PUSAT KAJIAN SAMUDERA & PANTAI -- Universiti Sains Malaysia

E-Newsletter YOUTH & OCEANS

NonProfit
 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON 
YOUTH, OCEAN AND SDG 14
1ST- 5TH JULY 2019, AMES HOTEL, MELAKA, MALAYSIA
                    
 
The International Conference on "Youth, Ocean and SDG 14" was held in collaboration with Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Malaysia Airlines and the International Youth Council from 1-5th July 2019 at AMES Hotel, Melaka, Malaysia.
 
The International Conference participated by  76  youths from various countries namely China, Denmark, Filipino, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Yemen etc .
 
Ms. Varsha Ajmera, Chief Operations Officer of World Youth Foundation, welcomed all guests and delegates to the International Conference on Youth, Ocean and SDG14. In her welcoming speech, she spoke about the connection between humans with nature and how nature sustains human life. She reminded that delegates that if we don't change our attitude towards plastic usage, then by the year 2050, there will be more plastics than fishes!
 
She believes that a radical change of lifestyle is necessary. Plastic, she said on its own is not the problem, the biggest problem is still consumers' attitude. She reminded the delegates that if we carry on with the current trajectory, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the seas then fishes.

Mohd Ridwan Mohd Ali, President of the Malacca Youth Council, representing the Chairman of World Youth Foundation Tan Sri Mohd Ali Rustam, reminded young people that they have an important role to play in conserving and preserving our oceans and seas, which cannot be neglected  A healthy ocean, he said,  is important for our survival as well as for the future generations.

Ambassador-designate H.E Visam Ali from the Embassy of the Republic of Maldives in Malaysia, delivered the Keynote Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the International Conference on 'Youth, Ocean and SDG 14'.
In here inspiring speech, she shared the unique challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like  Maldives in ensuring a sustainable development which sometimes is  too great to fathom - due to the remoteness, the smallness of the  land mass, the inability to achieve economies of scale, and  limited financial capacity, just to list a few.
 
A paradigm shift, she said is needed in how we deal with the oceans and embracing the concept of a blue economy is a move in that direction. She was particularly inspired by the presence of so many young people at the Conference and thanked them for their courage and commitment. She reminded all delegates that they are the torch-bearers of today's actions against Climate and Ocean Change.
 
A special address was given by Ms Romeena Singh, First Secretary, High Commission of the Republic of Fiji in Malaysia, who spoke on the various sustainable efforts taken in Fiji.  Fiji, she said, played an instrumental role in pushing for "oceans" to be included in the 2030 Agenda, which was successful. She shared some of the initiatives of how Fiji is empowering young people on ocean conservation and preservation among them, by the preservation of methodologies and the incorporation of traditional and indigenous knowledge.

Two capacity trainings were conducted during the event. The trainings focused on two areas i.e what is ocean acidification, the causes and the impact which was conducted by Dr. Norlaila Binti Mohd Zanuri from Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Malaysia
 
The second capacity training was conducted by Dr. Sivabalan Kathiravale from Environmental Preservation and Innovation Centre Sdn.Bhd, Malaysia, who trained participants on how to prevent waste into entering the seas and oceans. The capacity training addressed the issues of marine debris found in the oceans and seas and how promotion of individual and corporate behavior change through public awareness and education is important to address marine debris pollution.

Dr Sahadev Sharma, from the Institute of Ocean and Earth Science (IOES), University of Malaya, Malaysia spoke on the importance of mangroves and the critical  role mangroves play in balancing ocean habitats and how they help fishes and crustaceans to multiply. Mangroves also protect us against calamities such as tsunamis as they help to moderate the rising sea level and especially the waves.
The Session on Youth, Ocean and SDG 14 saw presentations from youth delegates who shared their experiences, Tiifitri Muhammaditta  from Indonesia who climbed mountains as a hobby shared  her "educating for sustainability" immersion with the world-renowned Green School that led her to embark on an environmental journey by moving from Bandung to Bali and joined the nongovernment organization RefillMyBottle.
"We have to ensure that we recycle the plastics that we use," said King Yiew "Kelvin" Wong, a university student studying accounting and finance in Malaysia and a volunteer of Tzu Chi Foundation. He further said that while volunteering with the Foundation, he does his best in addressing the plastic pollution by participating in educating communities on how to segregate their wastes and connect them with recyclers.
 
Rabin Fernando-Canuzo, who grew up close to nature, believes that attending the international conference strengthened his environmental journey. As the reigning Mister Earth Philippines 2019/2020, he "walks the talk," and detailed the change of his lifestyle - like bringing his personal eco-bag, use of personal water bottle, refuse single-use plastics including plastic straws.
 
