1. Introduction
Latin America has experienced an explosion of social movement and a leftward political shift since the beginning of the 21st century. In recent decades, national and international NGOs or indigenous, women’s and other groups throughout Latin America has played critical roles in fostering the consolidation of social movements in regional and transnational levels
Asia and Latin America are very heterogeneous regions with major differences in terms of population size, land area, resource endowments, cultural legacies, political regimes and social structures. Nonetheless, the political structures and liberalized economies of the two regions in past two decades found themselves cross-referenced and interconnected as never before. Especially, the attempts to connect Asia and Latin America in terms of the prominent grassroots practices has been neglected until recently. We need to breakthrough the disjuncture between Asia and Latin America and to connect the two regions for mutual learning of the realities and local/ grassroots practices.
Though ARENA has paid more attention on social issues within Asia, which does not mean we have concern on the Asian people’s welfare and profit exclusively. We have envisaged facilitating as a forum to forge the consolidation amongst the “Global South” social/ grass root activists and intellectuals who have aspirations for democratic, poverty-reducing, equitable and sustainable alternatives.
2. Project Duration
Middle of 2008-Middle of 2010
3. Objectives
i. To facilitate communication, exchange and understanding amongst social activists, community organizers, farmers, critical intellectuals and journalists in Asia and Latin-America on the experiences of changes and transitions in their respective societies.
ii. To facilitate to build networks among activists and critical intellectuals in Asia and Latin-America.
iii. To build up stronger ties to Asian and Latin-American NGOs and intellectuals that have much interest on the interregional exchange project.
ix. To frame out the most viable and concrete future programs from diverse levels of social movements in Asia and Latin-America in the context of promoting interregional exchange after the three year program.
4. Probable Themes of Mutual Understanding
i. Agriculture
ii. Community participation in local government and urban planning for the poor.
iii. Cooperative movement and revitalizing local trade, economy and local communities.
ix. Sharing (un)spoken experiences and grievances of women in Asia and Latin-America under the transition of past totalitarian authorities to the present progressive social movements and culture.
x. Indigenous people and advancement of the rights of indigenous people.
xi. Climate change and coping with climate change.
5. Expected Outcomes
i. Production of material for popular education and dissemination on the alternatives for public policy that promotes equity, solidarity and participation.
ii. To formulate the people-to-people exchange trajectory between Asia and Latin-America through on and off meetings.
iii. Establishment of common archives to share information and resource materials related to Asia-Latin America exchange programs.
ix. Establishment of activist and intellectual internship program between Asia and Latin-America.
x. Publication of research and documentation through a series of team trip and workshops and seminars.
