SEACHA at COP28: “Youth Advocates of Culture for Climate Action: Southeast Asian Voices”
Southeast Asia is one of the most densely populated and biodiverse regions in the world, and is home to many rich, nature-based cultural practices. In this panel, six Southeast Asian youth will address the role of culture in challenging climate change issues and advocating for culture-based climate solutions. The speakers hail from Lao PDR, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, and will each share their unique perspectives on how to address climate change challenges, why it matters to them, how to integrate cultural perspectives into climate action, what challenges they face, and finally, what and whose support they need to successfully combat climate issues.
Speaker
Ms. Thepduangchan Bounthideth
Thepduangchan Bounthideth is a Ph.D candidate in resources management and development from Luang Prabang, Lao PDR. With a passion for intangible cultural heritage, she hopes to promote sustainability and culture awareness. She is a SEACHA Youth Alumni.
Ms. Royce Lyssah Malabonga
Royce Lyssah Malabonga is a Foreign Service Officer, Department of Foreign Affairs, Pasay City, Philippines. She is an advocate for cultural heritage protection and empowerment of indigenous communities. Her field of research is intangible cultural heritage, particularly cultural elements that are at risk of endangerment. She envisions that the ancient wisdom of indigenous communities will be recognized and integrated in national and international climate change mitigation strategies.
Ms. Anh Tho Le Bui
Lê Bùi “Celia” Anh Thơ, is a SEACHA Youth Alumni, social justice advocate, and artist based in New York hailing from Hồ Chí Minh City, Vietnam. She currently works for the Center for Innovation in Mental Health at the City University of New York’s Graduate School for Public Health and Health Policy. Celia obtained her B.A. in Linguistics and East Asian Studies from Columbia University and is passionate about indigenous languages, queer liberation, grassroots organizing, and health justice.
Ms. Supitcha Sutthanonkul
Supitcha Sutthanonkul a SEACHA Youth Alumni and graduate of World Heritage Studies master’s program at Brandenburg University of Technology, Germany. She is interested in World Heritage, holistic heritage conservation, industrial heritage, and forestry heritage. She is a full-time researcher at Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO SPAFA) and is working on (World) Heritage-related projects in Thailand.
Moderator
Ms. Kamorichan Osthananda
Kamori Osthananda is a Thai humanitarian interested in post-colonial development through psychological and intersectional lenses. She has served as a panelist for the Digital Sexuality Education Conference Asia-Pacific 2021 supported by the UNFPA,UNICEF, and UNESCO. She has also participated in the World Bank Group Youth Summit 2022: Unlocking the Power of Inclusion for Equitable Growth, and been featured in media for her advocacy on menstrual equity. She is a SEACHA Youth Alumni.
Watch the full presentations from “Youth Advocates of Culture for Climate Action: Southeast Asian Voices” on the Thailand Pavilion’s Facebook Live recording, starting at minute 2:10:00.
