by IIM-B Director, Prof. Chandra This too shall pass.

An outstanding & inspiring cultural performance by visually impaired students of Sri Ramana Maharishi Academy for the Blind (SRMAB), Bangalore

A power-packed speech by Prof. RooshikumarPandya Success: From Patanjali to the Present.

Opening address by the President of Peace Child International Mr. David Woollcombe

Participants raising queries and bring up pertinent topics during the opening talks

Cultural performances by Krishnakshi, an accomplished young dancer from Assam

Opening Plenary Talks

Participants and Organizers on Day 1

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Plenaries were speaker oriented sessions where a keynote speaker and a few other speakers set the tone and theme of the Session

Peace Within
Speaker: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Art of Living Sri Sri was the keynote speaker on the first thematic day of the conference, talking on achieving Peace Within. In the middle of the session, he conducted a 15 minute meditation (which felt like 5 minutes to many)and answered varied questions ranging from What is meant by Art of Living? to Do you believe in God?

Opening Plenary Talks

Peace with Others

Keynote Speaker: Prof. TrilochanShastry, IIM, Bangalore Prof. Shastry gave a short talk on why the world is at odds with itself, and how one often sees a successful crusader without realizing the years of efforts and groundwork that has gone into making him the person that he or she is. He suggested we work towards bridging the gap between India and Bharat, the two different parts of the country that exist today, with the first being largely insulated from the second. Speaker: Ranjan Malik, Erehwon Consulting Ranjan presented a brilliant take on Innovation, with a social change perspective. Titled The Fools Innovation, his session spoke of how a person who is foolishly optimistic in seeing possibilities where none exist, asks new questions, thinks radically, and is selfentitled in taking initiative, is often viewed by others as a Fool, but it is Fools that really bring about change in the world. His illustrated slides gave a framework for radical change in any system that they call Orbital Shift.

Peace with the Environment

Round-table conference Our Speakers: AnuradhaBhavnani, Shell Foundation David Woolcombe, Peace Child International SeethaAnanthsivan, Bhoomi AkshayHeblikar, Eco-Watch Achyutha Sharma, Sulochana Trust Ravi ThejaMuthu, CleaIN Each person made a small presentation of about 7-8 minutes on their organizational or individual take on the issue of climate change and their environmental initiatives to counter it. The themes ranged from <please fill in> (ask Ravi to send this) After the presentations, there were break-out sessions with each speaker interacting with a smaller group of participants on their own initiatives. The speakers summed up their own observations from the interaction and concluded the session.

Thematic Sessions
Thematic sessions were expert led sessions where participants were introduced to concepts regarding the theme of the day, and engage with ideas surrounding the same. I. Thematic Session I: Peace Within Speaker:VinodSreedhar, Journeys with Meaning Vinod led an interactive session with the audience, going deeper into the causes of inner conflict and disturbance. Through questions, dialogue, and probing, he got the participants to explore their own sources of conflicts and come up with alternatives towards establishing peace inside. II. Thematic Session II: Peace with Others Speaker: Ranjan Malik, Erehwon Consulting Ranjan anchored a practical brainstorming session on the concrete steps participants can take towards peace in the region. He used a unique model of collective ideation. With chart papers, marker pens, set on table, participants rotated and jotted down in a minute, ideas triggered by the mentioned theme. These were then collated at a family level to come up with two radical new approached towards peace in the region. Several new insights and practical action emerged that set stage for future collaborative projects. III. Thematic Session III: Oxford Union style debate Facilitator: David Woollcombe, Peace Child International Motion:"This house believes that a completely peaceful South Asia is not a realistic possibility in our lifetime." In this passionate debate, two participants each spoke for and against the motion, after which the debate was thrown open to the house before allowing the two sides to give a concluding address. A show of hands at the start showed more people for the motion, disbelieving in the possibility of peace in our lifetime. However, a vote in the end proved a majority against the motion, showing faith in the real possibility of peace, and the motion was defeated. This session saw vociferous arguments from the brilliant, articulate speakers who were on stage representing the two sides.

