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 Liberalization Marketization McDonalidisation Offshoring Outsourcing The Global Economy Walmarting Westernization World Trade Organization

Values of young people are reflected in their regions’ own transformation CHINA I980sCHINA 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

Campuses are critical areas of knowledge production Form our Notions about authority structures Critical “Ideology Builders” Reflection of real life systems We start from campus: our microcosm

Our endeavors Workshop Series for Youth (2008): Spurring a debate on freedom RegionCitiesProgramDirect Outreach EastRanchi and Jamshedpur "Am I an Active Citizen?” Seminars 154 NorthDelhi"Are We Really Free?" seminar and "Youth in Governance" workshop 55 SouthCochinAl- Kerala Intercollegiate RTI workshop : 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

CityNature of Event Direct Outreach PatialaLYF Meet70 GuwahatiRTI Workshop55 Ranchi Debating Competition 35 Mumbai Discussion series+ LYC120 AmritsarLYF Meet50 JamshedpurLYF Club forming BangaloreRTI Workshop200 DelhiLYF Meet35 Outreach of more than 400 in 3 months

start SIZE. DIVERSITY. HISTORY. POLITICAL SYSTEM. REFORMS. OPPORTUNITIES & GAPS. LYF. end LYF website, as comprehensive liberal resource 1. Downloadable resources developed by LYF: compendium on campus politics liberal articles and documentaries in different languages training 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 / Our Partners Centre for Civil Society (CCS) Third Wheel Project

SCOT Analysis of LYF Strengths: 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 Freiheit Centre for Civil Society Atlas Foundation Thank you! Feedback and questions are welcome.