• APEC Youth Camp starts today until October 6th. Meetings will be held at Hotel Libertador, facing the imposing Titicaca Lake.

Hundreds of citizens from the Puno Region warmly welcomed the Asia-Pacific Delegates that will meet from today until October 6th, during the APEC Youth Camp that is being held at Libertador Hotel, in the Esteves Island, facing the imposing Titicaca Lake.

32 young delegates, belonging to 15 out of the 21 Member Economies of Asia-Pacific Forum arrived today to the Inca Manco Cápac airport of Juliaca City. There, they received an emotive and cheerful welcome ceremony by representatives from the APEC 2008 High-Level Commission and the mayor of Juliaca, Mr. David Mamani Paricahua. The welcome included typical dances from the High Plateau region in which even some delegates joyfully participated.

One hour and a half after this reception that called the attention of the written, radio and television media of Puno, the young delegates were taken by bus to the Hotel Libertador of Puno. Along the way, hundreds of people of different ages and social conditions effusively greeted the caravan and school bands played for them. Upon their arrival to the Libertador Hotel of Puno, delegates were warmly received by the Mayor of this capital, Mr. Luis Butrón. Then, the representatives of Member Economies started the Accreditation process for the APEC Youth Camp.       

During this meeting, young representatives of the Asia-Pacific region will draft several recommendations for APEC Leaders regarding sustainable development. Delegates will consider Lake Titicaca as a case-study to analyze the climate change, its impact, as well as to outline proposals for sustainable development in this region of Peru and in the Asia-Pacific region in general.

The APEC Youth Camp – in its sixth version – is a regular activity that each Host Economy of the APEC Forum carries out. The main idea is for young people from different Member Economies to exchange experiences and knowledge about their educational, commercial and cultural reality; as well as about possible growth opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region.

To participate, university students have submitted a research essay on the topic of the event: “Caring for the Sustainable Development in the Asia Pacific Region”, with topics regarding the environment, climate change, poverty relief, employment generation, citizen participation and social capital, education and health.
Today, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, during the first day of the event, the Pre-seminar will be held called “History of the Youth Camp in Puno”. The organization committee and the young delegates will meet to explain the objectives of the Pre-seminar and the roles of each participant in the meeting.

Generally speaking, this Youth meeting aims to create a learning network or community, promote constructive capacity for future APEC leaders and promote the use of Information and Communication Technologies for new generations.