BCMACC-Bangkok
As part of its ‘Redraw The Line’ climate change awareness project, the Asia-Pacific Media Alliance for Social Awareness (‘The Media Alliance’) is organising a series of one-day regional and national seminars in partnership with local stakeholders on ‘Building Critical Mass Awareness of Climate Change’ to examine how the media, advertising and entertainment sectors can be more engaged to support awareness building activities.

The seminars will discuss how these sectors can partner with development agencies, multi-lateral institutions and NGOs – and private sector corporations with strong CSR initiatives relating to sustainable development – to stimulate dialogue and cooperation on mitigating and adapting to climate change.

The 16 May seminar, to be held at TK Park in Central World, Bangkok, Thailand, is the fifth in a series of events previously held in Hong Kong, Singapore, Manila and Hanoi to address how multi-sector partnerships can advance public awareness and behaviour change initiatives on climate change in the Asian region.

The Bangkok seminar will examine how the media, advertising and entertainment sectors in Thailand can give visibility to the social, humanitarian, environmental and sustainable development implications of climate change through programming and editorial content, public service advertising, and the use of social media and other substantive digital information platforms.

The events are being supported by Sweden and the Asian Development Bank through the ‘Redraw The Line’ climate change awareness campaign.

FOR PRE-REGISTRATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Hataichanok Tontrakulsuk – hataichanok.tontrakulsuk@mediaalliance.asia
Registration is open to professionals working in media, advertising, PR, marketing, communications and entertainment; representatives of government departments, development agencies and NGOs working on climate change related issues; and private sector companies with an interest in establishing CSR programmes supporting sustainable development. There is no charge for registration but advance notice of attendance is required by submitting name, title and organization represented to the above email address. Prospective delegates should specify in their email whether they wish to register for the whole day, or for only the morning or afternoon session.

Please note that some presentations will be in English and some in Thai. Simultaneous translation will be provided for delegates who do not understand both languages. Please specify if you fall into this category when registering so that we can ensure that sufficient headsets are available for the simultaneous translation.

REMINDER: Details required for pre-registration are: 1. Name; 2. Title or position in organisation; 3. Name of organisation; 4. Whether attending for whole day or only morning or afternoon session; 5. Whether headset required for simultaneous translation.

For any other enquiries relating to this seminar, please write to us at info@mediaalliance.asia

PROGRAMME

10.00am

Registration at Auditorium, TK Park, Level 8, Central World, Ratchadamri Rd, Bangkok

10.30am

Welcome Remarks by Darin Klong-ugkara, Environmental News Editor, Thai PBS (MC for the seminar) and Mardy Halcon, Campaign Director, Redraw The Line
10.35am

Opening Remarks by Anne-Charlotte Malm, Senior Programme Manager/Analyst, Development Cooperation, Embassy of Sweden, Bangkok
10.40am

Keynote Address

Critical mass awareness is needed for the mainstreaming of both mitigation and adaption to climate change. Building a rapid response is not only the responsibility of government and big business, but of every citizen on the planet, whether they are carbon contributors through the consumption of energy, transportation and manufactured goods, or merely potential victims of natural disasters, flood, drought, food and water scarcity. There is a need to popularise awareness of both mitigation and adaptation and to attempt to slow the adverse effects that the use of fossil fuels have had on the planet and to prepare for the impact of climate change.

Dr Robert Mather, Head of Southeast Asia Group, Asia Regional Office, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

11:05am

Setting the Scene: Pro-Social and Behaviour Change Campaigns

Public awareness and behaviour change campaigns have the potential to be vehicles and mediums for positive change among the audiences they reach. The media, advertising and entertainment sectors have the power to educate, and shift minds and hearts on key social and environmental issues that can lead to lasting change.

This introductory session will provide an overview of how a campaign such as Redraw The Line is organized and implemented, what is required to make it succeed, and how partnerships such as that with the No Impact Project can extend mainstream and social media messaging to on-the-ground activities to reinforce campaign themes.

David Astley, Chairman & CEO, The Media Alliance

11:15am

Session 1 – Advertising and Entertainment – The Role and Responsibility of Agencies and Entertainers

Advertising itself is a US$450 billion a year industry. And that’s before the revenue from merchandise sales are factored in. But of that figure, less than 1% is spent on social advertising. And yet advertising shapes the consumption, values and behaviours of billions of consumers across the globe, fueling the consumption cycles of natural resources and the generation of vast amounts of waste, thus contributing to climate change. Entertainment personalities too can have a tremendous impact on what people choose to buy, or not buy, through their product endorsements. So, what is the corporate social responsibility of the advertising and entertainment sectors? What postive roles can they play in combating climate change and how do they demonstrate corporate social responsibility (CSR) themselves?
Niwat Rungruangworawat, Group Business Director, Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, Bangkok
Chaiwat Anutrakulchai – Actor and television host

Chairperson: Darin Klong-ugkara, Environmental News Editor, Thai PBS

11:50am

Coffee Break
12.10pm

Session 2 – Media Companies – Public Service Advertising and Education:

Media and entertainment outlets are in the best possible position to reach mass audiences and promote awareness of issues such as climate change. What awareness campaigns have been undertaken in Thailand to date, and have they been effective? What more can media organisations do to raise awareness of climate change and what are the challenges in maintaining audience and reader interest? How can media effectively reach those communities – often in poorer rural and remote areas – that will be most affected by climate change?