 
Sadham Dhikran Zarjahan from Sri Lanka shared an inspiring story about  an Ocean Plastic project that was initiated by fellow Sri Lankans; a collaboration between a giant apparel company and the Sri Lankan Navy along with a renown recycling firm that turned out to be a major success earlier this year. 
The conference delegates, who were joined by students from Sekolah Menangah Gajah Berang, managed to collect 87 kilogrammes of waste comprising fishing nets, plastic cups, cigarette butts, cans, cardboard boxes and other perishable items from Pantai Siring, Jasin, Melaka, Malaysia.

With nearly 350 million tonnes of new plastic products produced every year, beach clean-ups alone are not going to solve the problem, but this is a good first step. The broader goal of this conference was to provide young people with the necessary tools to stop waste from entering the seas and oceans.

On the last day of the International Conference, delegates individually and collectively, pledged their commitment to protect our oceans and seas and the environment by taking steps to mitigate adverse impact and adopting the outcome document  and Save Our Oceans Campaign,
 
The Chairman of World Youth Foundation, Hon.Tan Sri (Dr.) Mohd Ali Rustam officially closed the Conference. In his closing speech he encouraged young people to make wise choices and shared how young people can do their part in reducing and preventing marine debris. The oceans, he said are more than a beautiful home to impressive wildlife: They are a critically important source of nutritious food, income and stability. The oceans, he said also provide millions of jobs in fishing, aquaculture, tourism, energy, transportation and biotechnology.


