Dear Partners and Friends of SEA Junction,
As the year draws to a close, we would like to take this opportunity to take a look back to 2020 and forward to 2021. Ending the year with a conference and two photo exhibitions, in December SEA Junction has partnered with Chulalongkorn University to celebrate Migration Day, with the Mekong Migration Network (MMN) for the exhibition “Resilience and Uncertainty: Mekong Migrant Workers Amid the Pandemic Downturn” and with Bangkok Tribune for the exhibition “Through the Hard Times” presenting a compilation of news and documentary photographs during the hard time of COVID-19. For those who missed it, you can watch the talks on the Facebook Page of SEA Junction and for the Forum also on that of the Bangkok Tribune.
These events were very timely as while they were occurring, Thailand was shocked by a new spread of COVID-19 after having known very little cases in the preceding months. Following reports of infections from returnee Thai women from across the border, a large outbreak was found among the vendor and migrant community at the largest fish market of Samut Sakhon. We have spoken out for the need to avoid scapegoating of migrant workers (click here) and threat the epidemic and those affected according to ethical public health standards, while continuing to raise awareness of the migrants’ crowded and unsanitary living conditions that enable such a rapid spread. The booklet produced by MMN for the exhibition is a powerful tool to better understand the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on migrant workers as you can see/download it here.
In the New Year, we will continue with renewed energy with our special initiatives to provide small grants to local communities — including migrants, informal workers, LGBTIs and other disadvantaged groups — to address COVID-19 and its impacts and to record their stories of resilience.
The first event in January 2021 will showcase a selection of photographs from our storytelling initiative in the exhibition “The Mekong is Blue and Dried” to widen public attention on on-going dam projects on the Mekong and give voices to people whose livelihoods are affected from dam operations. We will also run our monthly Southeast Asia Mini Book and Craft Fair. Please stay tuned to our website and social media channels for any update.
This all would not be possible without the support from everyone, especially our partners. As the New Year approaches us with hopes anew, we would like to ask you to become a Friend of SEA Junction or a Founding and Enabling Partner and support us in continuing our work to expand space for public discussion in Southeast Asia on critical issues. To donate is easy, just click the box below and it will bring to our designated website page where you can transfer electronically with PayPal. If you prefer to transfer via bank our dedicated account for our Foundation for Southeast Asia Studies is TMB #043 -7-18114-2. For those in the US, we can provide tax-benefits through our institutional partner, so just write to us. We are savvy in using our limited resources and our accountant provides yearly financial reports to our founding partners and main donors. Your year-end contribution will enable us to do more and better in the next year and for this we are very grateful!
With this, we wish you all a better year ahead!
Best regards,
Lia Sciortino Sumaryono
Founder and Executive Director SEA Junction
EVENT PROGRAM
Southeast Asia Mini Book and Craft Fair
16-17 January 2021, 11.00 am – 7.00 pm
Once a month, SEA Junction holds a mini book and craft fair focusing on Southeast Asia. Besides small craft from the region, three kinds of books are displayed: (1) New books given in consignment from recognized publishers; (2) New and used books, double to those in our library; (3) Few literature and development-related works from outside the region that have been donated to SEA Junction. All funds raised with the fair contribute to SEA Junction’s functioning and activities.
See further: http://seajunction.org/event/southeast-asia-mini-book-and-craft-fair-16/
Exhibition “The Mekong is Blue and Dried”
26 January – 7 February 2021, 10:00 am – 07:00 pm
This exhibition, born out of concern for the environmental degradation of the Mekong River, is held by SEA Junction in collaboration with Samdhana Institute, Bangkok Tribune News Agency and possibly other organizations. We launched the special initiative calling for photos and artwork series accompanied by a short essay in July 2020 and we have disseminated the stories through a special page on our website and social media channels. Now we will expose a selection of photographs and artworks in the 2-week long exhibition at Corner Space, 1st Floor, BACC. Information on the launching will be provided at a later stage.
See further: http://seajunction.org/event/photo-exhibition-the-mekong-is-blue-and-dried/
SPECIAL INITIATIVES
Visual Storytelling of COVID-19 in Southeast Asia
This special initiative invites all to make an effort to collectively provide a different visual story of the pandemic in Southeast Asia that shows strength and hope. We are asking for short stories in the form of photo essays, short documentaries and illustrated art essays in any language of the region or in English that document the experiences and realities of COVID-19 in the region.
See further: http://seajunction.org/special-initiatives/#.X0z9qS1h3BI
Small Grant Program
“Staying Resilient Amid the Pandemic in Southeast Asia”
This initiative launched by SEA Junction with the support of China Medical Board (CMB) and WIEGO aims to provide funds to efforts working to build social capital, strengthen community resilience, improve the living and health conditions of local communities, and enhance their capacity to cope with the pandemic in Southeast Asia. After careful review we have selected and provided grants for 13 grantees from 5 countries. The next opportunity for a second batch of application is planned for February 2021.
For information please 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!
