Mekong/ASEAN Environmental Week (MAEW)

A regional platform called MAEW

Mekong/ASEAN Environmental Week (MAEW) is the annual regional platform and entity for the more profound exchange among the people, Civil Society groups, and other relevant actors on the issues of development, natural resources, and the environmental/social impacts of large scale projects and investments in the Mekong and Southeast Asia region. The forum aims to provide more space, understanding, and analysis and work in solidarity among people with less space to express themselves and less chance to meet. The storytelling, opinion giving, and demands will be expressed for a better future for the region and its people. Our mission is to have a more robust and continuous movement among the people in the region.

MAEW seeks solutions to environmental problems and gains justice in the region's economic, cultural, and livelihood issues. We support marginalized, underrepresented groups, namely local communities, their partners, and civil society groups. Yet, it involves academics, media, and independent mechanisms and targets public dialogue with policymakers and businesses.

Since the first Mekong-ASEAN Environmental Week in 2019, MAEW has been inviting different people, groups, networks, and relevant mechanisms to organize many activities on various highlights of the regional environmental, social, and ecological issues, which also relate to the democracy, climate justice, agriculture, and food sovereignty. Issues such as free trade agreements, Belt and Road Initiatives, and Special Economic Zones in the region have been the discussion topics in MAEW, along with climate crisis, waste, and the ecosystem of the Mekong and Salween Rivers. The senior and young farmers, fishermen/women, workers, and the general public have been invited to MAEW to participate, learn, and exchange in their preferred activities.

MAEW has been aiming to invite discussions not only on the problems and challenges but also on prevention and solutions raised mainly by local community representatives. MAEW, in particular, is an event that brings the progressive voices of the Mekong and Southeast Asia together to resolve the common and cross-border problems created by influential ideologies, economic models, projects, and actors.

Until now, MAEW has been working with more than 200 speakers and artists who join our panel discussions and art spaces and welcome thousands of public participants in various activities each year.

Facebook page - MAEW - Mekong-ASEAN Environmental Week Facebook Facebook page - สัปดาห์สิ่งแวดล้อมแม่โขง-อาเซียน - งาน MAEW Facebook

Core Principle of MAEW

· MAEW is the platform for communities, CSOs, young people, artists, media, and academia who share the same concerns on environmental and related problems in Mekong-Southeast Asia to raise their voices in exchange, debate, and demand for a better livelihood based on environment and natural resources.

· MAEW held to support the current/active campaigns around the region. It should benefit the people and communities in the area/country hosting MAEW each year.

· MAEW has been organized without appointing a specific Steering Committee. Every group/organization/individual that initiates any activities in MAEW is the MAEW’s co-organizer. Everyone is responsible for what they propose to organize and set up their working group.

· MAEW encourages jointly organized activities by more than one group and more than one country. Each activity should aim to benefit the people in the region.

· Although some core funding will be raised and prepared to make MAEW happen each year, MAEW is based on self-funded participation. The organizations are encouraged to invite their work communities to participate in MAEW. The core funding will be used for the venue's rental, support to the group/community members who need support to join MAEW, and additional activities to complete the event.

· Project SEVANA South-East Asia (Project SEVANA) facilitates the initial discussions among groups and individuals on MAEW’s organizing, reports the progress of the preparation to MAEW co-organizers as needed, raises funds for the core budget, and is responsible for evaluating MAEW each year.