Drug Prevention

                                     Summary Report

KYA is a youth organization established in November 22, 1992 by a diverse group of youths with a belief that young people are the main factors and important elements in the national and international development and peace. A strong belief was that youth participation is a special mechanism to build a democratic society. Through national and international interest, youths have to try their best to join all activities and show responsibility for their families, communities, nations and indeed the world. The youth voice is a main challenge of political atmosphere and it will support the country to reach prosperity, peace, justice, good governance, democracy, and sustainable development. With this belief KYA has set a global goal for the organization as to have a potential youth, to work with youths and for youths, for a social positive change . To reach this goal, KYA, again, set its missions to upgrade and promote youth participation in human rights, democracy, peace building, health, gender equality, education and vocational training for young people in Cambodia . KYA strives towards an improved framework for respecting human rights, democracy and the empowerment of young people by government and other stakeholders with principles that encourage youth participation and recognize youth's roles and work. So far, KYA implements a wide range of activities which include human rights and democracy, peace building, women rights, drugs, civic education and health aim to meet its set goal of being potential for the positive change of the society.

The Angkor Youth Camp is one of a several activities organized by Khmer Youth Association (KYA) with funding support from different donor agencies for once of every two years since the year 2000. This is the fifth event of Angkor Youth Camp that KYA was organized. The theme of the event is different from time to time while the fifth Angkor Youth Camp focused on" National Youth Policy in Cambodia " which was discussed on different twelve main topics on: " Education, Employment, Hunger and Poverty, Health, Environment, Drug Abuse, Juvenile Delinquency, Leisure Time Activities, Girls and Young women, The full and effective participation of youth in the life of society and in decision making, Climate Change and Youth and National Youth Policy in Foreign Countries". 250 participants from all 24 provinces and cities and some foreigner and also include KYA's staffs.

The Fifth Angkor Youth Camp-2008 was held from 31-Aug-2008 to 5-Sep-2008 in Koh Kong Province with total participation of 270 youth (F: 119) from 21 provinces and cities in Cambodia and including other 9 foreign youth (F:2) from 5 countries in Asia and Europe--Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Lao PDR and Italy participated in the fifth Angkor Youth Camp-2008 organized by Khmer Youth Association (KYA) for 5 days from August 31 to September 5 2008 under the theme of "Working for National Youth Policy" at Koh Kong province.

The committees of the event were formed up with the coordination of Acting president and Management team. The meetings among committee were held regularly before the event and on day of event to follow the process of the event.

Presentation, Questions and answer, Group discussion, Study Tour and Culture show are main tools used in the camp.

   3.1 Day I (31-Aug-2008)

In the morning the participants are asked to come early to get the materials-bag, T-shirt and documents related to the history of the camp. The departure time to the camp site (Koh Kong province) was from 7:30am in the morning. On the way to Koh Kong, each bus controllers arranged many entertaining activities like singing song, telling jokes and folk tale and others joyful activities.

It was also the opening ceremony day. We started the event at 16:00pm of the opening ceremony of the fifth Angkor Youth Camp It was organized in Koh Kong theatre, Koh kong province. The opening ceremony was under the presidencies of H.E Tham San, deputy governor of Koh Kong province, accompanied by Director of Department of Educate Youth and Sport, Director of Department of Health and representative of UNFPA, Forum Syd and local NGOs, representative of youth NGOs, national and international guests, as well as national and foreign participants.

On occasion of opening ceremony Mr. Him Yun acting president of Khmer Youth Association (KYA) addressed his welcome remark as he stressed on history of the Angkor Youth Camp organized by KYA every two year since the year 2000. He also stressed related to the national youth policy-- Cambodian citizen especially 62% young people who are under 25 years old and 70% of young people under 30 years old whose live with not clear national youth policy .

After welcome remark, Ms. Alice Lbevisay representative of UNFPA addressed her remarkable speech. She said that "She was so happy to participate in the fifth Angkor Youth Camp under the theme of working together to national youth policy . UNFPA has its mission in Cambodia since 2004 which he supported both government and NGOs to spread out information on the problem of gender, reproductive health and citizen's issues to ensure all birth are safety, all of youth have no HIV/AIDs and all of young girls and women are given value and respected. I hoped that you will learn the activities you choose from this events to help your friends and your community. Your willing needs to try hard, your requirement are show many new cases in national youth policy. All institution and groups should bring their need and pay attention on this process. However, only youth who proceed to fulfill requirement and your facing problem and reflex to policy.

While Mr. Jan Erik Wann, he mentioned that "his message today is participating with youth organization you will win everything without failure" . You will get several things by investing your time into activities which are for everybody and your society. I joined with youth organization since I was 10 years old. My children started to involve in youth organization since they were 5 years old. I supported them until now. They still actively involved in youth organization. I learnt and developed a lot during my free time with youth organization and had spent 18 years during my study. The important point I learnt while I were participating with youth organization are-Leadership, Responsibility, Pedagogy and Financial management and Planning.

You have to think and do are the issues. What could I do for my universe, my country and human being? Nothing wrong to do so! Forum Syd still support youth.

During presiding over the opening ceremony, H.E. Tham San stated that ".The goal of Angkor Youth Camp of Khmer Youth Association is promote and encourage youth to participate in establish National Youth Policy and to empower potential youth to participate in Human Right, Democracy, Peace building, Information, Communication and Technology and voluntary in the country.

National Youth Policy is the fundamental of youth development to provide the chance to develop knowledge, physical appearance, and employment for youth especially the basic of strong decision making for youth.

Youth is the bright future for the nation. It means that a nation could not be separated from the participation of youth power. Therefore, the discussion on youth issues is positive symbol to guide youth on the proper way.

