ASIA CONNECTS, CANADA-WIDE

Asia Connects is a concurrent series of youth conferences enabling youth across the world to work together to create a learning resource on Asia-Pacific relations and a National Youth report, with recommendations to be fed into the youth components of the APEC Ministerial meetings. The conferences will be connected by the internet and video and audio conferencing to provide skill training for participating youth and educatrs in media and multimedia technology, cross cultural communication, networks, and distance learning.

The main conference is being held in Winnipeg during National Youth Week, from May 28 to October 4, 1997. Twelve multi-site conferences will be held at the same time in each of the provinces and territories. Participants in each of the conferences will come up with recommendations and learning activities on various themes covered in the conferences; these will be compiled as a National Youth Report and taken to the APEC Leaders meeting in Vancouver, November 1997.

ASIA CONNECTS BRITISH COLUMBIA

Asia Connects British Columbia, the B.C. multi-site conference, will be taking place at Burnaby South Secondary School. This conference will parallel the themes of the other Asia Connects conferences; participants and connect with participants of other multi-sites to discuss the various issues.The goals of the BC conference are to increase the awareness and appreciation of young British Columbians and their teachers of the similarities and the differences between contemporary Asia and Canada. Also, this is a chance to build and strengthen methods to maintain future opportunities for learning relationships between youth across Canada and Asia Pacific.

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MONDAYTUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

DAY 1: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
OPENING CEREMONIES
THEME: OVERVIEW OF ASIA

8:00-9:00	Registration
9:00-9:30	ABACA Youth Performers
9:30-10:30	Premier Glen Clark: Welcome and Team Canada speech Minister Raymond Chan, Canada's Year of the Asia Pacific
10:30-11:30	Map activity and Asian awareness quiz
11:30-1:30	Opening Ceremonies from Winnipeg
1:30-3:30	Computer instruction (webchatting, netscape) Group Discussion: Overview of Asia

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DAY 2: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
THEMES: MAKING ASIA A PART OF YOUR LIFE
CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

8:00-8:30	Computer Interaction
8:30-9:00	Pacific Rim Arts Club: theatre presentation
9:00-9:45	Speaker panel: -Cap College Asia Pacific Management Program -former participant from Canada World Youth
9:45-10:00	Break
1O:0O-11:15	Group discussion: Making Asia a Part of Your Life
11:15-11:45	Lunch

11:45-12:30	Computer interaction
12:30-1:30	Speaker: Nancy Paris-Seley
1:30-2:30	Group discussion: Cross-Cultural Communication Point-to-point videoconferencing with Asia Connects Toronto

DAY 3: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1
THEME: ASIAN AND WESTERN VALUES

8:00-9:00	Computer Interaction
9:00-9:45	Video: Double Happiness (part 1)
9:45-10:00	Break
10:00-10:45	Video: Double Happiness (part 2)
10:45-11:15	Video: Singapore Solutions
11:15-11:45	Lunch
11:45-12:30	Computer Interaction
12:30-1:30	Panel Discussion: Burnaby South Students, first and third generation Asian youth
1:30-2:30	Group Discussion: Asian and Western Values

DAY 4: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2
THEMES: BEHIND THE HEADLINES

8:00-9:00	Computer Interaction Webchat with Winnipeg speakers
9:00-9:05	Slide Presentation on Human Rights
9:05-9:45	Speaker Panel: Human Rights
9:45-10:00	Break
10:00-10:45	Child labour learning activities
10:45-11:15	Video: Manufacturing Consent (20 minutes) Speaker: David Webster from ETAN
11:15-11:45	Lunch
11:45-12:30	Computer interaction Point to Point Videoconferencing with Asia Connects Nfld
12:30-1:30	Group discussion: Behind the Headlines Webchat with Asia Connects Labrador
1:30-2:30	Cultural Activities: kimono tying, karate, sushi making, Chinese calligraphy and more!

FRIDAY OCTOBER 3
FIELDTRIP: ABERDEEN AND YAHOHAN MALLS

8:00-8:45	Computer Interaction
8:45-9:30	Creation of Learning Activities
9:30-11:30	Trip to Aberdeen and Yahohan Centre in Richmond
11:30-12:30	Lunch
12:30-1:15	Bus back to Burnaby South
1:15-2:30	Creation of Learning Activities - Presentation of Learning Activities - Point to Point Videoconferencing with Montreal

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4
THEME:YOUR FUTURE IN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY
CLOSING CEREMONIES

9:30-10:15	Speaker Panel - Debra Nortman, ABACA Youth Records - represenative from Jr. Team Canada
10:15-11:30	Closing Ceremonies from Winnipeg
11:30-12:15	Whole Group discussion: Your Future in the Global Community
12:15-1:00	Team Group discussion: Your Future in the Global Community
1:00-?	Surprise Activity