                
MALAYSIA'S DEWAN RAKYAT PASSES BILL TO AMEND FEDERAL CONSTITUTION TO LOWER VOTING AGE TO 18
KUALA LUMPUR: The Bill to amend the Federal Constitution to lower the voting age to 18 was passed at the Dewan Rakyat. The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2019 to lower the voting age was passed with a total of 211 votes in Parliament on Tuesday (July 16). The Bill requires a two-thirds majority of at least 148 votes from the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat to amend Article 119 and Article 47 of the Federal Constitution. Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the amendment was proof of Pakatan Harapan's commitment to realise the promise it made in its Buku Harapan as part of its election manifesto. Read more here.
'NO HOPE' GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS CAN'T BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT WOMEN, SAYS UN ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT
Without the full participation and leadership of women, "we have no hope" of realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the President of the United Nations General Assembly told gender equality leaders. "This is an obvious point to make, but it is, sadly, one that we cannot repeat enough", she said, opening the day-long discussion at UN Headquarters in New York to identify best practices aimed to knock down barriers hindering women's full participation and leadership, in what she called "our shared mission this year". Read more here
FOUR WAYS JAMAICA IS BOOSTING PRIVATE SECTOR ENGAGEMENT IN CLIMATE ACTION
Climate change can have severe impacts on the private sector, especially micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The adverse effects of climate change can interrupt business operations such as transportation, attendance of workers, product quality and quantity, threatening their bottom line. MSMEs must explore ways of reducing their vulnerability to climate change while being cognizant of the opportunity for them to capitalise and make societies more resilient to the changing climate. How do we do this? In particular, how do we mobilise MSMEs in climate action? What is preventing them playing a significant role? Read more here
BLUE CHARTER GROUP GEARS UP TO PROTECT AND RESTORE 'PRICELESS' CORAL REEFS
Commonwealth countries devoted to saving the world's coral reefs met in Townsville, Australia this week to outline immediate and long-term actions they can take to ensure the health of coral reef ecosystems.tudies show more than half the planet's coral reefs have suffered significant losses over the last 30 years. This could rise to 90 per cent within the next century, if current trends continue. This harsh reality - mainly due to climate change - disproportionately affects Commonwealth states whose waters include 42 per cent of the world's coral reefs. Read more here.
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING IS GOOD FOR PROFITS AS WELL AS THE PLANET
Although sustainability is increasingly a priority for consumers when making purchasing decisions, with packaging often central to a product's visual appeal for purchasers - many businesses are yet to sufficiently prioritize sustainability and circularity when considering design, use and disposal of packaging, with the majority of packaging still single-use and non-recyclable. This 'take, make, dispose' economic model still largely dominates capital production. Only 14% of the plastic packaging used globally is recycled, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation reports. Read more here.
IN THE 21ST CENTURY, WE ARE ALL MIGRANTS
Humans are in motion across time as well as geography. All of us are descended from migrants. Our species, Homo sapiens, did not evolve in Lahore, where I am writing these words. Nor did we evolve in Shanghai or Topeka or Buenos Aires or Cairo or Oslo, where you, perhaps, are reading them. None of us is a native of the place we call home. And none of us is a native to this moment in time. We are not native to the instant, already gone, when this sentence began to be written, nor to the instant, also gone, when it began to be read, nor even to this moment, now, which we enter for the first time and which slips away, has slipped away, is irrevocably lost, except from memory. Read more here.
'YOUNG PEOPLE CARE ABOUT PEACE': UN YOUTH ENVOY DELIVERS KEY MESSAGE TO SECURITY COUNCIL
After visiting refugee camps in Jordan, UN-backed schools in Gaza, municipalities in Kosovo and Youth Councils in Denmark, the UN's Youth Envoy visited the Security Council on Wednesday with a simple message from the field that "young people care about peace". However, Jayathma Wickramanayake made clear that "young women and men still suffer from stereotypes, myths and policy panics that harm their agency and affect realizing their full potential for peace". She blamed the susceptibility to being labelled on a "small minority" of young people attracted to extremism and "fueled" by the victimization of youth, "especially young women." Read more here.
SMARTPHONES, TABLETS CAUSING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN KIDS AS YOUNG AS TWO
Children as young as two are developing mental health problems because of smartphones and tablets, scientists warn. Just an hour a day staring at a screen can be enough to make children more likely to be anxious or depressed. This could be making them less curious, less able to finish tasks, less emotionally stable and lowering their self-control, the DailyMail reports. Although teenagers are most at risk from the damaging devices, children under the age of 10 and toddlers' still-developing brains are also being affected. Read more here.
APPLY NOW !!
INNOVATION IMPACT GRANT PROGRAMME
The Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme aims to fund novel and innovative solutions that encapsulate the spirit of Expo 2020 Dubai's overall theme: 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future'. Expo's three subthemes, Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, are focus areas for funding. Read more here.
REGISTER NOW
THE 8TH UNESCO-APEID MEETING ON ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION, 9-11 OCTOBER 2019, HANGZHOU, CHINA
This meeting aims to facilitate the digital transformation of entrepreneurship education in the Asia-Pacific region. It will discuss increasing concerns about humans being replaced by artificial intelligence in the workplace along with the challenges faced by young people entering the modern labour market. The event is organized by UNESCO Bangkok in collaboration with the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO and Zhejiang University. Register at  here.
APPLY NOW
SEVENTH ASIA-PACIFIC URBAN FORUM (APUF-7) 
The Seventh Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF-7) will be held from 15-17 October 2019 in Penang, Malaysia, to mobilize partners from across the region to focus on accelerating implementation to achieve a sustainable future for cities throughout Asia and the Pacific. APUF-7 will bring a diverse array of cities, expert speakers and thought leaders who are shaping the region's urban future. Held every 4-5 years since the first APUF was held in Bangkok in 1993, the Forum is the largest regional gathering of urban stakeholders, engaging policymakers from local and national governments, financial institutions, civil society, the academia, the urban training-research community and private sector to discuss innovative solutions, identify common actions and objectives and strengthen effective partnerships to achieve sustainable urban development. Apply at  here.
APPLY NOW !
CHALLENGING INEQUALITY: WORKING TOGETHER FOR A JUST SOCIETY
AASW is proud to launch the Conference 2019, Challenging Inequality: Working together for a just society. This event will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre, South Australia from 7-9 November 2019. Attracting over 600 delegates from Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region, this event will give attendees an opportunity to exchange information on the current challenges and trends in the sectors, advance networks, gain peer knowledge from leading experts and review the newest services and products on the market. The conference program will include poverty and social disadvantage, climate change and sustainability, human rights, Reconciliation, mental health, disability, family violence, trauma and abuse, children and youth, aged care, substance abuse and housing. Apply at here
APPLY NOW !
ASEAN UNIVERSITY YOUTH SUMMIT 2019
ASEAN University Youth Summit 2019 (AUYS 2019) organised by Student Development and Alumni Office, CAS UUM. AUYS 2019 aims to provide a multinational platform where the contemporary issues in Social Media Generation can be discussed in a friendly environment with the aim to learn from each other. Apply at here
EVENTS
2ND ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
UN SOLUTIONS SUMMIT
UN SUMMER ACADEMY
THE 2019 INTERNATIONAL PEACE CONGRESS IN BALI INDONESIA 
9TH MODEL ASEM
Website: https://asiaeuropefoundation.formstack.com/forms/modelasem9

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World Youth Foundation, No. M1-2-35, World Youth Foundation Complex,Lebuh Ayer Keroh, Melaka, Melaka 75450 Malaysia
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Centre For Marine & Coastal Studies (CEMACS),
Universiti Sains Malaysia.
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