From October 14 through October 20, over a dozen EarthRights School Mekong staff and alumni joined the ASEAN Youth Forum and ASEAN Peoples’ Forum (APF), a mass gathering of civil society organizations and individuals from the ten ASEAN countries, in Cha-Am, Thailand. With over six hundred people in attendance, the meeting was originally planned to focus on dialogue between civil society and ASEAN officials, and focus on constructive exchange around the three ASEAN 'pillars', the key thematic priority areas of Security, Economy and Socio-cultural aspects. Civil society planned to use this meeting to begin engagement with ASEAN on the adoption of a fourth pillar focusing on the critical and often neglected issue of the Environment. However the meeting began with extraordinary controversy when ASEAN officials in unison canceled their attendance. Widely condemned by organisers and participants alike, this highlights how far we still need to go in achieving an ASEAN community where decision makers listen to the voice of the people.

Despite this setback, a number of highlights involving Alumni underscored civil society's determination and resilience to make their issues heard. The ASEAN Youth group was able to share their vision for young people throughout the region. Alumni helped organize and deliver colorful performances, clear messages and passionate statements, and the Youth Group as a whole injected much needed energy into the discussions.

Another highlight was the announcement of the submission of the Save the Mekong petition to the Prime Ministers of Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, drawing attention to the potentially devastating impacts of the eleven dams currently planned on the Mekong Rivers mainstream.  The Save the Mekong coalition focused on the fact that these dams undermine progress towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals, in particular MDG1 on Poverty Reduction and Hunger.  They asserted that, given ASEAN’s commitment to sustainable development including protection of environment, sustainability of natural resources, and preservation of culture (ASEAN Charter, Article 1, para 9), and attaining the MDGs, ASEAN should act to protect the Mekong River from the construction of mainstream dams. Given that Mekong mainstream dams are inconsistent with the ASEAN charter, Save the Mainstream members demanded that ASEAN take action to protect the Mekong River from the construction of mainstream dams.

ERS-Mekong Alumni have been heavily involved with this campaign since its inception. Over 23,000 signatures, gathered on postcards from the region and around the world and presented to the Thai Prime Minister at the first APF in February this year, were also sent to the other lower Mekong Country leaders just prior to the 15th ASEAN summit. The Salween Watch Coalition, headed by an EarthRights School Burma Alumni, also presented a letter protesting against dams on the Salween River, which will also be presented to heads of State during the ASEAN summit.