APEC Youth Camp - Encouraging 'Youth Entrepreneurship'
Potential future APEC leaders and stakeholders will gather in Chinese Taipei in early August to develop their entrepreneurial skills as part of the 2004 APEC International Youth Camp. Emphasizing activeness, passion, enterprise and community, the camp aims to inspire creativity and encourage youth inIssue vement in community development throughout the APEC region. Field trips and specially designed experiential learning exercises will provide a unique educational opportunity for Asia-Pacific high school and university students aged 15 - 23 to develop their ICT, presentation, communications and entrepreneurial skills. The program also aims to help participants develop friendships and community with students from each of the diverse economies which make up APEC.
The camp is a practical outcome of APEC's collective interest in developing opportunities for the youth of the region and inIssue ving young people in the APEC process. As the 2003 APEC Ministerial Declaration affirmed, "Youth form the foundation of APEC's future. Engaging the youth of APEC economies and bringing them together in cooperative activities will ensure that the Asia-Pacific community develops on the basis of understanding and cohesiveness."
Operating under the theme of Youth Entrepreneurship, the camp is an ideal opportunity for talented young people in the region to make a real contribution to regional affairs and to learn more about entrepreneurship and sustainable development issues. Experts from Chinese Taipei and other APEC member economies will help students to develop skills though reflection and brainstorming exercises, combined with a formal conference discussion to share knowledge and ideas. Field trips to visit start-up companies, restaurants and other hospitality-based businesses, as well as community development projects, will provide real-world examples of entrepreneurship in action.
The overall objectives of the camp are to -
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Familiarize the youth of Chinese Taipei with APEC, and increase understanding of Chinese Taipei among the youth of other APEC economies.
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Help the youth of APEC economies to make effective use of information, bolster their self-understanding, and instill the concept of entrepreneurial risk management.
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Help the youth of APEC economies to make effective use of information technology and enhance their job market opportunities in a competitive market.
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Encourage young entrepreneurs to be inIssue ved in community development and provide them a unique learning opportunity.
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Raise awareness of sustainable development among the youth of APEC economies.
200 high school and university students are expected to attend this year's APEC Youth Camp from August 1 to 6. Participants will comprise at least five students and one supervisor from each of the 21 APEC Member Economies, representatives of Chinese Taipei (host economy), scholars, experts and representatives of non-government organizations and the business sector, and winners of website contents, which have been running since March this year. Contest winners will have shown their entrepreneurial aptitude through the development of effective business plans and through successful completion of challenging on-line contests.
The 2004 camp builds on the success of the inaugural camp held throughout Thailand in July 2003. The 2003 camp, which was part of the broader APEC Sister Schools Networking Project, focused on the theme "Coastal Ecosystems for Sustainable Development." Despite concerns at the time about the outbreak of the SARS epidemic, the camp was well attended, with 143 students from 16 APEC Economies sharing experiences and learning about APEC coastal ecosystems and engaging in hands-on environmental management and conservation activities. Students gained practical knowledge about the mangrove forests of Thailand, inter-tidal coastal ecosystems and sustainable development issues which affect the whole region. They gained valuable knowledge from tailored presentations by Thai and APEC experts about sustainable development issues and from supervised camping trips to the coastal provinces.
Strong linkages were made with host schools and communities located along the eastern seaboard of Thailand. Thai and international students had the opportunity to learn from each other, practice their English language skills and learn more about the environment. Students also developed their ICT skills and set up networks between schools.
To keep up to date with this year's APEC Youth Camp, simply click on the Find Out More link below. Photographs and essays will be posted to the site throughout the camp, reflecting the activities and learning opportunities being shared at the camp. An online discussion forum is also available throughout the camp to enable students to discuss and debate entrepreneurship and sustainable development issues. At the end of the camp a Youth Camp Declaration will be issued to the media and posted on the official APEC International Youth Camp 2004 website.