Workshops

There were two different kinds of workshops conducted at SAYC one by experts in different fields, and other by the participants themselves. These workshops ran in 6 parallel slots through the 3 days; participants had a choice of which ones they wanted to attend. Workshop slot I 1. Meditation as the way to absolute peace (through Vihangam Yoga) Facilitator: Naamdeo Singh 2. Success story of peace Facilitator: Prahasitha, One World Academy 3. Bridging the gap between policy and implementation Facilitator: Simren Thomas 4. Theatre workshop Facilitator: Peace Child International Workshop slot II 1. Introduction to Falun Dafa Facilitator: Bharat Valecha 2. Individual Action Plan Facilitator: Peace Child International 3. Think like an entrepreneur Facilitator: Anand Gupta 4. Cross-Cultural Dialogue for Peace, Friendship and Sustainable Development Youth are Leaders of Today Facilitator: Anugraha John, Center for Environment Education Workshop slot III 1. Theatre workshops Facilitator: Peace Child International 2. Antarctica and the rest of the world Facilitator: Divya Nawale 3. Paper talk

Workshops

5. Paper talk Facilitator: Mathew Jose, CEO, Paper-Man 6. Peace is togetherness Facilitator: Prahasitha, One World Academy Workshop slot IV 5. Solar Solutions Facilitator: C.B. Jagadeeshwara Reddy 6. Social Media 101 Facilitator: Arpit Mundra, Airtel Young Leaders Program 7. How the movement of human resources brings peace Facilitator: Simren Thomas 8. Community Action Plan Facilitator: Peace Child International Workshop slot V 4. Institutional Governance for Sustainability Facilitator: Peace Child International 5. Introduction to Road to Rio+20 Facilitator: Peace Child International 6. Food and Carbon Credits Facilitator: Seetha Ananthsivan, Bhoomi Workshop slot VI 5. Ambrosiayou can make a difference Facilitator: Chitranshu Tiwari 6. Organic/Natural Farming and the Environment Facilitator: Manish Kumar 7. Ten Guntha experiment

Workshops

9. Ten Guntha experiment Facilitator: Dr. Anand Ahankari 10. Environmental security for a peaceful and sustainable future Facilitator: Akshay Heblikar, Director, Eco-watch Workshop slot VII 5. Transforming your Idea into Reality through practical action Facilitator: Syed Sultan Ahmed, CEO, Edumedia 6. Systems for Personal Effectiveness Facilitator: Akshay Cherian, CEO, Career Craft Special Sessions 5. Youth and Active Citizenship Facilitator: Ms. Nisha Agrawal, Head, Oxfam India 6. Road to Rio+20 and World Youth Congress Facilitator: David Woollcombe, Peace Child International

Round Table: Change Makers Dilemma

The round-table discussion on Day 5 of the conference brought together a panel of exceptional achievers, people who had made a mark in the social space while balancing their personal needs. The speakers first took turns in talking of their personal journeys, moments that made a difference in their lives, and how they approached the dilemma of balancing social contribution with personal aspirations and material goals. Some of them also shared how they dealt with family expectations and peer pressure. The question of Is an MBA really worth pursuing in the context of being a change-maker? was also covered by many. This was followed by an open Question and Answer round. Participants found this session to be the most inspiring and stimulating one, perhaps because of the immediate relevance of the themes covered, and the sheer brilliance of the people present on the panel. They also had an opportunity to engage with speakers after the session over a networking dinner, SAYC night, to continue the intense discussions stirred at the round-table. Panel Speakers: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Syed Sultan Ahmed: CEO, Edumedia Jayaram Krishnan: Consultant, Development sector Anil Kumar Yerra: Marketing Professional, associated with AkshayPatra Foundation Pramod Joshi: Senior Advisor, Shiv Nadar Foundation Vishal Talreja: Co-founder& Executive Director, Dream A Dream, Ashoka Fellow Amitabh Shah: Founder & Chief Inspiration Officer, Yuva Unstoppable LalithaVaidynathan: Managing Director, FSG Impact ChandrikaBahadur: Advisor to the Chairman, Reliance Industries

