Dear Partners and Friends of SEA Junction,
This month, we are focusing on the pressing issue of migration in Southeast Asia. It begins with a photo exhibition highlighting the lives and labour of migrant workers in Thailand’s fishing and seafood processing industry. The exhibition is accompanied by a panel discussion featuring experts in the field, who will delve deeper into the issue. We also continue our collaboration with the IPSR In-House Seminar on the Wednesday SEA Mobilities series. Unlike previous events in the series, this month’s event will be held in-person, and we will explore a topic that is rarely discussed: African migration to Thailand. Moreover, in collaboration with the GAATW, we will look at transregional migration with an online event focusing on Philippine migrant women in Europe.
Our commitment to Myanmar also continues as we strive to highlight the ongoing situation in the country. Our series #WhatsHappeninginMyanmar Monthly Updates provides the latest developments and analysis on Myanmar. In addition, our special initiative “Living the Coup: Collective Diary of Daily Life in Myanmar” is documenting the personal stories of people living amidst the current crisis in Myanmar. The latest one talks of the story of a student who decided to give up their education and join the Civil Disobedience Movement (read here).
Lastly, we are pleased to announce the continuation of our Small Grants Program, which was first launched in 2020 to promote resilience in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to the continued support from the CMB Foundation, we have now expanded the program to cover the wider range of complex crises that communities in Southeast Asia are currently experiencing, including health, political, socioeconomic, and environmental challenges. We welcome proposals that address any or a combination of these challenges. More information about the call for proposals as well as other program aforementioned can be found below and on our website.
We hope you will continue to find our program of interest. We count on your participation and help in sharing the information about our programs with your network. And, if you would like to support us, please click on the donation box below.
Best regards,
Lia Sciortino Sumaryono
Founder and Executive Director, SEA Junction
EVENT PROGRAM
Panel Discussion in conjunction with Photo Exhibition
“Migrants’ Labour and Lives in Thailand’s Blue Economy”
4 April 2023, 5:00-6:30 pm at SEA Junction
The opening remarks will be delivered by Sara Rezoagli, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Thailand. It will then be followed by the panel discussion with Benjamin Harkins, International Labour Organization; Phenpiccha Jankomol, Human Rights and Development Foundation; and John Hulme, Exhibiting Photographer.
Photo Exhibition
“Migrants’ Labour and Lives in Thailand’s Blue Economy”
28 March – 9 April 2023 at Corner Space, 1st floor, BACC
Organized by SEA Junction in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO)’s Ship to Shore Rights South East Asia funded by the European Union, the exhibition showcases the photos taken by Thailand-based photographer John Hulme over the course of a decade of the two major fishing and seafood-processing locations Rayong and Ranong with a majority of workers from Cambodia and Myanmar.
See further: http://seajunction.
29th #WhatsHappeninginMyanmar Monthly Updates
11 April 2023, 4:00-5:00 pm [Zoom & FB Live]
This update series was started soon after the coup d’état in Myanmar with the aim to contribute to a greater understanding of the crisis situation there for informed action in support of the democratic movement in the country and beyond. In collaboration with Asia Justice and Rights, we are continuing the series with Debbie Stothard. The updates consisting of 20-minute analysis and 40-minute Q&A are held via Zoom and livestreamed on our Facebook Page. To join via Zoom, just click on this link.
See further: http://seajunction.
Phillipine Migrant Women in Europe
20 April 2023, 4:00-5:30 pm [Zoom & FB Live]
SEA Junction and the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) are organizing a knowledge sharing and evidence-based advocacy for socio-economic inclusion of migrant and trafficked women from Southeast Asia to Europe with a series of six webinars with the title “Towards Safe Southeast Asia-Europe Migration Corridors”, which looks at current and emerging challenges and possible policy solutions. After presenting an overview of migration flows between Southeast Asia and Europe, we have zoomed in on Vietnam and now we will discuss the migration of Philippine migrant women to Europe and of migrant returnees back to the Philippines. More details will be presented soon on our website.
Southeast Asia Mini Book and Craft Fair
22-23 April 2023, 11:00 am – 7:00 pm at SEA Junction
Once a month, SEA Junction holds a mini book and craft fair focusing on Southeast Asia. Special this month, we offer newly arrived crafts from Indonesia along with many books as usual, including new books in consignment from recognized publishers, second-hand books double to those in our library and development-related books from outside the region that have been donated to SEA Junction. All funds raised at the fair contribute to SEA Junction’s functioning and activities.
See further: http://seajunction.
Book Discussion
“African Migration to Thailand: Race, Mobility and Integration”
26 April 2023, 5:30-7:00 pm at SEA Junction
The book, based on exploratory ethnographic research, analyzes the experiences of African migrants in Thailand, a topic so far barely studied. One of the book editors, Supang Chantavanich, and one of the authors, Naruemon Thabchumpon, will be discussing the book content and provide an update of migration from Africa in Thailand. This event is part of the Wednesday SEA Mobilities Series in collaboration with the Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR) of Mahidol University In-House Wednesday Seminar and the Mahidol Migration Center.
See further: http://seajunction.
SPECIAL INITIATIVES
Living the Coup: Collective Diary of Daily Life in Myanmar
How people in Myanmar are facing these hardships and coping with the junta control and wide-spread conflict is the focus of this project in collaboration with Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR). “Living the Coup” aims to document the personal stories of people of different faith, class, gender and ethnic backgrounds and mold them into a collective diary—a history not to be dismissed nor forgotten. The call for written, photo and art stories remain open and some stories have been already published on our page.
See further: http://seajunction.
Small Grants Program
“Staying Resilient Amidst Multiple Crises in Southeast Asia”
To strengthen resilience of marginal communities in Southeast Asia, SEA Junction with support from the CMB Foundation has continued the Small Grants Program with the focus extended to cover multiple complex crises. Small grants are to be awarded to efforts fostering resilience amidst any or a combination of the interlocked crises such as health, political, socioeconomic and/or environmental crises. The call for proposals is now open until 17 April 2023.
See further: http://seajunction.
For informationplease email southeastasiajunction@gmail.com and phone/wa: +66970024140
About SEA Junction, OUR Venue on Southeast Asia
SEA Junction aims to foster understanding and appreciation of Southeast Asia in all its socio-cultural dimensions – from arts and lifestyles to economy and development. Conveniently located at Room 408 of the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre or BACC (across MBK, BTS National Stadium) SEA junction facilitates public access to knowledge resources and exchanges among students, practitioners and Southeast Asia lovers.
Please join the Facebook group and page & follow us on Twitter and Instagram @seajunction
