Some time ago I applied for the
16th ASEF University on "Public Health and Vulnerable Groups: Access to Quality Health Care Services", which will be held on 29/06-10/07/2010 in Łódź, Poland, in partnership with
The Medical University of Łódź (
Uniwersytet Medyczny w Łodzi).
The
Asia-Europe Meeting (
ASEM), founded in 1996, gathers together 43 member states from Asia and Europe, the European Commission and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat.
The
Asia-Europe Foundation (
ASEF), founded one year later, in 1997, is the only permanent physical institution of the ASEM.
For the application purposes, I had to submit a short essay on
"How can young people play an active role in promoting better health for all in the context of the ASEM countries?", which you can read below:
Young people are a major agent for the development of a country and can play an active role in promoting new ideas and fields of (social) action or revitalising and empowering existing ones. Promoting better health for all in the ASEM countries is such an area of action and Young people can contribute through a variety of ways.
Participation in (Youth) NGOs and Social networks, while building on the benefits of the Voluntary Service and the Non Formal Education, to start with. Through creative projects, Young people can raise awareness (their own and the one of the public) on (Public) Health issues, Human Rights and Equality issues, Vulnerable Group issues; they can raise project-oriented funds for dealing with specific Public Health issues rising in their area of action; they can develop new ways of dealing with them; they can promote local action, as well as intercultural understanding and international co-operation, which is quite often necessary when (properly) dealing with Public Health issues
Moreover, Young people can be active in other fields of social life which are (directly or indirectly) linked to the Public Health and the Vulnerable Groups. Young scientists, for instance, can play an active role in studying the Public Health topics and provide a fresh context of reference and sustainable solutions for dealing with them, while Young businessmen can provide a more fair and responsible economic environment, which takes Public Health seriously into account and supports Vulnerable Groups.
Last, but not least: from the today's Young people, the future Leaders will rise. What is always necessary is Young people to seek for their own role in decision-making and older generations to have the courage to step back and provide the space needed. Young people carry the potential of shaping the future, and better Health for all can be part of this future!