Action Projects
Day 5 was kept aside for stepping out and getting the participants hands dirty, literally. Half the group went to the Art of Living Ashram. The Art of Living Foundation is a not-for-profit, educational and humanitarian NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) engaged in stress-management and service initiatives. The participants here initially were made to clean the weeds. They were later explained on how organic farming is carried out in acres of land of ashram. One of the teachers briefed them about the Art of Living and its meditation courses. This was followed by a visit to the Ashram. The other half went to Bhoomi, on outskirts of Bangalore city. Bhoomi is an NGO working on organic farming and sustainable living initiatives, including running a magazine on the same. Here, the participants split into different groups and engaged in activities ranging from making tasty, healthy salads, to picking out produce from an organic garden to understanding Bhoomis waste water processing facilities, to learning to make bricks out of mud-blocks. It was interesting to see how small, ecofriendly initiatives were integrated into the running of the entire place

Culture, Fun, and Mingling of Minds: The Informal Events

Family Time Participants were divided into families with 12-13 members each, led by a family leader. Family time was a space for participants to collectively reflect on the days theme, sessions; share their thoughts, experiences, concerns; and jointly work towards the Action Based Change Declaration. This was the building block of the conference the one that brought participants together with a common agenda in a warm, intimate space. There were also meditations, ice-breakers, and group exercises done in families. Some families even awarded nicknames to each member for the duration of the conference! Politically Incorrect Politically incorrect involved spontaneous, informal discussions amongst participants on any issue they chose, to bring out off-the-record controversial and counterpoints in the open. One of the sessions that happened outside the hostel blocks was on Mahatma Gandhi. Another interesting one saw delegates from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Srilanka, Maldives, and India talk about their countries for a few minutes. In a span of an hour, the people present rose to join 5 different national anthems that preceded each presentation! Social Shutterbugs This event used the visual medium to present issues, efforts, successes. Some of the videos were made by participants themselves, talking of their own work. There was much celebration of each others initiatives! Comedy Night A night for participants to unwind, Comedy Night saw Bangalore-based stand-up comedian Sanjay Manaktala and his team tickle the funny bones of the participants. The 3-act series which also picked on some front-row seaters had the audience in splits! VIBGYOR VIBGYOR was a celebration of the vibrant cultures of all the countries present. Participants teamed up according to their countries or regions and performed dances, songs in their own languages, videos from their homeland and so on. There was also a good bit of poetry, drama (evolved from the theater workshop by Peace Child International) and dedications through a fun game of fish-pond. Delegates from different countries came dressed in their traditional outfits. The Srilankan team performed a beautiful native song with strong beats, which caused many of the Indian participants to stand up and perform a traditional Gujarati garba dance to causing quite an eclectic mix! The cultural night ended in a traditional Bhutanese way of dancing in a large circle. Needless to say, endless photo clicks followed!

Annex 1 :A Snapshot of Press Coverage

Annex 2: The Action Based Change Declaration A Summarization

Adopted at the 1st South Asian Youth Conference, Bangalore, India This declaration has been adopted by the delegates of the 1st SAYC and reflects the aspirations, ideas and commitments of youth in the region. The declaration is focused on specific actions that are relevant to the South Asian context and are grounded in the theme of Peace within, with others and with the environment.

Key Themes
The key emerging themes of our discussions, over and above those reflected in the Istanbul Action Plan are: 1. Peace Within A) Individual Sense of Peace and Balance the role of individuals and the need to adopt a spiritual and humanitarian approach to our social actions. B) Education as a vehicle of social change educational reform that ensures equal access, holistic learning, infrastructural improvements, creating a South Asian University, leveraging digital technology and innovative schemes to meet low resource situations. C) Integrating the Self with the Planet small changes and awareness in everyday living, practices like bio mimicry and composting and the understanding of connectedness in nature. 2. Peace With Others A) Building a strong South Asian community using arts, sport, culture, social media, conferences and joint action to blur the boundaries between countries and kick-start the process of co-operation B) Nurturing Entrepreneurship leverage social entrepreneurship, implement green business ideas, create access to capital and nurture native low-cost solutions C) Leveraging the power of youth take charge and responsibility for the current situation and move towards creating a cohesive union in South Asia, connect and learn from each other and build a community of leaders

3. Peace With Environment A)Influencing governments to invest in sustainability Lobby for sustainable infrastructure, develop sustainability indices, conduct eco audits and hold governments accountable for their commitments B)Empower with information Create access to information about government policies, implications of climate change and impact of joint action to the population at large using innovative media C) Support Istanbul Action Plan and align our actions with the global youth movement

