Bayer Young Environmental Envoy

Bayer Young Environmental Envoy

Deadline: 21 May 2007 If you are between 18 to 24 years old, single, an Indonesian college/university student presently enrolled, and with a passion for the environment, take up the challenge to become a Bayer Young Environmental Envoy! Deserving students from all over Indonesia will be selected to be Bayer Young Environmental Envoys (BYEE) and will participate in a live-in Eco-camp that is held in a local venue. The top four envoys will join youth delegates from 16 other countries around the world on a weeklong all-expense paid trip to Germany on November 17-24, 2007. It will be an opportunity to gain new insights on the broad spectrum of environmental protection measures employed by industry, municipalities, and the state environmental authorities in Germany. The top four envoys will join youth delegates from 16 other countries around the world on a weeklong all-expense paid trip to Germany on November 17-24, 2007. It will be an opportunity to gain new insights on the broad spectrum of environmental protection measures employed by industry, municipalities, and the state environmental authorities in Germany. BYEE program now on it's 4 years in Indonesia Bayer and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have worked together for many years on specific projects, particularly in youth environmental education in Asia Pacific. In 2004, Bayer signed a formal agreement with UNEP on environmental programs for young people and became the first private sector company to work with UNEP. Building on their many years of cooperation in the region, the BYEE program was conceptualized where youths from four continents visit Germany to learn about forms of environmental practices. The program was first launched in Thailand in 1995. Bayer Thai began sponsoring the project in 1996 and has since played a major role in developing program. In 1997, the UNEP Regional Office for Asia Pacific adopted the project under its umbrella. Following the success of the program in Thailand, Bayer extended it to include participants from the Philippines and Singapore in 2001. In 2002, India was included, followed by China in 2003. Today, the program also includes participants from Indonesia, Korea, Poland, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Kenya, Malaysia and Vietnam. Bayer and UNEP: partners for youth and the environment In 1901, Bayer set up a Wastewater Commission at its production plants in Germany, which started the company’s long history of environmental protection and sustainable development. Bayer continues to this day to be a pioneering industry leader, having been voted as the “Best in Class” by the investor group of the Carbon Disclosure Projects in New York 2006. At the last International Climate Summit of 2005 in Montreal, Bayer was given the “Low Carbon Leaders Award” by an independent body for its achievements over the last ten years in climate protection. Bayer is a research-based, growth-oriented global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. There are 428 companies in five continents representing Bayer around the world. Its global headquarters are in Leverkusen, Germany. In Indonesia, Bayer fulfills its mission of helping achieve lasting improvement in quality of life of the Indonesians through its core businesses: Bayer HealthCare, Bayer CropScience, and Bayer Material Science. UNEP was established in 1972 as the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. UNEP works with many partners, including United Nations entities, international organizations, national governments, non-government organizations, the private sector and civil society. The BYEE Program is one of the many activities under the UNEP Tunza long-term strategy for engaging young people in environmental activities and in the work of UNEP. Eligibility for Entry Indonesian citizen, College/University student enrolled in any institution as of May 1, 2007 (students graduating in May 2007 are eligible to join) 18 to 24 years old by September 1, 2007 Actively involved in environmental activities or projects Willing to travel overseas Should be able to work well within a group Good oral and written English communications skills Children and relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity, or persons, whether they are related or not, living with any of the following are not eligible to join the contest: Employees of Bayer, their agencies or independent contractors engaged in the project Individuals or companies engaged in the development, production, or distribution of materials for the project How to join In no more than 1.000 words, write your individual proposal for a simple and do-able environmental project in your community or school that addresses a specific environmental problem. First, describe the current situation and environment-related problems in your local area or school, and the relevance of addressing this concern. Then state the objectives of your project, and indicate resource requirements like budget, manpower, facilities, as well as institutions/groups/organizations involved. Be sure those resources for supporting your project are realistic and within reach. Specify your deliverables and target date for completion. Procedures/rules Fill up the entry form and attach a 4x6 cm color photo of yourself. Attach the following documents: certificate of cumulative GPA (IPK, minimum 2.5) from your institution, copies of identification card (KTP/SIM), and proof of environmental award (if there is any) received. All entries must be accompanied by a project proposal. Incomplete application form and entry requirements will not be processed. Secure the endorsement of a faculty member OR the school academic department head OR college/university dean OR academic vice-president OR president. All applications should reach Bayer by May 21, 2007. Project proposals must be typewritten in English on doublespaced. Handwritten or e-mail entries will not be accepted. Project proposals, which are adaptations/upgrades of already existing projects are acceptable, but the entry will be judged solely on the basis of new elements introduced and their added value. Pre-existing work or accomplishments prior to the official start-up date will not be given any credit. Successful finalists shall be asked to begin implementing their respective projects by June 20, 2007. A premature start-up of the proposed project will be grounds for disqualification. While the project proposal should be the applicant’s own concept, the project itself may be carried out by any number of people, with the applicant taking significant role in its implementation. The project must be completed or come close to completion by September 5, 2007. The judges’ decision is final for all aspects of the competition. Judging and selecting Applicants will be shortlisted based on the content of their project, leadership and environmental know-how and involvements. A panel of judges will interview each of the shortlisted candidates to determine their intelligence and understanding of environmental issues, their communication and people skills, as well as the feasibility of their project proposals. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed. PT Bayer Indonesia will bear all costs for the travel, meals, and accommodations of shortlisted candidates going to the interview. Successful applicants who qualify for the final round will be required to attend an environmental live-in workshop called the BYEE Eco- Camp. All charges for the travel, accommodations, and upkeep of participants will be shouldered by PT Bayer Indonesia. At the end of the Eco-Camp, the finalists will be asked to make a presentation before another panel of judges. They will be given the formal title of Bayer Young Environmental Envoy at an awarding ceremony. Four of these finalists will be declared as the Top 4 Bayer Young Environmental Envoys and will be given the opportunity to participate in a weeklong all-expense paid study trip to Germany on November 17-24, 2007. Website: click here

