Spreading Ideas of Freedom to Youth:Perspectives from India and beyond

EFN Asia conference ‘09

Spreading Ideas of Freedom to Youth:Perspectives from India and beyond

EFN Asia conference ‘09

presented by: Yavnika Khanna, National Coordinator, Liberal Youth Forum

Agenda Harnessing Youth Power A Brief Introduction Working with Youth The Future

18% of the world population[1]

[1] According to the United Nations definition, youth constitutes people between the ages of 15 and 24

Youth bring in fresh perspectives

as citizens, become dynamic

leaders of the future and participate

actively in the market economy

Their energy, motivation and vision are essential assets for change

Burkina Faso

Ukraine Belarus

Krgyzstan

The lives of young people worldwide are characterized by

transition phase. Borderless Selling

Global empire Global citizens movement

Global justice LiberalizationMarketization

McDonalidisation Offshoring Outsourcing

The Global Economy Walmarting

Westernization World Trade Organization

Values of young people are reflected in their regions’ own

transformationCHINA I980s CHINA 2000s

“

"The Chinese youth today are more pragmatic than the youth in the '80s. They first consider about themselves, their own benefit, and their own career future. I will not say they [do] not value the idea of

liberty or political freedom. But I don't think, for example, going after popular elections is such an

important thing for Chinese youth”

Chan Che-po, a political science professor at Lingnan College

Generation Lost to Generation Next

Russia I990s Russia 2000s

Soviet Russia

Wish to Change ‘their’ World, not ‘the’ world

India: 1970 onwards

India: 1990s+

How to channelise the pragmatism of this generation to form a vision for a

freer world ?

...youth initiative

...Aim to equip youth to apply ideas for freedom as emerging

leaders

..registered trust in India

“....a liberal movement of individuals and groups

collaborating to create access and choice in social, cultural, economic, political and

environmental spheres for a freer India”

We are a..

We are committed to the creation of a society based on principles of freedom and tolerance

where all citizens are equal before the law and have the opportunity to pursue their own happiness

where gender, caste, creed, race or region is no barrier to the brotherhood of mankind and the accident of birth is not a barrier to social or economic progress

where nations live in peace and borders do not matter

and competition is the fountainhead of choice.

Liberalism for LYF

Our endeavorsWorkshop Series for Youth (2008): Spurring a

debate on freedom

Region Cities Program Direct Outreac

h

East Ranchi and Jamshedpur

"Am I an Active Citizen?” Seminars

154

North Delhi "Are We Really Free?" seminar and

"Youth in Governance"

workshop

55

South Cochin Al- Kerala Intercollegiate RTI workshop

60

2009: Campus Pulse Project in 10

campuses through a dedicated team in each to improve

governance in higher educational institutions and generate interest in ideas of

‘responsible’ freedom

Campus Pulse Project 09 Training teams to mobilise

students, to take up campus governance issues and leadership positions in

campus councils.

Key note speaker was Ms. Meenakshi Natarajan (Member of Parliament)

Campus Issues:

No democratic student representation

Fine culture

Updation of syllabus and pedagogy

lack of proper infrastructure (library, canteen)

Inadequate facilities ( water, power, sanitation, library)

Transparency in exam Evaluation

Absence of placement cell

unfavourable student teacher ratio

Methods:

Research about students issues

Poster, pamphlets and signature campaign

RTI action club

Using cultural events to propagate action

Formation of LYF Club that takes up students' issues

Stakeholder awareness: Interaction and meetings with unions and faculty

Discussion groups

Web based campaign

City Nature of EventDirect

OutreachPatiala LYF Meet 70

Guwahati RTI Workshop 55 

RanchiDebating

Competition  35

MumbaiDiscussion

series+ LYC 120Amritsar LYF Meet 50 

Jamshedpur LYF Club  formingBangalore RTI Workshop 200

Delhi LYF Meet 35

Outreach of more than 400 in 3 months

start SIZE . DIVERSITY . HISTORY. POLITICAL SYSTEM . REFORMS. OPPORTUNITIES & GAPS. LYF . end

LYF website, www.lyfindia.org as comprehensive liberal resource

1. Downloadable resources developed by LYF: compendium on campus politicsliberal articles and documentaries in different

languagestraining kits for liberalism workshops

2. Live discussion forum/Polls on critical issues 3. Profiles of young change makers -

Web Resources

Law, Liberty and Livelihood Project

www.livelihoodfreedom.in

http://www.indiafnfalumni.org/

http://www.pratigya.in/

Our Partners

Centre for Civil Society (CCS)

Third Wheel Project

SCOT Analysis of LYFStrengths: Well-connected with established, thought

leaders such as FNF and CCS

Legally registered Trust

Semi-formal network of local chapters already established through individual NGOs, freedom groups, graduates of CCS programs across India and our LYF founders

Pool of professionals with diverse strengths and skill-sets that we can leverage

Challenges: All LYF Core members are either students or

working professionals and are providing their time to LYF on a voluntary basis.

We do not have a Secretariat with a committed staff member who can oversee the coordination

Funding available is only for programs and not supporting the administration

Network members have varying views on the liberal issues that we have no common cause except “liberty” in general.

Opportunities Youth initiative and there is a

tremendous scope to work at the national, regional and international levels.

Current colleges and universities don’t have many activities to unite the youth towards common ideologies

We already have a democratic eco-system in India. 

• Threats:• Awareness and

understanding of “liberal” concepts and solutions is minimal in India

Other Liberal Youth Organisations

International Federation of Liberal Youth

Institute of Humane Studies

Working with youth

How to make youth aware about issues?

How to integrate program with their education or career aims?

How to deal with sifting attention spans. A mobile generation?

How to gather funding for grassroots projects?

How to cope up with the “digital divide”?

Learning-oriented mindset

Energetic High “stickiness” of

ideas Seek socialization

and hence greater spread of ideas

The Future Possibilities

Actively incubating and mentoring Liberal Youth Clubs in India encouraging them to take up projects around entrepreneurship and benefits of market economy

Translation of liberal texts in Indian languages Understanding and awareness of ideas of

economic freedom is very low, especially among youth Can we encourage faculty/ students to take up research

work? Can we ‘demystify’ economic freedom for them :

student documentaries? Essays? Art? Theater? Can we translate materials in Indian languages?

The Future

“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”

Franklin Roosevelt

....................................................................................................

Acknowledgements:Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die FreiheitCentre for Civil SocietyAtlas Foundation

Thank you!

Feedback and questions are welcome.