14 June 2021 | PART of UCLG ASPAC’s efforts to support city development is by encouraging young people to become impactful in their society. The great opportunity came when speaking to young politicians from 19 different political parties of 12 Asian countries in a session on “Trends in Local Governance and Development in Asia: A Regional Perspective” organised by Konrad Adenauer School for Young Politicians (KASYP).
“Local politics is important as national-level politicians have taken off in their careers based on the impacts they have made at the local level,” Secretary General of UCLG ASPAC said. Further, she highlighted the need for local elections so that people will have to choose their leaders who represent communities and not only the elites.
“It depends upon culture-to-culture but the local election is important as the nominated/appointed leaders can easily be replaced by central-level leaders,” she said while answering a student’s query on how to tackle central government’s influence on local governance. “Democracy is the best choice. If democracy is not implemented by right initiation, no output will happen,” she added.
During the KASYP Session on “Political Parties in Local Governance and Development,” the UCLG ASPAC Secretary General also spoke on UCLG ASPAC’s efforts in aligning local government’s COVID-19 response and recovery with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCLG ASPAC has encouraged virtual knowledge exchange, expressed solidarity with local governments, captured smart practices, recommended policy and advocacy as well as fostered opportunities for alternative financing.
Drawing examples such as Cheonggyecheon, the urban renewal project in downtown Seoul of South Korea and how many cities, including Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia, are mobilising young people in urban development, the UCLG ASPAC Secretary General also encouraged the young politicians to “dream big” as it is indeed possible though it might not be easy. “Deliver the tasks given and use power for the people,” she said.
The Konrad Adenauer School for Young Politicians (KASYP) programme was conceptualised and first implemented in 2010 and designed to strengthen political parties in Asia and to develop a cadre of accountable and responsible young political leaders. In the current session, around eight female and 15 male young participants are representing Asian countries such as Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