Last Updated ( Saturday, 21 April 2007 ) http://www.milisbeasiswa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=129&Itemid=7

39 Tahun ASEAN, Perjalanan Jadi Milik Rakyat

Tak terasa 39 tahun sudah usia Perhimpunan Bangsa- bangsa Asia Tenggara atau ASEAN. Jika diibaratkan manusia, usia itu terbilang tidak lagi muda, bahkan mendekati paruh baya. Akan tetapi, tidak demikian dengan ASEAN. Mendekati usia ke-40, ASEAN bergerak mengikuti kiasan yang sudah sering kita dengar bahwa hidup yang sesungguhnya bermula dari usia 40 tahun. Sebagaimana disampaikan Menteri Luar Negeri Hassan Wirajuda, memasuki usia ke-40 ASEAN justru memulai perjalanan baru yang tidak mudah untuk menjadi perhimpunan bagi seluruh rakyat ASEAN yang dicanangkan dicapai pada tahun 2020.

Target Komunitas ASEAN 2020 yang tinggal 14 tahun lagi itu memang masih menjadi tanda tanya besar, apakah bisa dicapai pada waktunya atau tidak. Yang jelas, sebuah langkah awal telah diambil ASEAN untuk mengubah perhimpunan yang sering kali dianggap pertemuannya pejabat-pejabat pemerintahan negara-negara ASEAN menjadi perhimpunan bagi bertemunya seluruh rakyat di kawasan Asia Tenggara. Sebagaimana diakui Dirjen Kerja Sama ASEAN Deplu RI Dian Triansyah Djani, memang masih banyak pekerjaan rumah yang harus diselesaikan, tetapi ASEAN sejauh ini terus bergerak ke arah yang ditujunya.

Inti pertanyaan sekarang adalah bagaimana menjadikan ASEAN sebagai milik bersama seluruh rakyat Asia Tenggara? Dibalik pertanyaan itu memang ada suatu pengakuan bahwa ASEAN belum dianggap sebagai milik rakyat Asia Tenggara. Faktanya, di Jakarta saja sangat banyak warga yang tidak merasa punya hubungan apa-apa dengan ASEAN, merasakan manfaat dari ASEAN, apalagi terlibat dalam kegiatan-kegiatan yang diselenggarakan ASEAN.