Thepchai Yong, Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief, Nation Multimedia Group
Dr Chareumchai Yodmalai, Deputy Secretary-General, National Press Council of Thailand
Chairat Thomya, Broadcaster/Anchor, Digital TV Channel 3

Chairperson: Darin Klong-ugkara, Environmental News Editor, Thai PBS

1.00pm

Lunch break
1.30pm

Registration for afternoon session Note: Delegates who have registered for the whole day are not required to re-register for the afternoon session. Registration between 1.30pm and 2.00pm is required only for those delegates attending the afternoon session only.
2.00pm

Opening Remarks by Mardy Halcon, Campaign Director, Redraw The Line
2.05pm

Session 3 – Partnering with the private sector

Many companies in the private sector are engaged in CSR activities that promote sustainable development, environmental preservation, and other issues that have links to climate change. However, most of these CSR activities are undertaken by mulit-national coporations on a regional basis. How can more Thai private sector companies be engaged to support such CSR initiatives in Thailand to contribute to awareness raising at the local level?

Venus Asavasitthithavorn, Group Communications Director, The Siam Cement Group
Sukich Udindu, Vice-President, Corporate Social Responsibility, Minor International PCL
Suwanna Langnamsank, Managing Director, Lemon Farm
Chairperson: Chairat Thomya, Broadcaster/Anchor, Digital TV Channel 3

2.55pm

Session 4 – Partnering with the public sector and civil society

Social issue advertising and communication for development are crucial activities for development agencies, multi-lateral institutions, non-governmental and civil society organisations. But they often lack budgets and are limited in the extent to which they can sustain audience outreach. Collaboration with media companies, advertising agencies, PR firms and private sector CSR initiatives are measures employed to build visibility of sustainable development issues. To what extent is this happening in Thailand and where are there opportunities for more collaboration to raise awareness of climate change?

Anothai Udomsilip, Director, Academic Institute of Public Media, Thai PBS
Chokdee Smithkittipol, DRR Project Coordinator, Plan International, Thailand
Assoc Prof Dr Sakarindr Bhumiratana, President, King Mongkul’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT)
Chairperson: Dr Seree Supharatid, Director, Climate Change and Disaster Centre, Rangsit University

3.45pm

Coffee Break

4.05pm

Session 5 – Mitigation or Adaptation: What are the priorities for Thailand?

The needs of individual countries and communities regarding climate change are different. Some are more concerned with adaptation to drought and desertification whilst others face flooding, clean water shortages and food security issues. Still others need to place more emphasis on addressing mitigation and carbon contribution. What are the priorities in mitigation and adaptation in Thailand and where should campaign resources be directed to have the most impact? What other local resources are available for addressing climate change with the public?
Dr Sethapan Krajangwongs, Head of UNFCCC Focal Point Section, Climate Change Management and Coordination Division, Office of Natural Resource and Environmental Policy and Planning
Regan Suzuki, Program Officer, The Center for People and Forests (RECOFTC)
Chairperson: Chairat Thomya, Broadcaster/Anchor, Digital TV Channel 3

4.45pm

Summary and Synthesis

What ideas has the seminar stimulated? What opportunities are there for further multi-sector collaboration in Thailand on building critical mass awareness of climate change?
David Astley, Chairman & CEO, The Media Alliance
Mardy Halcon, Campaign Director, Redraw The Line
Hataichanok Tontrakulsuk, Country Coordinator – Thailand, Redraw The Line
5.00pm

Seminar Close

Media Sector Partners:

wanifra amic casbaaAdvertising Sector Partners:
branded ta ogilvy 4asOther Supporting Partners:
asean SASA cleanair
ABOUT THE ORGANISERS

The Asia-Pacific Media Alliance for Social Awareness (‘THE MEDIA ALLIANCE’) is a Singapore-based non-profit organization formed in 2009 work with media companies to leverage valuable broadcast ‘inventory’ and print media space for the delivery of critical pro-social messaging through Public Service Advertising, entertainment and editorial content. The Media Alliance also leverages the contribution of creative expertise of advertising agencies in the production of high-quality campaigns designed to achieve maximum target audience penetration. The Media Alliance stakeholders include (a) media companies who provide media space for pro-social campaigns; (b) advertising, PR & creative agencies who contribute pro-bono creative and production services; (c) international development agencies and donor organisations who provide the seed funding for campaign development; and (d) private sector corporations providing financial support through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives that enable campaigns to be implemented on a larger scale.

SWEDEN supports regional development in Asia through the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok. The goal for Swedish development cooperation is to contribute to creating conditions for people living in poverty to improve their living conditions. The focus in Asia is on environment, climate change and human rights.

The ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB) is a regional development bank established in 1966 to promote economic and social development in Asian and Pacific countries through loans and technical assistance. It is a multilateral development financial institution owned by 67 members, 48 from the region and 19 from other parts of the globe. ADB’s vision is a region free of poverty. Its mission is to help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their citizens.