The Way Forward

The SAYC had committed to be an action oriented conference - the results of the conference are also a whole lot of action points. Some of these are: Individual Action Plans The IAPs are an integral part of the conference since these reflect the individual commitments of participants. Grounded in the belief that individual action is the key to social transformation, hundreds of actions have been committed by participants. These will be actively shared on the internal group to inspire each other SAYCx : The extended conference To make sure that the knowledge generated in SAYC goes beyond the conference there will be opportunities for participants to organize 'mini SAYCs' - we will provide participants access to videos, facilitator guides and training to facilitators. The aim is to extend the knowledge of the conference and create a build up for the next SAYC The Center for Peace SAYC participants felt the need for a center for peace on the border of India and Pakistan and Wagah. We will be aligning with other such efforts and lobby for the center. A core team of volunteers from India and Pakistan are already working on this project. The Action Based Change Declaration The ABCD is the primary output of the conference - it reflects the opinions

and aspirations of the youth. Post the conference, the declaration is going to be shared in conferences in Singapore, China, Gahana, Slovenia, Belgium, Germany, South America and finally to the UN in New York. SAYC 2012 Three countries have expressed interested in hosting the next SAYC Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal. Based on our internal consensus, the next SAYC will be planned. The Asian Youth Conference It is proposed to organize a conference in India that involves the entire Asian Community, as a step towards hosting a larger global level conference. Apart from this, there are several projects that have emerged out of the conference, as a ripple effect of the event. * In conclusion - closing message - ABHISHEK We believe that a closely connected and peaceful South Asian region is not a distant dream - if we, the youth take concrete and aligned action. It is an urgent need for us to do this - not only for our sake but the sake of the future generations. We are going to put in every ounce of effort that is required to make this happen - in doing this we need the support and alignment of everyone who shares this dream. Governments, civil society, NGOs, youth and corporates its time to align!! Come, lets weave a stronger South Asia!

Annex 3: Sponsors and Partner Organizations

Peace Child International Peace Child International is registered in the UK as an educational charity, and since its founding in 1981 has grown to unite more than 1,500 affiliate groups and networks in over 180 countries. Peace Child's mission is to empower young people to be the change they want to see in the world. This theme is at the forefront of each of their projects and programmes, and is the standard by which they work. PCI supports young people around the world to produce books, musicals, educational materials, workshops and training courses on their major generational challenges: climate change, peace, human rights, poverty, and sustainable development. PCI also funds young people to undertake community based action projects of their own through the "Be the Change!" programme, and hosts the bi-annual World and European Youth Congress series. Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore Established in 1973, IIM Bangalore has since then built on its base of highly accomplished faculty, world class infrastructure and motivated student body to emerge as one of the premier institutes for management education and research promoting managerial excellence in the country. Located in Indias high technology capital, IIMB is in close proximity to some of the leading corporate houses in the country, ranging from information technology to consumer product companies, giving it the added advantage of integrating classroom knowledge with practical experience. IIMB strives to achieve excellence through partnerships with industry, and leading academic institutions, the world over. IIMBs mission is to build leaders through holistic, transformative and innovative education. In keeping with this mission statement, IIM-B is played host to the first South Asian Youth Conference, 2011. Oxfam India Oxfam is celebrating its 60th year in India this year. It is fitting that in this historic year for the Oxfam family, Oxfam

