PACIFIC ASIA REGIONAL CONFERENCE

1. PACIFIC ASIA REGIONAL CONFERENCE Presentation to the International Lasallian Assembly

2. ASIA-PACIFIC PROFILE

3. POPULATION Covers 48 countries 5 sub-regions South Asia South East Asia North East Asia Central Asia, and The Pacific Approximately 3.5 billion people or 58% of world�s population live in these regions Total population will increase to approximately 700 million between 2000 - 2015

4. MULTI-FAITH REGION Cradle of some of the great religions of the world Buddhism Hinduism Sikhism Confusionism, Taoism etc Large Islamic population (more than 800 million)

5. URBAN POOR Rural to urban migration - on-going phenomenon in large cities International migration from developing countries to high-growth industrialized countries also becoming significant. This accelerated migration often causes environmental problems (e.g. rapid slum concentration) Urban poor, have to contend with a lack of access to basic public services such as water supply, sanitation, and health care.

6. URBAN POOR More disadvantaged than rural poor because as they cannot grow their own food and rely upon the cash economy for survival. Livelihood from environmentally hazardous scavenging of solid wastes due to lack of employment opportunities, exposing them to a wide range of health and safety hazards. WHO and UNICEF estimates that by 2015, 595 million more people will be living in informal housing, slums, and shanties.

7. YOUTH AND POVERTY Estimated that around 130 million young people between the ages of 15 � 24 years in South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, live on less than US$ 1 a day. About 100 million are undernourished. Poverty - the main reason behind the estimated 210 million children between the ages of 5 � 15 years around the world who are engaged in full-time employment. Asia accounts for 60% of all child workers because of it�s higher population. Many end up working as slaves, miners, sex-workers, and even soldiers.

8. GENDER DISCRIMINATION Gender discrimination takes different forms. denial of access to education and health care longer working hours at lower pay nutritional deprivation and discrimination in terms of the right of access to land, credit and employment and, physical and psychological abuse.

9. LASALLIAN EDUCATIONAL MISSION

10. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS: Realities, Trends, Obstacles, challenges. Study conducted in 2004 on the Viability and Vitality of the PARC Region : Involved a total of 122 schools,101 non-formal training programs, 22 orphanages / dormitories currently run by Brothers and Partners in the Asia Pacific region Total number of clients = 159,653 persons Period of study from 1993-2004

11. Results of Study Trends Increase in the number of schools particularly HK, India and the Philippines Increase in non-formal training program, orphanages / dormitories particularly in India. Implications: Need for a corresponding increase in service personnel, both Brothers and Partners

12. Current Realities Growing gap between rich and poor, diversity of the poor in the region and the emerging new poor Large percentage of students, teachers and staff are non-catholic. Still very �Brother-centric� mindset Inability and resistance of both the Brothers and Partners to adapt and create new ministries

13. Current Realities Lack of financial and human resources for mission and formation Work is within communities that are multi-faith Political barriers to educational mission Consumerism, individualism, loss of respect for human rights, assertion of ethnic identity, religious fundamentalism and apathy.

14. Challenges To redefine and clarify the Lasallian Mission with reference to the new faces of the poor To listen to the voice of the poor through new and creative client-centered initiatives that are flexible and respectful of local conditions To develop in our clientele skills for social, political and cultural analysis To develop a process for authenticating the Mission To move away from �Brothers-centered� to �Mission-Centered� and from �Shared-Mission to Our-Mission�

15. Challenges To successfully promote teaching as a vocation. To successfully work towards a greater sharing of Lasallian resources and restrategizing the structure of PARC eg. Mission councils To develop a common understanding and definition of Association

16. VISION of PARC To bring about educational reform that will concretely address the issues of the poor and social justice.

17. VISION of PARC To work towards developing a spirituality that will cut across religious and ethnic boundaries.

18. VISION of PARC To improve corporate governance of our educational institutions, with emphasis on accountability, transparency and corporate social responsibility.

19. VISION of PARC To establish new partnerships that will lead to greater interdependence and broader participation of different sectors.

20. ACTION STEPS Develop mechanisms that will disseminate information on social action programs in the region (e.g., PARC website, an e-group and a manual on social action). 

21. ACTION STEPS Mobilize more lay Lasallian volunteers to greater involvement in the mission through international conferences on volunteerism, curriculum integration, formation and support programs for volunteers and a volunteer internship program. 

22. ACTION STEPS Establish a Regional Education/ Mission Council that will look at the way the Lasallian Educational Mission is implemented in the region. This will run parallel with the current study of the restructuring of PARC.