Opening Message, Marlene Ramirez, AsiaDHRRA Executive …



Opening Message, Marlene Ramirez, AsiaDHRRA Executive Director

Thank you Mr. Si-Shiun.

Mr. Yongduck Kim (and Mr. Sangcheol Kim) of NACF, Mr. WooHyun Kang of KAFF, Mr. Kwang Suk Lee of KPL, Mr. Thomas Price of FAO, Sarojeni Rengam of IPC Asia, colleagues in the Ad Hoc Committee and fellow delegates to the CSO Meeting, a very pleasant good morning and a warm welcome to the CSO Parallel Meeting to the 30th FAO – APRC.

As focal point for the regional CSO AdHoc Committee for the APRC, and on behalf of AsiaDHRRA, I am deeply honored to have travelled with fellow CSOs, this far, in pursuit of our shared agenda of strengthening our ranks in Asia, as a stronger civil society movement, dedicated to the aspirations of a more food secure and sovereign region, where rural lives and livelihoods are protected, and our environment nurtured for the future generation.

It is this shared agenda, I believe, that brought us together in this continuing and persistent engagement with the FAO, an important UN body that we in the civil society movement has for decades have looked up to as an ally, despite the given challenges of constructive and productive relationships, in making our respective governments and other intergovernmental bodies be more responsive and accountable in their policy making and programming for the sake of the rural and agricultural sectors, especially the marginalized poor.

I hope that in the next two days, we will be able to arrive at concrete recommendations -- for FAO, its member states or our governments, other stakeholders, and among ourselves -- to help us advance in our respective and shared missions as part of a growing Civil Society movement for food security and sustainable agricultural development in the Asia-Pacific region.

We are sincerely thankful to FAO for the support towards this event, especially to the FAO-RAP, for providing us the opportunity to broaden our ranks and allowing us to programmatically build on our existing platforms and agenda in the region.

Likewise, please allow us to thank our Korean CSO hosts through the Korean CSO Working Committee composed of the NACF, KPL, and KAFF. Their focal point representative, NACF, have especially made it possible for us to enjoy this place for our meeting in this historic and beautiful place called Gyeongju.

Finally, our great thanks and warm welcome to all of you, especially our CSO delegates who have travelled from far away, for your support and cooperation to make this event possible. And to our Korean CSO friends and partners, thank you for your warm hospitality. I hope this greeting of “Happy Choesuk or Thanksgiving celebration” is not yet too late. May you families, especially, your dedicated farming families ,and the whole Korean society, continue to harvest the bounty of nature and many other ßopportunities for sustainable growth in the region.

Kamsahamidah!

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