India has just been inducted as a fully independent, Indian organization (with Indian staff and an Indian Board) into the Oxfam International Confederation. Oxfam India is the newest and 15th member of this Confederation. The other members of the confederation are Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Netherlands, Quebec, Spain, and the US) The Oxfams are rights-based organizations that fight poverty and injustice by linking grassroots programming (through partner NGOs) to local, national and global advocacy and policy-making. All of Oxfams work is framed by our commitment to five broad rights-based aims: the right to a sustainable livelihood, the right to basic social services, the right to life and security, the right to be heard and the right to equality: gender and diversity.Oxfam Indias vision is to create a more equal, just, and sustainable world. The overarching vision of Oxfam India is right to life with dignity for all. Oxfam India will fulfill its vision by empowering the poor and marginalized to demand their rights, engaging the non poor to become active and supportive citizens, advocating for an effective and accountable state and making markets work for poor and marginalized people. Edumedia EduMedia is an exciting phenomenon that is bringing about a positive change in the educational arena by creating inspiring and innovative media ventures. EduMedia constantly strives to create progressive learning avenues for the schooling community by leveraging the powerful impact of media events, print, films, internet, television, mobile, gaming and emerging media to effect a positive change in the educational environment. Krayon, School Cinema, Mentor and Activity are its brands that hold aloft the vision of the company by providing innovative solutions for schools, students, teachers, principals and parents. From events to training to publishing to films, EduMedia is constantly striving to bring about a positive change in the educational space. White Light White Light refers to the innate and often untapped energy or 'potential' possessed by every individual. Organizations, essentially aggregations of several

individuals and teams, possess significant White Light untapped energy that can be leveraged for the joint benefit of the system as well as the individual workingwithin the system. This energy can be discovered and released with the help of structured and focusedinterventions. This metaphor forms the central philosophy of White Light Solutions which offers three interrelatedsolutions clusters Transforming Organizations, Transforming People and Providing Insights throughAction Research. United Cottage Industries United Cottage Industries is a handicraft shop at Bangalore. They have unique collection of Indianhandicrafts. Knowledge Partner Infosys Limited (NASDAQ: INFY) was started in 1981 by seven people with US$ 250. Today, it is a global leader in the "next generation" of IT and consulting with revenues of US$ 6.04 billion (LTM March-11). Infosys defines designs and delivers technology-enabled business solutions for Global 2000 companies. Infosys also provides a complete range of services by leveraging our domain and business expertise and strategic alliances with leading technology providers. NGO partner Touching Lives Welfare Trust

Online Media Partners Yourstory.in Yourstory.in is the fastest growing online platform committed to providing visibility and meaningful networking opportunities to first generation Young Indian Entrepreneurs, Start-ups and all the self-made professionals.

Youthkiawaaz.com Youth Ki Awaaz is one of the most prolific website/blog around, presenting youth views, opinions, analysis and reports on issues that matter. Since its inception in March 2008, it has had thousands of young people write for it, and millions of others contributing by reading, commentingand more.

Annex 4: Participant Testimonials

NischalGadhavarjula, India My first step aftrSAYC .. I ll b goin to my school to give small presentation about peace and green tech to 9th and 10th class students..Hopinatleast 1 to adopt the green techniques :) :)" Saunak Bhatta, Nepal: Hello SAYCians ""15 days of Experience"" has been days to cherish and ever remembered. The SAYC came up with expectations and went back leaving new hopes, energy, enthusiasms and insights. 4 of Nepalese Delegates reached Nepal on June 3 (Aniruddha reached early). All the way we experienced the inexperienced and SAYC remained on our eyes all the way. I am sure our team will be able to flourish South Asians Leadership. And yes Youths are not useless, they are just used less. Similarly, South Asians are not PEACE LESS they are just PEACE CONFERENCE LESS. Thanks and Regards. Saunak from Nepal" Gorky Tyagi AWESOME time at IIM B....hats off to the organisers for making SAYC'11 such a success...let's carry on the initiative...cheers:)" OmaidSharifi, Afghanistan Ladies and Gentlemen, it is just the start/establishment of a platform of cooperation and friendship among SA Youth. Lets work for it with hearth and make it a symbol of unity, peace and harmony. I am seriously following to have you guys in Kabul for SAYC2012 :-), dont get excited, we are just taking some baby steps. But, you will get the news in advance. And one final note, I want to thank the organizers for making SAYC2011 a success." OmaidSharifi, Afghanistan Dear SAYCians, It was a very few good days with all of you. Very important for me is meeting you all and having such wonderful friends. Afghanistan delegation

