| Fizah HAB |
PROMOTING youth involvement in entrepreneurship and preserving cultural heritage was one of the key objectives at UNESCO’s ‘International Youth Forum: Creativity and Heritage along the Silk Road’ in China, from April 7-22.
The seven-day international youth forum that took place in the Chinese provinces of Changsha and Quanzhou gave an opportunity for the youth participants to voice their concerns about the creative industry and preservation of cultural heritage, as well as raising the awareness of decision-makers, the general public and entrepreneurs about youthful engagement on promoting a peaceful coexistence and sustainable development.
The forum also included plenary lectures, workshops and field experiences that were aimed at giving the future leaders and decision-makers new opportunities to discuss possible solutions to ongoing major problems in the world, including unemployment, gender inequality, heritage protection and preservation.
Nur Diyana Nasriah binti Suhaili, a member of PACE48, shared her experiences of participating in the seven-day forum.
“It’s no longer just a problem in Brunei, but a national problem. I participated in the forum to see what solutions can be implemented on the national level and applied here in Brunei,” she told the Weekend Bulletin.
The Changsha Declaration was formed during the forum, affirming the participants’ desire to promote a peaceful coexistence and sustainable development through recognition and celebration of the Silk Road.
In the declaration, the youths called for promotion of youth organisations and the creation of cultural festivals; greater protection of cultural heritage, including the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural objects; and the promotion of sustainable tourism along the Silk Road which include programmes that provide youth employment opportunities in Silk Road countries.
“We reassert the importance of ensuring youthful engagement in creative endeavours that can bring new ideas and solutions for the benefit of all, through creative industries and arts, education, and opportunities for partnership”, were some of the key points in the declaration.
Nur Diyana Nasriah binti Suhaili (L) poses in a group photo with some of the foreign ambassadors to China attending the opening of the International Youth Fourm in Changsha province. – PHOTO COURTESY OF DIYANA NASRIAH
“What resonated with me was a quote that I heard from one of the presenters at the forum: ‘It’s not about what you can, but it’s about what you want to do’,” said Nur Diyana. “It confirms that youths can play a more active role in developing the future, including being more involved in entrepreneurship while preserving both their tangible and intangible cultural heritage.”
The participants also toured several locations, including the P8 Sustainable Innovative Community in Changsha province; and the Yuanhe 1916 Creative Park, a renovated industrial wasteland in Quanzhou province.
Both serve as incubators for young entrepreneurs in micro and small industries, to generate products, services and income based on ecologically friendly innovations.
“It’s not impossible for Brunei micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to be developed like the ones abroad and penetrate into the international market, like the ones in China’s P8 Sustainable Innovative Community,” said Nur Diyana. “We have the ability to develop our products and to be marketed abroad.
“MSMEs in Brunei should not just be focused on the food industry but can be developed into other categories, including the creative and traditional industries.
We should also play a more active role in preserving the cultural heritage in Brunei while combining entrepreneurship such as eco-tourism in Temburong.”
Supported by UNESCO and the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, the event brought together 80 youths from over 65 qualifying Silk Road countries including Russia, Bulgaria, the Southeast Asian region and the Middle East.
The forum was organised in line with Axis III of the UNESCO Operational Strategy on Youth (2014-2021); the UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972); and the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005).
PACE48 is multinational youth-led platform under UNESCO working across 48 Asia-Pacific nations, utilising culture and cultural education as a means of facilitating intercultural and interfaith dialogue with the youths of the region; advancing youth-centred sustainable development; preserving and promoting intangible culture, as well as enhancing access to quality education (SDG 4) through the utilisation of communication and information technologies.
PACE48 has 127 members from 36 Asia-Pacific countries.
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