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To ensure greater regional participation, the BC Provincial Government is providing additional funding for the participation of several remote sites across British Columbia in the the activities happening not only at Burnaby South, but also across Canada. The remote sites will participate in the opening ceremonies on September 29 where youth across Canada will connect via live videoconferencing to begin initial discussion on why the Asia Pacific region is important to young Canadians. We are hoping that these remote sites will take the opportunity to incorporate some of the conference themes and on-line activities into classrooms across British Columbia. This may involve some pre-conference discussion of the Asia Pacific region, why it is of increasing importance to young Canadians and what are some of the key issues that need to be discussed (ie. careers, trade, human rights, cultural values). Communities that participate as remote sites will be provided with an Asia Connects activity package and information on how to access the on-line conference activities and discussion forums throughout the week. Finally, it is hoped that each remote site will produce some concrete recommendations which can be posted on the Asia Connects website and later included a National Youth Report to be developed from the Asia Connects conferences.

Attention all budding journalists! During the Asia Connects Conference at Burnaby South Secondary School, a team of 10 youth journalists (8 reporters and 2 photographers) will be writing, reporting and documenting all of the exciting activities that are happening throughout the week. The team will attend the conference, however their role will be focused on summarizing events, speakers, panels etc. and interviewing participants and speakers. Not only will they act as "BC Correspondents" to the Winnipeg conference, they will also write internal stories for an Asia Connects newsletter and the Asia Connects website, and press releases and stories for local media. The team will be helped by several youth journalist facilitators who can share their journalistic skills and experience.

Speaker profile...

David Webster - East Timor Alert Network, Vancouver

David Webster has spent the past eight years actively campaigning for human rights in Asia, specifically in East Timor and Indonesia. As a past national office coordinator for the East Timor Alert Network, and currently as editor of the ETAN newsletter and a member of the Vancouver local group David brings added knowledge and expertise to our conference theme of human rights. He is also a member of the editorial collective for Asia Connexions, a new Vancouver newspaper focusing on human rights issues in Asia. He has also done considerable networking with other human rights groups working on China, Tibet, Korea, the Philippines, Burma and Papua New Guinea, and together these groups produced a joint statement on human rights issues in advance of a previous APEC summit and will do so again this year.

We are pleased to have David Webster participate in the Asia Connects BC Conference and look forward to his commentary and update on the situation in East Timor.

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Speaker Profile...

Jennifer Wade - Amnesty International

We are very pleased to have Jennifer join our human rights panel as a representative of Amnesty International. Her outstanding contributions over the past few decades in the area of human rights earned her many distinctions. She remains active in Amnesty International, which she helped found in Vancouver twenty-some years ago and currently coordinates a group focused on human rights abuses in China. In addition, she frequently represents Vancouver groups at United Nations seminars and speaks and writes regularly on social and humanitarian issues. Jennifer will represent Amnesty International on our human rights panel and describe the involvement of this well-known organization in the Asia Pacific and specifically in China.

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Speaker Profile...

Andrea Plawutsky and Tracey MacLennan - Asia Pacific Management Program

Andrea and Tracey have just completed their first year of the Asia Pacific Management Program at Capilano College and will spend the next year of the program working in Thailand. Andrea is a McGill graduate who has lived for four years in China and is fluent in Mandarin and Thai. She will be working in the Thai Potash Industry. Tracey is also fluent in Thai, has traveled extensively in Asia and will be working in Thailand for the CP Group. Andrea and Tracey will speak on why they were drawn to the Asia Pacific region and the Capilano College program. They will also discuss the next year of the program and what they will be doing overseas. With a solid background in Asia Pacific issues and first-hand experience in the region, Tracey and Andrea are a testament to the importance of the Asia Pacific for the futures of Canada's young people.

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Speaker Profile...

Jennifer Jones - Jr. Team Canada

Jennifer is an 18 year old grade 12 student in British Columbia. She became involved with a program called Global Vision, a non-profit educational organization committed to invoking enthusiasm in Canada's youth towards business in a global market. Through Global Vision, Jennifer was chosen, along with fourteen other Canadians, to attend a trade mission to Chile in the summer of 1996. She and the other team members met in Ottawa for five days of briefing sessions on Chile's culture, government structure, environmental regualations, and trade relations between Canada and Chile. The team then travelled to Chile for two weeks where they met with business, industry and government leaders to discuss and explore the opportunities that exist between our two countries.

Jennifer comments on her experiences gained from her involvement in the Chile trade mission: "During this excursion, I realized the important role hard work and ambition play in success. For a business to survive, it requires dedication and self discipline to make sure your product looks the best and is the best so that it will sell the best. Also, to suceed in today's technological world, it is crucial to be familiar with the international scene. All our communication and transportation developments have created a 'Global Village'. Therefore, it is imperative to work with your neighbours to truly grow and prosper in our international society". We are looking forward to having Jennifer speak on issues of the global marketplace and opportunities for youth in our increasingly global community.