and personally me and Lima Ahmad have committments with Blue Ribbon Movement, Peace Child International, VinodSreedhar, Maeed Mohamed ZahirSf, friends from Nepal and Sri Lanka and I am damn committed to continue our discussions." "PuranGurung, Bhutan I never thought this conference of few days will be our conference forever... I miss all of you N soon I hope I can see you in Bhutan for the next conference N hope u all will be still youth except for Abhishek haha" Prakhar Jain, India Hi all..Ijus want to share an incident with you...one of our fellow delgedageHussain Mohamed Haneef from Maldives had gited me a 10 denomination note (INR 30)...ll i was travellng in Pune and i had to pay to a driver..so unintentionally i gave that note to him...he cam running and said ...(bhiaya ye kyahai)""whats this""....then I wished...hope we had same currency for south asia..:)...like EU has.." PuranGurung, Bhutan First South Asian Youth Conference was held in IIM Bangalore organized by a team of social activist, Blue Ribbon Movement on 23th May to 28th May 2011, a six day vigorous conference. The conference was supported by couple of international organizations and prominently by an International NGO, Peace Child International. PCI supported the Blue Ribbon Movement in many fronts of the conference. Pankaj Chandra, the Director of IIMB inaugurated the conference with impeccable oration about peace. Blue Ribbon Movement: The Blue Ribbon Movement is a hybrid social enterprise that creates youth leaders in the social space. SAYC 2011 saw conglomeration of 120 potential youth leaders across the South Asian regions. The sole of the conference was peace. Creating oneness among the people of different regions despite the hatred and borders printed in the map is seen as much efficient and easier way to bring together millions of hearts across the South Asian regions. And a concept that truly exhibits that it is easier to forge friendship between people rather than nations. Whereas governments have complex agendas and diplomatic stances, two people can just look at each other in the eye; smile and hug. Peace at individual level is as simple as that: No treaties. No policies. No negotiation. SAYC is a camp for peace warriors and a green signal to start a new revolution right from the grassroots level. The impossibility of restoring peace in the world was at loggerheads. SAYC 2011 conference had six elements: Plenary, Thematic sessions, Workshops, Round Table Discussions, Action projects and Action Based

Change Declaration. Delegates of the South Asian declared their determination to focus limelight to social issues of the South Asian countries and design strategies to achieve it. The declaration was divided into three categories: Peace within, Peace with others and Peace with the Environment. The participants were to trample across the issues and brainstorm, work in group and submit their ideas on how they plan on bringing about change(in chosen area), and make full efforts to achieve it in the coming months. The Conference touched every possible emerging issues like green economy versus brown economy (blue economy), sustainable entrepreneurships, poverty, education etc... All the emerging issues were discussed and tumbled down to few resolutions to tackle the issues. More importantly the scope of the workshop was to discuss issues on a common platform, enable the group to arrive at desirable strategies towards achieving clean, green, stable and sustainable and peaceful future. Bhutan to me is one of the few countries that have got it right they have made the right choice of measurements of progress. It has become our dream to hold a conference in Bhutan keeping happiness as the next theme of conference for the youth leaders to trample and devise the next possible model of development. The king of Bhutan is truly seen as the inspiration of the youths all over the world. Blue ribbon movement will soon pave its path to Bhutan as well, said the founder of Blue ribbon movement, AbhisekThakore. To my friends from Bhutan: Thank you for bringing the beauty and the happiness of the mountain state of Bhutan to this SAYC. Though a small state, your spirit is enormous and to power has rippled through the hearts and minds of all who have had the privilege of meeting you have said, David R Woollcombe, The President of Peace Child International (PCI). The conference ended with a continuity of energy to change the world and stuffed each delegates the rare potential to bring the change to their respective countries from the strategies of these vigorous seven day conference. It is the will of all the participants of the 1st South Asian Youth conference to see the next conference held in Bhutan and Kabul. In the light of Bhutanese society, the cause of BRM stands as hope for our youths to step next level and contribute to our countrys peace and happiness and truly deserve the soubriquet: The last Shangri-La. On 30th of May, the conference hailed down to many trend-setting strategies and a promise of every single individual to bring a change and restore peace in their own homes and to the world. The impossibility of

