The End Product of The Global Young Leader's Conference
I have to admit, this crazy trying-to-save-the-world advocacy of mine DID NOT come from the conference itself. Honestly, how can I make TRADE ROUTES and PATENT LAWS on antiretrovirals a platform that'll change this nation one youth at a time? I thought it was good to start with my roots. I didn't need to look far. Then it hit me, the best place to start is HERE. Mind you, this didn't come from a national plight of the subdued kind. A big part of it being a personal decision, was witnessing and understanding the Philippine economic and social flux in play. Something HAS to be done.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT ADVOCACY?
One of our Keynote speakers talked about Cross-Cultural Communication, and one point he made that has still made an impact in my life till this day was, You only get a grasp of what your culture truly is once you leave it. That didn't make sense at first. My "Culture" was the norm for me. Anything outside of that seemed "different" to what I was used to. But the moment other cultures started to fuse with mine, the melting pot started to stir. At this point, I started to long for ANYTHING Filipino. The best analogy I could come up with to "metaphor" how I felt was like taking a piece from a jigsaw puzzle and trying to stick it to fit another jigsaw puzzle. Culture-wise, this isn't a bad thing and I'm thankful for that exposure. But the longer it got, the more sensitive I got to what is the "Norm" to what "isn't" to me. Then, only then did I truly have a deeper understanding of how diversely colorful and unique our culture is. It was true. The longer I was away from the Philippines, the more I learned to love it. And now that I'm back, I will put that EMOTION to PROPER MOTION/ACTION.
That's where it all began. My advocacy in a nutshell, can be condesed to three words: LOVE YOUR COUNTRY.
- I envision young people choosing careers that will be both cost-beneficial to them and to the Philippines
- Young people will not have to choose to leave the Philippines for better career options but will stay to aid fellow Filipinos who who need them more
- A sense of urgency to their role in society and how they can help make our country a better place
What's next for me? I pray that God would open doors for me to share that advocacy. Already God has directed me to people that could help relay that cause. Just like how He has expanded Jabez's territory, so has He for me in the fields of politics, education and media people. Through means that I have never imagined Him using for me. I believe this is only the begining. GYLC served as a pioneer/springboard in the lives of teenagers wanting to make a difference in the world.
Where better place to start than your OWN country?