Apa itu berarti ASEAN tidak bermanfaat sama sekali? Menlu Hassan menegaskan, kita di ASEAN ini sering kali melupakan berkah kedamaian dan ketenangan tinggal di kawasan ini selama 39 tahun. Seolah-olah kedamaian dan relatif ketenangan itu adalah sesuatu yang ada begitu saja.

Padahal, jika melihat sejarahnya, ASEAN justru didirikan ketika konfrontasi RI-Malaysia baru saja selesai. Saat ini pun, negara-negara pendiri ASEAN juga mempunyai konflik satu sama lain.

"Jadi, kalau selama 39 tahun itu terkesan kita cuma duduk dan ngobrol-ngobrol saja, kalau kita bandingkan sekarang dengan situasi di Timur Tengah maupun di Asia Timur, bisa duduk dan ngobrol itu sesuatu yang mewah. Di Semenanjung Korea, untuk bisa duduk bersama dan berbicara itu tidak mudah. Apalagi di Timur Tengah. Bahkan pada pertemuan di Kuala Lumpur belum lama ini, AS, Jepang, Korea Selatan, Rusia, dan China justru meminta ASEAN untuk bisa mendudukkan mereka bersama dengan Korea Utara," papar Hassan.

Dengan berkah kedamaian dan ketenangan itulah, tegas Menlu Hassan, masing-masing negara ASEAN bisa membangun negaranya sehingga mencapai pertumbuhan ekonomi yang mengesankan sekarang ini. Singkatnya, sesungguhnya banyak sekali manfaat dari 39 tahun keberadaan ASEAN, tetapi pencapaian itu umumnya tidak kasatmata sehingga dianggap sesuatu yang biasa-biasa saja.

Meski belum bisa merangkul lebih banyak warga ASEAN, sesungguhnya cukup banyak anggota warga masyarakat di ASEAN yang sudah merasakan kegiatan ASEAN, antara lain melalui program pertukaran pelajar ASEAN, program Kapal ASEAN, dan lainnya. Akan tetapi, berbagai kegiatan itu memang belum cukup untuk meningkatkan komunikasi antarwarga di 10 negara anggota.

Indikasi mengenai hal ini, antara lain, bisa dilihat dari aktivitas perdagangan di antara negara-negara anggota (intra) ASEAN, yang diakui Dirjen Kerja Sama ASEAN hingga saat ini masih tetap rendah, yaitu sekitar 22,5 persen pada 2004. Angka itu masih jauh tertinggal dibandingkan perdagangan intra NAFTA (Kawasan Perdagangan Bebas Amerika Utara) yang berkisar 41-44 persen, terlebih lagi intra Uni Eropa yang berkisar 53-56 persen.

Piagam ASEAN

Sebagai bagian dari menjadikan ASEAN sebagai organisasinya seluruh rakyat ASEAN, sejak tahun 2005 para pemimpin ASEAN sudah memutuskan dimulainya proses pembuatan Piagam ASEAN (ASEAN Charter) sebagai payung bersama ASEAN. Di dalam Piagam ASEAN inilah tujuan sekaligus arah ASEAN untuk menjadi organisasinya seluruh rakyat ASEAN akan ditekankan.

Ali Alatas yang merupakan salah seorang anggota Eminent Persons Group (EPG) penyusunan Piagam ASEAN menjelaskan, sementara ini pemikiran di kalangan EPG mengenai keikutsertaan masyarakat dalam kegiatan ASEAN menjurus ke arah pembentukan "channels" ataupun "processes of consultation" dengan paling sedikit tiga kelompok, yaitu Organisasi antarparlemen ASEAN (AIPO), masyarakat bisnis, dan masyarakat sipil di negara ASEAN. Konsultasi reguler itu meliputi aspek penentuan arah kebijaksanaan pada umumnya maupun aspek monitoring pelaksanaan keputusan atau komitmen yang telah disetujui bersama.

