Yes I’m writing out an essay.

Every year, for the SSEAYP program, there is one major activity that each and every participating youth (PY) is required to join. Some PYs will find it a woe and some will get mini orgasms just thinking about it: THE DISCUSSION PROGRAM.

In the Discussion Program, each PY is required to talk/be an expert on, one assigned aspect of these 8 topics:

1. Cross-Cultural Understanding
2. Environment
3. Information (Digital Divide)
4. School Education
5. International Relations
6. Volunteer Activities
7. Youth Development
8. Traditional Culture

PYs are to choose any 4 of the topics they like, and then provide a justification on why they chose that topic. Then it will be up to the Steering Committee from Japan to assign a topic for every PY.

I actually chose, Environment, because you know how I love, love efforts to do with creating a sustainable environment, School Education, as my past 4 years has been concentrated on the topic, Information (Digital Divide), because I am a sexeh local blogger (:P), and International Relations, because it has accidentally become a recent interest of mine with regards to my involvement with the AUN Summit and China ASEAN Youth Arts Festival.

Predictably, I am the Head of Discussion Committee for the Brunei contingent this year. I cannot reveal too much about things we do and our progress (yet!). For every topic, there is a requirement of at least one essay of 500 words, and at least one presentation of 7 minutes each. Therefore, the PYs actually need to sit down, research and discuss their topics with each other in order to come up with a plan of action.

As I was sitting down last night next to a Youth Development discussion group meeting, I cannot help but feel how this discussion program benefits many of us. There is this beautiful collaborative learning and a genuine interest for research and discussion among PYs who actually finds it difficult to put pen to paper.It is a case of the strong helping the weak, and a case of the rich and able, helping the poor and helpless.

I was touched really at how earnest these group of people are, and how they combine ideas, no matter how unconventional and illogical, and no matter which academic background (or which discipline) you are from, the program makes sure that you contribute something as your legacy to the SSEAYP.

I think that no matter how bad we do, to me, everybody would’ve left the program, with new knowledge, and skills, that they will still continue to use long after they are back in Brunei.

Hey, just for fun, which 4 topics would you choose and why?