DELEGATES and mentors of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Generation GR3EN Workshop on Sunday visited the Sumbiling Eco Village in Temburong District as part of their four-day workshop in Brunei.
The participants took part in a variety of activities at the village, such as traditional weaving, jungle and river trekking, painting, and preparation of the ‘Bamboo Chicken’.
Special talks were also held, focussing on the themes of ‘economic empowerment’ and ‘infrastructure development’, according to a press release issued by the Embassy of the United States in Brunei Darussalam.
The first key-note speaker, the founder of Sumbiling Eco Village Leslie Chiang, kicked off with a talk titled ‘Mutual Benefit: Enabling Communities Towards Inclusive Growth’, and the second keynote speaker, Director at Tao Kalahi Foundation Rambie Lim, spoke on ‘Sustainable Development: Practising and Preserving the Environment by Design’.
US Embassy Public Affairs Officer Catherine Muller stated, “The US Embassy is excited to give workshop delegates the opportunity to experience this part of Brunei Darussalam as they learn more about the natural environment of the Sultanate, as well as best practices for eco-friendly tourism.
Some of the YSEALI Generation GR3EN Workshop participants during one of the activities at Sumbiling Eco Village
A group photo of the delegates in Bandar Seri Begawan. – PHOTOS: US EMBASSY
“We hope this part of their journey will inspire them to further adopt a more environmentally friendly lifestyle back home.”
The YSEALI Generation GR3EN Workshop focussed on eco-entrepreneurship, and included 50 delegates between the ages of 20 and 35, representing each of the 10 Asean member countries. The delegates are students and young professionals with relevant experience and interest in the areas of green-business development, eco-entrepreneurship and ecotourism.
The workshop is sponsored by the US Department of State and funded through a cooperative agreement from the US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam to AGREA for the administration of the workshop.
Launched in 2013, YSEALI is the United States government’s signature programme to strengthen partnerships with emerging leaders in Southeast Asia.
YSEALI Generation GR3EN is one of several workshops that have taken place in the region centred on one of the four YSEALI themes – environment and natural resources management, economic development, civic engagement, and education.
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