Menurut Guru Besar Antropologi Universitas Indonesia Amri Marzali, salah satu kebijakan untuk membangun sebuah komunitas ASEAN yang lebih solid dan akrab secara sosiokultural adalah memupuk, menggalakkan, dan mengembangkan semangat persamaan dan tolong-menolong.

Caranya adalah dengan memperbanyak acara dan kegiatan bersama, cepat tanggap jika ada anggota yang mendapat kemalangan dan kesulitan, menciptakan kegiatan bersama untuk menanggulangi masalah-masalah bersama, misalnya masalah Selat Malaka, masalah terorisme, dan masalah pengangguran.

Amri juga mengingatkan, pada kenyataannya komunitas ASEAN adalah sebuah komunitas gesellschaft, yaitu suatu masyarakat yang terbentuk dari komponen (masyarakat negara) yang beraneka ragam, tidak seragam, namun saling membutuhkan dan saling tergantung satu sama lain. Saling membutuhkan dan tergantung itu diwujudkan dalam saling pertukaran. Oleh karena itu, yang perlu dipikirkan adalah mencari dan menggiatkan saling pertukaran itu, mencari produk, keunggulan, serta keahlian yang khas dari setiap masyarakat negara ASEAN yang mungkin untuk terjadi pertukaran.

Sayangnya, sebagaimana diakui Dirjen Kerja Sama ASEAN Deplu RI, dibandingkan di bidang ekonomi, kerangka kerja di bidang sosial-budaya memang belum sangat terarah dan jelas. Meski demikian, Dian Triansyah menjelaskan, Vientiane Action Programme yang merupakan pedoman ASEAN untuk jangka pendek dan menengah 2004- 2010 sudah memfokuskan pada upaya untuk memperdalam integrasi regional dan mempersempit kesenjangan di dalam ASEAN.

Hal itu bisa dilihat dari gambaran penggunaan dana di ASEAN, di mana 55 persen dana adalah untuk menunjang Komunitas Sosial Budaya (ASCC), 32 persen untuk Komunitas Ekonomi (AEC), dan hanya 4 persen untuk Komunitas Keamanan (ASC), sementara 9 persen untuk upaya-upaya memperkecil kesenjangan pembangunan (NDG).

"Di bidang ekonomi ASEAN sudah cukup maju, tetapi di bidang sosial budaya tidak ada suatu mekanisme yang dapat mengoordinasi berbagai macam kegiatan. Sebagai contoh, pemuda jalan sendiri, wanita jalan sendiri di ASEAN, ada berbagai macam pertemuan tetapi tidak ada wadah yang mencoba mengoordinasikan itu menjadi langkah-langkah yang terintegrasi," kata Dian.

Berbagai kekurangan itulah yang akan segera dibenahi ASEAN dengan dukungan dari seluruh pemangku kepentingannya. Yang jelas, sebuah langkah awal telah dilakukan untuk lebih banyak merangkul warga ASEAN terlibat dalam berbagai kegiatan ASEAN dan memperbanyak kontak antarwarga ASEAN.

[source: www.kompas.com Minggu, 20 Agustus 2006, Dikutip langsung tanpa edit dari tulisan Rakaryan S]

Politics likely to delay India entry into Asean

India is citing the fear of political fallout and its suicide epidemic among farmers as obstacles to hammering out a free-trade deal with Southeast Asia, officials said. The agreement between India and the 10-member Asean is scheduled to come into force on January 1, ‘07, but negotiations have stalled over the list of mostly agricultural items to be exempted from tariff cuts. A senior official said that as an agricultural country, India was concerned over the prospect of political fallout from rural voters if it opens its markets. “The suicide level is high. The government is worried. It is an agricultural country. Politics is the issue,” he said. Indian federal officials said earlier this year that more than 8,900 farmers had committed suicide since ‘01 in four states hardest hit by the ongoing agricultural crisis. Ramon Vicente Kabigting, a director at the Philippines’ department of trade and industry, said he told his Indian counterpart last March that it should not use the suicide argument in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks. “I dare not measure human suffering. All I know is that everyone around this table respects human dignity,” he said. “It is not an argument that is right to be used in an FTA,” he said. The ASEAN official said that India must cut its proposed exclusion list during talks with the region’s economic ministers here next week. ”FTA negotiations with India are stuck. There is no real movement,” he said on the sidelines of a meeting of ASEAN senior officials. “They should not have a long list of exclusions.” The number of products excluded from tariff reductions has been cut to 854 from the 1,414 India had originally proposed, but is still far higher than ASEAN’s target of 400. India, which adopted a free market economy in the early ’90s, is keen to expand trade ties with ASEAN, but wants to protect its own sensitive sectors, such as agriculture and textile which provide livelihoods to millions of Indians. Among the items on the exclusion list are imports of palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia, and of tea and coffee from other ASEAN countries. Malaysia and Indonesia produce about 80% of the world’s supply of crude palm oil.

