Earth Day 2010 was celebrated by ASEAN with the launch of the youth-focused ASEAN Plus Three Youth Environment Forum (AYEF), a statement released by the ASEAN Secretariat said on Friday.

About 140 youths between the ages of 15 to 25 from ASEAN, along with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, gathered on Thursday in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam to interact among themselves and to reach out and spread the environmental message to all stakeholders.

The Youth Forum also gave them the opportunity to exchange their experiences at the national level, explore new ways to collaborate, network and innovate, discuss ways and means to motivate other youths on an environmental theme.

"The 2010 Youth Forum has also a special meaning as it is being launched in conjunction with the 40th Earth Day celebration," said Dato' Misran Karmain, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, at the launch.

"The Earth Day started as an initiative to put environment on the political agenda and into the everyday lives of people. Now, 40 years on, environment is high on the agenda of governments and world leaders," said Dato' Misran, who stressed that the world was in a crisis situation as far as environmental degradation and its impact on the earth's life sustaining systems was concerned.

"The issue now is not just environmental awareness, but the need to act with greater urgency and a sense of collective purpose and actions by all stakeholders, not only by governments, but also by each and every one of us," he added.

Dato' Misran also challenged the youths to take on environmental protection as a personal responsibility and demonstrate it through their daily activities.

Whilst the youths of today are enjoying the benefits of modern development, he recognised that it also entailed over-consumption of finite natural resources and environmental degradation like never before. "Youths therefore should not only practice but also show leadership in sustainable and environment-friendly livelihoods," he said.

The Honorable Pehin Dato' Haji Abdullah, Minister of Development, Brunei Darussalam, in his opening speech, recalled the devastation, damages and loss of life due to natural and man- made disasters caused mainly by climate change.

"Considering that youths and the young populace constitute the most active section of our society, who are also most receptive to new ideas for positive change, we recognize the paramount importance of their participation, contribution and stewardship role in conservation and environmental sustainability", he emphasized.

The AYEF is one of several activities contained in the ASEAN Environment Education Action Plan 2008-2012 adopted by the ASEAN Environment Ministers to promote environmental education, awareness, advocacy and activitism in the region. As chair of the ASEAN Working Group on Environmental Education, Brunei Darussalam is taking the lead in coordinating the implementing the Action Plan.

Over the next four days, the youths will exchange their national experiences on environment, craft a plan to adopt and implement best practices at the national and regional level, participate in a role-play simulation exercise on climate change negotiations, create slogans and catchy messages to generate interest and actions among the general public, and deliver cultural performances to convey environmental messages through dance, music and sketches.

The AYEF is hosted and organized by the Government of Brunei Darussalam in cooperation with the ASEAN Secretariat. The Forum is co-sponsored by the Government of Brunei Darussalam and the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund.