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Telenor Group survey: Thai millennials point to virtual reality as possible gateway to achieving peace

·      New digital survey reveals surprising attitudes among Thai youth, including views on how best to empower youth leaders and the role of technology in supporting social causes and promoting peace.
·       Please apply now for the chance to be the two representatives from Thailand to join Telenor Youth Forum.
JUNE 8, 2017 – Telenor Group today released the findings of its regional online survey that assessed the attitudes of Asia’s millennials towards technology and social impact, as well as the support they feel necessary to become future leaders committed to peace. Organized to support Telenor Youth Forum 2017 recruitment, the online survey engaged 2,500 respondents aged 15 to 30 years in Asian markets. They include Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Thailand.

Thai youth say they’re most passionate for climate change
The multi-market online survey found that Thai millennials are most passionate for climate change and global warming (71 percent of local respondents). Other global issues that Thai millennials are driven to make change include providing opportunities for children to receive education (14 percent), and the stigma surrounding mental health issues (14 percent). Resolving many of the same issues is also a year-long mission of Telenor Youth Forum delegates, whose tech-driven proposals were funded for research and prototyping at a pitching session held in Bangkok last month.

Asia’s millennials feel strongly about the role of technology and its impact when relating to the pursuit of their social causes. Close to half of Asia’s millennials (48 percent) polled believe that enabling equal opportunities and access to education will benefit most from technology advancements. Selected by the second most number of respondents was confronting climate change and global warming (28 percent).

Virtual reality for world peace, why not?
When asked about the technology that has the largest potential to give rise to peace, 57 percent of Thailand’s respondents placed their bets on virtual reality, followed by the Internet of Things (29 percent), and artificial intelligence (14 percent). Across all six markets, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and virtual reality rank consistently in the top three – suggesting the vast potential seen in these future technologies by the Internet generation.

The most innovative and entrepreneurial generation of all-time
Another consistent trend across all markets is the youth’s perspectives of their generation. This was most apparent in Thailand where 43 percent of the millennials polled described themselves as ‘the most innovative and entrepreneurial generation in history’, compared to 37 percent of Asia’s youth.

Education is most critical to shape tomorrow’s peace leaders
Youths in all the surveyed markets ranked education as the most critical form of support in order to enable them to become tomorrow’s peace leaders. This finding was consistent in all six Asia markets, where 47 percent of Asia’s respondents believe leaders today should invest in developing a more inclusive education system that gives everyone equal access and opportunities.

Thirty-nine percent of Asia’s millennials say that having access to the right platforms to introduce and launch their digital ideas is crucial. This reinforces the relevance of initiatives such as the Telenor Youth Forum and dtac accelerate which provide the global stage for individuals to showcase innovative concepts that can drive real change in the world.

Telenor Youth Forum now recruiting for 2017
Designed as a year-long program in partnership with the Nobel Peace Centre, the Telenor Youth Forum challenges its delegates with solving major socioeconomic crises facing youth. They are put in teams and paired with mentors from organizations such as UNICEF, Interbridge, the Red Cross, Techfugees and Telenor Research. Delegates learn skills such as service/product design and prototyping, in addition to insights on issues that can only be gained through hands-on experience.

dtac and Telenor believe in the potential of Thai youth. Also, dtac realizes the significance of developing and supporting Thai youth to obtain more global experiences to join Telenor Youth Forum. Telenor Youth Forum search for Thai youth between 20-28 years of age, who are interested in digital and internet technologies, can communicate well in English, and are assertive. Two ultimate winners will be the Thai youth representatives to participate Telenor Youth Forum and attend ‘Nobel Peace Prize 2017 Ceremony’. This project also gives Thai teenagers an opportunity to meet people of their age from around the world. They could exchange their wisdom of digital media and internet which play a vital role to social change. There will be lectures from world-class organizations and experts on December 8th to 11th, 2017 in Oslo, Norway. All of these are free-of-charge.”

To find out more about the Telenor Youth Forum, and to apply to be a Telenor Youth Forum delegate, visit the official website at https://www.telenor.com/youthforum/