[source:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1902474.cms, Jumat, Agustus 18, 2006 12:29:53 AM]

ASEAN Launches a “Visit ASEAN Pass” for International Travelers

Travelers to Southeast Asia are now able to take advantage of a Visit ASEAN Pass or vap! that allows them visit two or more ASEAN Member Countries at a special low rate. The vap! was launched in early January 2006 and it is hoped that the reasonably priced vap! will encourage tourists to travel to more destinations within the ASEAN region. The vap! is part of ASEAN’s continued efforts to develop the region as a single tourism destination by 2010.

ASEAN Tourism Ministers (ATM), meeting on 16 January 2006 in Davao, Philippines, at the 9th Meeting of the ATM, welcomed the efforts by the tourism industry on promoting inter- and intra-ASEAN trade with the vap!

The Ministers noted and stressed the importance of enhancing marketing strategies for ASEAN tourism. To date, boosted by a single destination campaign and blessed with a rich diversity of attractions, ASEAN countries have continuously enjoyed promising growth in tourist arrivals. Based on tentative figures, by the end of 2005, more than 44 million tourists visited the ASEAN region. (Note: As some countries had only submitted figures for tourist arrivals up to September 2005, this final figure of tourist arrivals for 2005 is expected to surpass 50 million.)

However, the regional tourism industry still has room to grow and ASEAN Member Countries will be making efforts to gain a larger market share of both intra-ASEAN and international travelers. Looking ahead, 2006 will see ASEAN placing added emphasis on the growing sector of Youth Travelers and launching specially targeted promotional packages and benefits for young people. ASEAN will also work closely with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea on joint tourism promotion campaigns; tourism training and education; promotion of the sustainable development of tourism; and exchange of information on relevant statistics, policies and laws.

The ASEAN Tourism Minister Meeting is held every year in conjunction with the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), which gathers travel agents from the various ASEAN Member Countries.

(source:http://www.aseansec.org/18206.htm#Article-2)

ASEAN and ECO Secretariats sign MoU to boost cooperation, 18 Jan 2006

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Secretariat of ASEAN and the Secretariat of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was signed on 18 January 2006 by the Secretary-General of ASEAN Ong Keng Yong in Jakarta and by the Secretary-General of ECO Askhat Orazbay in Tehran.

The MoU will serve as a platform to build a closer relationship between the two regions through the sharing of information, practices and experiences in the areas of Trade & Investment, Narcotics Control, Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Tourism.

In the area of Trade and Investment, the two Parties agreed to exchange information on the implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and Economic Cooperation Organization Trade Agreement (ECOTA), as well as on related policies in trade, investment and customs reforms.

The two regions also agreed to share information on national laws and practices to suppress illicit drugs trafficking. Meanwhile, regional strategies will be developed to boost competitiveness and capacity in SME businesses especially in the critical areas of production and management.

ASEAN and ECO will also work together to develop the tourism infrastructure and facilities of the two regions as well as encourage the involvement of the private sector to boost growth and investment in the tourism sector.

The ECO consists of the Islamic State of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan Republic, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Turkey, Turkmenistan and Republic of Uzbekistan.

• Click here for the Memorandum of Understanding between the ASEAN Secretariat and the ECO Secretariat.
  

(source:http://www.aseansec.org/18206.htm#Article-2)