6 November 2015

Dear future partners & participants,

Greetings!
The Urban Youth Academy (UYA), an NGO established with the aim of solving the worlds
biggest challenges through supporting and empowering youth to become future leaders, in
cooperation with the Asian Development Bank, will jointly undertake the Asia-Pacific Youth
Exchange Program (APYE), which is set to launch on January 3-17, 2016 across the
Philippines.
With the theme Empowering Youth to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs), the UYA will mobilize 250 young leaders and representatives of youth-led civil society
organizations across Asia and the Pacific for a 2-week program to improve the understanding
and capacity of young people to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. Team-building
activities, research and local action in communities await participants, who will learn how to
develop and implement their own projects, and work with other youth and stakeholders.
We believe that the youth as global citizens can make a huge impact to the world. APYEP will
be a good avenue for young people to learn more about their important role in ensuring a just,
livable and sustainable world. APYE promises a global experience and to open many doors of
opportunities for the youth. This January 2016, from 3rd to 17th, join us in the Philippines for the
most exciting youth exchange program with youth from all over Asia-Pacific.
For more information about our project, please refer to the concept note.
For any concerns and inquiries, you may reach out to us through Joy Gomez through
urbanyouthacademyph@gmail.com or mobile number +63916 523 3990/ +63998 555 2616.

Sincerely,

Hyoungmin Kim
Managing Director
Urban Youth Academy

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11 September 2015

Endorsement of the Asia Pacific Youth Exchange Program, 3 17 January

2016, Philippines
Strategy 2020, Asian Development Banks (ADB) long-term strategic framework,
highlights demographic changes in Asia as one of the key factors that would shape regional
development.1 There are more young people between ages 10 and 24 today than at any
other time in human history, and about 9 out of 10 of these people live in less developed
countries.2 Asia is the region with the largest number of young people, with 754 million. 3 In
some of these countries, the percentage of young people under age 24 can exceed 50% of
the population.4
ADB recognizes that young people present an enormous opportunity for Asia and the
Pacific. Youth are powerful agents of change who, if supported and empowered, can drive
the achievement of our vision of an Asia Pacific free from poverty and internationally agreed
commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Together, we must
ensure that Asias young people benefit from and contribute to these rapid developments for
inclusive growth in the region and help achieve the 17 SDGs.
ADB Youth Initiative endorses the Asia Pacific Youth Exchange Program (APYE) under
the theme, Empowering Youth to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. To be held on
3 17 January 2016, APYE will mobilize 250 young leaders and representatives of youth-led
civil society organization from across Asia and the Pacific to support youth in contributing to the
efforts towards achieving the SDGs.
We look forward to your active participation in APYE and to hosting parts of the
program that build the capacity of young people in the region.
Yours sincerely,

Christopher I. Morris
Head, NGO and Civil Society Center
Sustainable Development and Climate
Change Department
Asian Development Bank
1

Asian Development Bank. 2008. Strategy 2020. Mandaluyong. P. 7

UNFPA. 2014. The State of the World Population 2014. URL Available: http://www.unfpa.org/swop Accessed
on 18 December 2014.
3
United Nations. 2011. Youth Demographics Worldwide. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population
Division. Geneva.
4
The republic of the Marshall Islands population under 18 years old is 50% while the Philippines, Cambodia and
below 24 years old population exceeds that of 50%. Indonesia and Vietnam is slightly under 50%, according to
Index Mundi.
2

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Page 4 of 15

Background..................................................................................................................................... 6
1. 3rd Asian Youth Forum .........................................................................................................6
2. Sustainable Development Goals..........................................................................................6
3. Asia, the Pacific and SDGs..................................................................................................7
4. Role of Youth in Asian in achieving SDGs ...........................................................................7

Asia-Pacific Youth Exchange APYE2016 ................................................... 8

1. Objectives............................................................................................................................8
2. Features ..............................................................................................................................9
3. Program.............................................................................................................................10
4. Accommodation.................................................................................................................12
5. Local sites .........................................................................................................................13
6. Venue ................................................................................................................................14
7. Participation fee& packages............................................................................................15