restoring peace was redefined: We dont need a stone to produce a ripple in the pond, a pebble is enough. - PuranGurung, Bhutan Delegate to SAYC" Pragya Gupta: To say that this conference was amazing would be an understatement. heres to all the organisers who took care of us form day 1 till the end ... who chilled with us over iced teas and green granitas and made us work on the declaration :P to all the family leaders who were more than just a source to put the group together... from chilling to dining to having night sessions, u guyz have been outstanding. and last but not the least, all the people from across south asia, who made this conference happen. after a lot of magical moments, a lot of fishes in the pond, laughing like maniacs over idiotic jokes, sleeping, eating , dancing and at the same time, working towards one common goal- we are back home. and this feeling sux. Heres hoping that , this too shall pass and we would meet again for an outstanding time :) Pragya, Delhi, India Mohammad Jan Ofuq, Afghanistan HEYYYYY SAYCians:::::: Wow Great!!!! Job SAYCians and congratsssss Today is the happiest day of my entire life. It was actually my dream to have this idea of ONE SOUTH ASIA. Before, coming to SAYC conference, I have raised this issue that Why we cannot have one SOUTH ASIA on facebook. Today:::::::::::WAS ::::::: GREATEST DAY OF THE CONFERENCE FOR ME AND I THINK FOR ALL OF US. Todays groups discussions and work proved the following points: - South Asian Youths have the power and talent to work toward one peaceful south Asia - They really want to see the change in South Asia - Without having any idea about other groups, this idea was reflected in every single group discussion (South Asia without border, one visa for South Asia, One currency for South Asia) I want to add some more : (one South Asian Parliament, One foreign Policy, one passport, one defending joint organization, etc) - Having a YEARLY SOUTH ASIA FESTIVAL would be a GREAT step toward one SA (South ASIA) It might looks impossible or fool for some of us, but Come on how did the EU made it, we are not behind from them, no lack of talents , it just needs

HARD WORK, HARDER WORK and eventually we will make it . It is how the world work. Any ideas SAYCians!!!!!" Vishnu M.j, India Missing everyone very badly.... those late nite chats which would last upto 3am.... granitas n coffees at java green..... clicking pictures..... thoselil silly gossips.... those fish n d pond activities.... those workshops for the first time which didnt sound boring..... hmmm.....nostalgia of yesterday....memories which pass by every second.... carrying back more than what i thought of..... thanks everyone....its was not jusspecial..it was more than tat.... more than meets d eye.....:):):):):):):):):):):)" Ranjan Malik, Director, Erehwon Consulting "amaniduniami"", ""miromiro"", ""PRING""! Were all these coined at the conference? What do they mean folks? :) I know Pring - can you create a social media version of it too? You can then Pring (verb?) each other (and others) on fb and mails. Think about it." Bharath S Valecha Action Plan was an awesome day; Thank you SAYC, BRM and everyone involved. Abhishek has been one of the best role models n a great great inspiration." BidishaKalita: The South Asian Youth Conference, 2011 has been a hell lot of an experience!!... from r sleepless nights that v spent laughin at anand n anangsha's mimicry n chattin to David's ""amaniduniami"" n his snorin at Sri Sri's session, the amazing workshops, family time, guitar n song sessions widmirat, nisshal n saunak, p block n javagreen...d conference gave me some of my best memories n frens!!...thank u organisers n all d participants 4 makin it such a huge success:):):)....**miromiro**" PuranGurung, Bhuta: A standing ovation for the team: SAYC. The organizers has hosted it so well creating different insights and enlightenment. I wish prosperous journey to all the members of SAYC, 2011. It is a lifetime experience and a journey with leaders. Thank you ALL!!! PRING!!!" Ranjan Malik, Director, Erehwon Consulting: Thanks young friends. Loved interacting with you all yesterday. Found your youthful energy infectious;"

Annex 5: Blog Articles

http://laugh-o-holic.blogspot.com/2011/05/soul-force.html http://mundanejourney.blogspot.com/2011/06/pakistan-in-person.html http://mundanejourney.blogspot.com/2011/06/pakistan-in-person-part-ii.html http://twinklingmuse.blogspot.com/2011/06/sayc-honest-testimonial.html http://bidishakalita.blogspot.com/2011/06/south-asian-youth-conference-2011.html http://www.opptunity.com/2011/06/sayc-mohdjanofuq/ http://www.roadtorioplus20.org/Rio-Plus20/South-Asian-Youth-Conference-recap http://ayeshailyas.blogspot.com/