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Artist Profile...

Corey Lee Urhahn - A-B-A-C-A Youth Records

Corey is a Canadian of Chinese and German heritage, born in Vancouver, and currently in Grade 11 at Lord Byng Secondary School. She has had extensive musical theatre training for five years, and is involved in the local modelling and film industry. Recently, she has signed with Montreal and Taiwan record companies to produce dance music for Southeast Asian and European distribution. Corey will be singing "Love's Destiny", composed at produced by Jon Yen, in Mandarin.

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Artist Profile...

Narai Sherritt - A-B-A-C-A Youth Records

Narai is a sixteen year-old Canadian of Korean heritage. Born in Seoul, Korea, Narai was adopted at nine months and came to Canada. She is currently a grade 10 student at South Delta Sr. Secondary in Tsawwassen. Narai has had extensive piano and dance training, and has signed with Montreal and Tawain record companies to produce dance music for Southeast Asian and European distribution. Narai will be singing "Real", lyrics by Narai Sherritt, composed and produced by Ron Laxamana.

We are excited to have both Corey and Narai perform at Asia Connects. Corey and Narai will also be performing "Don't Cry For Me Argentina", a dance remix version arranged and produced by Ron Laxamana.

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Artist Profile...

A-B-A-C-A Youth Records

A-B-A-C-A Youth Records makes up one part of Artists-in-Action, a team that works to develop young artists, record them to finished products, and represent them to the world stage. Artists-in-Action also offers worships on several aspects of the music and film industries for the serious minded artist/songwriter and composer. The other two parts of Artists-in-Action are Jan Cooper Studios and Artuer Film Productions.

A-B-A-C-A is the first record label in the world to feature and specialize in "kids performing for kids" in music of all styles. A-B-A-C-A records and licenses Canadian artists and represents them to the world record and film industries through the annual World Record Conference held each January in Cannes, France (MIDEM). As well, A-B-A-C-A actively supplies music for background leased music companies, major motion feature films, TV and episodic series and holiday specials. "Our mandate is to encourage young artists to continue their musical studies, to join this viable and high tech industry by making music their careers, and to promote alliance and goodwill through music - the international language of the world".

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Video Review... Singapore Solutions, aired March 25 1997 on CBC National, 18 minutes

Singapore Solutions explores the links and trade-offs between Singapore's economic success and the strict emphasis on law and order that restricts what many North Americans would consider to be fundamental freedoms. Hannah Gartner interviews former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, parents of school children, and teachers. She focusses on the education system in Singapore and its "business-oriented" approach that emphasizes rules, regulations and discipline as the key to academic - and thus economic - success.

Gartner also questions Lee and others regarding the rationale for strict punishments and restrictions on freedoms in Singapore society, including caning and the ban on chewing gum. The video provides an excellent starting point for discussion on the different priorities that countries assign to economic, civil and political, and social rights.

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Video Review... Double Happiness Written and Directed by Mina Shum (87 minutes)

Writer/Director Mina Shum based Double Happiness on her own life experiences. In the video, 22 year old Jade Li is a Chinese Canadian growing up in Canada - and in a family that emphasizes traditional Chinese values. Jade is torn between wanting to please her parents, and living how she wants to live. Conflicts over her choice of career, who she dates and how she dresses result. Jade must choose whether she bases her decisions on her own happiness or that of her parents. Differences and similarities between 'Asian' and 'Western' values and family conflicts that may result as Canadians of different cultural backgrounds become more integrated into the wider Canadian community are issues that brought up in the film.

Link to Double Happiness Homepage

Video Review...Manufacturing Consent, Modular 4: A Case Study of East Timor and Cambodia

This short segment of Manufacturing Consent focuses on the media's representation of the events that took place in East Timor and Cambodia from 1975-1978. Noam Chomsky, a professor linguistics at MIT and a longtime critic of US foreign policy, contends that although the scale of human rights abuses in Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge, and in East Timor by the Indonesian government was similar, the media coverage was not. The video documents the events in East Timor during and after the declaration of independence, showing the subsequent invasion of East Timor by the Indonesian government and the human rights abuses inflicted on the East Timorese population.

Chomsky looks particularly at the response- or lack of response - by Western governments and the United Nations to the situation in East Timor. He uses this to support his 'propaganda model' - the way in which elites 'manufacture' the public's consent to serve their own interests. The video also looks at the role of alternative media and independent organizations in raising awareness about issues that are not covered in mainstream media. National self-interest, the selective reporting of the media, and human rights are issues for discussion that are brought up in Manufacturing Consent.

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