Page 5 of 18

Strategy 2020, ADBa long-term strategic framework, highlights demographic changes in

Asia as one of the key factors that would shape regional development.1 There are more young
people between ages 10 and 24 today than at any other time in human history, and about 9 out
of 10 of these people live in less developed countries. 2 Asia is the region with the largest
number of young people, with 754 million.3 The youth population of India is unrivaled, with 65%
of its population at age 35 or under, and half the country's population of 1.25 billion people is
under 25 years old.4 In some of these countries, the percentage of young people under age 24
can exceed 50% of the population presenting an enormous opportunity for Asia and the
Pacific.5

1. 3RD ASIAN YOUTH FORUM

The 3rd Asian Youth Forum (AYF3) was held from 12 to 14 August 2015 in ADB
Headquarters in celebration of the UN International Youth Day (August 12) to provide a platform
for the international community to recognize youth as an important stakeholder of development.
Through the theme, Investing in Youth: Engagement, Education, Employment, and
Entrepreneurship, AYF3 tackled Asias youth employment challenges by calling on
stakeholders to harness the demographic dividend in Asia through youth participation and
engagement in generating and up-scaling of innovative solutions.
AYF3 highlighted youths potential as one of the regions greatest assets in shaping the
future. Discussions and outputs highlighted that if supported correctly, the potential resources of
Asias current youth bulge provides the region a massive opportunity towards efforts to achieve
regional and global development agendas such as SDGs.

2. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

SDGs, or global goals, are a new, universal set of targets and indicators laid out by and
for United Nations member states to frame their political policies and agenda over the next 15
years.6 The SDGs will be a carry-over and expansion of the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) which are due to expire by the end of this year, 15 years after the member states
agreed in 2000.

Asian Development Bank. 2008. Strategy 2020. Mandaluyong. P. 7

UNFPA. 2014. The State of the World Population 2014. URL Available: http://www.unfpa.org/swop Accessed on
18 December 2014.
2

United Nations. 2011. Youth Demographics Worldwide. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.
Geneva.

UNFPA. 2014. The State of the World Population 2014. URL Available: http://www.unfpa.org/swop Accessed on
18 December 2014.
5

The republic of the Marshall Islands population under 18 years old is 50% while the Philippines, Cambodia and below 24
years old population exceeds that of 50%. Indonesia and Vietnam is slightly under 50%, according to Index Mundi.

Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform, "Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development",
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld)

Page 6 of 18

The SDGs are focused on 17 primary issues related to inclusive and sustainable
development globally: poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, clean water and
sanitation, renewable energy, good jobs and economic growth, innovation and infrastructure,
reduced inequalities, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption, climate
action, life below water, life on land, peace and justice and partnerships for the goals.
On 25 September 2015, 193 world leaders will gather in the UN Headquarters in New
York and forge their commitment to these 17 SDGs. As a result, three primary outcomes are
expected by 2030: ending extreme poverty, fighting inequality and injustice, fixing climate
change.

3. ASIA, THE PACIFIC AND THE SDGS

Asia and the Pacific led the world in achieving the MDGs, pushing the proportion of
people living on less than $1.25 per day to fall from 53% (1990) to 12% by 2015. However,
though some goals may have been met, millions of people are still in dire conditions in issues
such as health, nutrition, and sanitation.
The region also faces challenges of inclusiveness as uneven development persists both
across countries and within them in terms of achievement against the MDGs. In general, East
Asia has fared much better than South Asia while within countries, marginalization and
discrimination on the basis of gender, class, ethnicity and location tend to persist.
The 17 goals and 169 targets of the SDGs are much more complex than the 8 goals and
21 targets of the MDGs. This brings upon challenges to Asia and the Pacific on efficiently
implementing interventions with the appropriate approaches, technologies, resources and
financing, and reliable information upon which upon which stakeholders will make informed
decisions. Most importantly, efforts to achieve the SDGs will require the involvement of all
stakeholders to do their part. The Future We Want outcome document of Rio+20 UN
Conference on Sustainable Development describes emphasizes this when it referred to young
people as custodians of the future highlighting youth as important stakeholders with critical
roles to play in helping achieve the goal of a sustainable future for themselves and future
generations. .7

