Inspired by the Pope Francis’ fundamental idea on the “change of the current model of progress” in his encyclicals, the AYA/ATF has tried to provide the participants with a glimpse or basic ways to reach and appreciate the fundamental and radical challenge to the current market-centered economy system that pushes and drives what we call “neoliberalism”. Following the spirit of Vatican II is not to repeat the church’s position toward the world but to implement and practice it in a deeper and more creative manner. Such a creative and dramatic extension or expansion of the Vatican II spirit is well shown in the phrase “change of the current model of development”.

The huge task given to the whole of humanity is, of course, ideal but worth exploring and even we have to realize here and now before it is too late. Being too late means too late for the earth to be terminated by collapsing the entire ecology system, too late for the intolerable polemic division between the rich and the poor and too late for all conflicts causing tens of million people’s lives in order to quench only the limitless desire of less than 1 percent of people in the world. It may be true that the rest of humanity is forced to be sacrificed for the 1 percent which constitutes, controls and manipulates the current socio-economic system. If we don’t or can’t dismantle it and build a new model of development, we cannot say we have much hope in the future. Therefore, having and realizing the hope is to “change the rules” not to live under the rules. That is what “integral” human development is all about.

The thing is, however, how the spirit could be made into concrete themes for the workshop and theological conference. In other words, how we could make the radical and fundamental way of social transformation addressed and divided practically and efficiently into each session, consistently maintaining the whole flow of the event with special attention on migrant and refugee issues in mind this year. When it comes to refugees in Asia defined by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC), we normally mean migrants not refugees like those who we have seen in countries like Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other Middle-East countries as well as some countries in Africa and Latin America. For example, around 5 million people have migrated from Myanmar to Thailand, especially the places along the border near to the regions like Phang nga, Phuket, Ranong provinces in which we have conducted this year’s program. Among them are some 3 million people who are documented and the other 2 million who are “undocumented” who are called “illegal” or “undocumented” migrants rather than refugees. There are few people who got refugee status from the Thai government like Rohingya people from Myanmar.

Economical, moral and spiritual dimensions of human development stressed in papal encyclicals mentioned above are dealt deeply in relation to the issues of migrant, ecology and peace. In the AYA part, we focused more on various migrant issues. On the other hand, we put more stress on the other issues in relation to the migrant issues. The following is the day-to-day timetable which shows the whole programs done as they are.