At the end of the opening ceremony, photos session with Guest of Honors and participants was taken. Moreover, culture show was performed every night by the participants from different provinces.

  3.2 Day 2 (01-Sept-2008)

In the morning of the beginning of day 2, the camp coordinator and sub-coordinator demonstrated the camp regulation/rule in order to keep the process of event goes smoothly. All participants agreed and they pledged to practice together.

There were two presentations in the morning shown by the invited speaker from concerning organization and KYA staffs on the objective and history of Angkor Youth Camp, youth position on National Youth Policy and "What is National Youth Policy". There were a lot of questions from flow on the National Youth Policy and Youth position. Those were properly responded by the speaker. During the presentation the speaker has included one considerable message from is "A society try to separate from youth mean that she is trying to cut her right hand". This mean that youth is vital element which is impossible to separate because youth face a lot of issues-poverty, drugs.etc. Youth should have full participation in all public sectors-Government, Private.. While other speaker stressed strongly on the reason of establishing National Youth Policy. Youth is the victims. He also mentioned that National Youth Policy is:

• A practical demonstration that youth are a priority
• Guiding principles for planning and implementation of strategies, activities & projects relating to the development of the youths.
• Guideline for the government in planning an implementing programs according to the needs and aspirations/will of the youths

In the afternoon session, there were also two presentations on the Draft of National Youth Policy and the Experiences on Implementing National Youth Policy. The first topic was presented by Mr. Pharn Sokim, Chief of Youth Department of MoEYS while the second topic was presented by Mr. Gus E.Cerdena, Program Coordinator of FES, Philippine. Mr. Pharn Sokim, stated that National Youth Policy is a good topic for current situation. He also mentioned that the definition of youth is a person between 15-30 years of age. He disseminated many valuable messages to the participants to become good youth as addressed that youth goes through five stages-1).Continual Studying, 2).Health, 3).Employment, 4).Starting family and, 5).Behaving as good citizen. Youth should give value on themselves, work and social morality. Government is working hard to establish this policy while youth has role to push this decision. Presently, the second draft is in my hand and we will work together again for four or five times more. My promise is to finalize the National Youth Policy in 2009.

Mr. Gus stated that " Putting youth concerns in the policy is not difficult but does not the implementation" so Government should make the correction on his implementation.

  3.4 Day 4 (03-Sept-2008)

The evaluation and reflection was done the same as previously but the picture of doing this a bit different because we gave this flow to the participants. Anyways, until this day, we saw that participants were still energetic in participation.

It is the last day of presentation from the speakers but there were two supported topics were shown by KYA staffs on youth networking and advocacy in grass root level. The process and advantage of networking and advocacy were presented to participant. After the presentation, participants were divided into 12 different groups based on the 12 set topics. The group members of the group discussion are not equal due to the interest of participants. They could choose whichever group they like. The topics for discussion are as following:

1. Youth and Employment
2. Youth and Leisure Activity
3. Youth and Volunteering work
4. Youth and Technology
5. Youth and Freedom of Speech
6. Youth and Culture
7. Youth and Trafficking
8. Youth and Leadership
9. Youth and Climate Change
10. Youth and Violence
11. Youth and Reproductive Health and
12. Youth and National Youth Policy in Foreign Countries

The discussion was done with the structured questions are to understand the context of the topic, the recommendation and action plan for the future. Each group has time to present what they have found during the discussion to the panels. The result of the group discussion will be recorded and possibly added up in the youth position papers.

  3.5 Day 5 (04-Sept-2008)

It is the last day of the event. The study tour has been arranged for participant by traveling to the tourist resort as SAFARI World, Bouerng Kayak (Community resort) and water fall. This study tour took place until 3:00pm in the afternoon.

Anyways, the closing ceremony was also celebrated on this day. It was closed under the presidency of H.E Chey Chab, Under secretary of State of MoEYS. The letter of participation was also awarded to participants.

IV. Challenges

Thought there were much thing have arranged before the events but there was still some challenges occurred as following:

• Slowness of the participants in the event
• Technologies with the microphone and electricity
• Some participants got sick (headache, tiredness)
• Translation is not clear and goes out of the topics and there were some disturbing from participants to interpreter of foreigner. Responding to the concern and challenges the committees always dealt with the challenges immediately especially we always had the meeting for all committee for one to two hours after the event of each day. We came up with the solutions as following to respond to the challenges above:
• Demonstrated the values of punctuality and time respect
• Check the electricity and control the technology very often
• Meeting with translation teams

V. Conclusion/Result:

 The event goes smoothly with the cooperation from the provincial authority regarding the security and permission of using the hall. Through the evaluation we could see that most participants, 85% interested very much and learned a lot from the events. They also suggested that KYA has to continue to organize this event if it possible should hold this event once a year. Additionally they said that the topics are very important to learn because it is much suitable with the current situation. Moreover, two pages of press release on of the event was issued with the agreement from all participants. The main points raised in the press release are:

1. The Royal Government of Cambodia, especially MoEYS has to approve national youth policy in 2009.
2. Policy drafting has to be consistent to the guideline determined by International Council for National Youth Policy (ICNYP).
3. After finalizing the draft, Open Forums have to be organized widely in urban and remote areas.
4. National Youth Policy have to be approved by National Assembly
5. Ministry of Education Youth and Sport has to consider the points in the youth paper position of NYP-NET to put into the draft of National Youth Policy.
6. UN agencies especially UNDP, UNFPA, UNESCO, UNICEF, World Bank has to fully support the process of establishing of the national youth policy.