4. ROLE OF YOUTH IN ASIA IN ACHIEVING SDGS

Over the past decade, there has been a growing recognition of the youth's participation
in economic, social and political processes. Governments, international agencies, civil society
and private sector organizations across the Asia-Pacific region have realized that young people
are powerful agents of change who, if supported and empowered, can drive the achievement of
the SDGs. We must ensure that Asias young people benefit from and contribute to these rapid
developments to ensure inclusive growth in the region and help achieve the 17 SDGs.

2012. The Future We Want. P 41.

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As an output of AYF3, ADB and Urban Youth Academy, in partnership with AIESEC
International, UN-HABITAT. UNIGIN Ventures, Our Generation17plus, YSEALI, and US
Embassy in Manila will undertake the Asia Pacific Youth Exchange Program (APYEP )
under the theme, Empowering Youth to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. To
be held on 3 17 January 2016, APYEP will mobilize 250+ young leaders and
representatives of youth-led civil society organization from across Asia and the Pacific to
support youth in contributing to the efforts towards achieving the SDGs .

Improve young peoples understanding of SDGs and their roles

in achieving them
Increase understanding and cooperation between young
people across Asia and the Pacific

1. OBJECTIVES

Build the capacity of youth in implementing projects and

activities aligned to the SDGs
Strengthen global and regional partnership for the SDGs and
youth development in Asia and the Pacific
Identify opportunities for inclusion of young people in decisionmaking and implementation of the SDGs

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Page 9 of 18

Features
expert-led
training
sessions on project management ,
community
mobilization,
communication, and other key skills
related to sustainable development.
Session
also
includes
teambuilding exercises that foster
camaraderie
and
relationships
among participants

Participants will be directly engaged

in 8 communities to develop a deeper
understanding
of
existing
development challenges on the
ground in relation to the SDGs. This
component also seeks to highlight
role of youth in supporting the
achievement of all 17 goals. Each
local engagement will yield tangible
outputs in the form or research and
policy recommendations

Each
participant
group
representing each of the 8 local
communities will present their
respective outputs during the
culminating confrence to be held at
at ADB Headquarters. Sector
experts
would
then
provide
feedback to each output in order to
help the youth identify the next
steps towards helping achieve of
the SDGs in Asia and the Pacific.

Page 10 of 18

3 6 JANUARY
Date:
9:00 12:00

3 January

4 January

5 January

1:00 5:00

Arrival

Opening Program

Team Building and

Field Trip

Venue:

Holiday Inn Ortigas

ADB HQ

ADB HQ

6 January
SDG Workshop
Project design
sessions
ADB HQ

7 12 JANUARY
Date:
9:00 12:00

7 January

8 January

9 January

1:00 5:00

Arrival

Orientation
and planning

Data
gathering

Venue:

TBC

Laguna Lake
Basin

Laguna Lake
Basin

10 January
Local field trip
and
volunteering
Laguna Lake
Basin

11 January

12 January

Data
gathering

Local Youth
Conference

Laguna Lake
Basin

Laguna Lake
Basin

13 17 JANUARY
Date:
9:00 12:00

13 January

1:00 5:00

Arrival

Venue:

Holiday Inn
Ortigas

14 January
International
Youth
Conference
ADB HQ

15 January
International
Youth
Conference
ADB HQ

16 January
Field trip and
farewell
celebration

17 January

ADB HQ

Travel

Departure

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Page 12 of 18

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Page 13 of 15

PROGRAMS FEE
TRAINING MATERIALS

FOOD

ACCOMMODATION
AIRPORT TRANSFER
LOCAL TRANSPORT

Page 15 of 18

Page 15 of 15

Facebook.com/apye2016

Twitter.com/APYExPh