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Sombath Somphone ((ラーオ語:ສົມບັດ ສົມພອນ), born 17 February 1952 in Khammouane Province, Laos) is an internationally acclaimed community development worker and prominent member of Lao civil society. ==Biography== Sombath Somphone was born into a poor farming family, the eldest of eight brothers and sisters. He studied part of his high school in Wisconsin, USA. In the early 1970s he received a scholarship to study at the University of Hawaii where he received a bachelor's degree in Education (1974) and a master's degree in Agriculture (1978).〔(Sombath Somphone: Farmer, Scholar, Scientist, Community Developer )〕 Returning to his home country after the Vietnam War and the establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Sombath’s earliest work was to demonstrate methods of sustainable farming that contribute to food security. He also pioneered the use of participatory rural appraisal techniques in Laos. In 1996 he was given permission by the Ministry of Education to establish the Participatory Development Training Center, PADETC, to provide training for young people and local government officials in community-based development. For some years, this was the only civil society organisation of this kind in Laos.〔(PADETC - 10 years in balance (report) )〕 According to a biography of Sombath Somphone published in 2005, PADETC has undertaken numerous initiatives in promoting eco-friendly technologies and micro-enterprises, including the introduction of organic fertilizers, garbage recycling, fuel-efficient stoves, and new processing techniques for small agribusiness enterprises. These initiatives are undertaken as part of a learning program for teams of young volunteers and trainees (high school, college, and graduate levels). Through PADETC, the youth are afforded opportunities for learning leadership, teamwork, project management, and a diverse range of life-based, locally grounded knowledge in areas like environmental awareness, good farming practices, entrepreneurship, and urgent social issues like drug-abuse prevention.〔(Sombath Somphone: Biography )〕 Throughout his life, Sombath avoided any involvement in politics. In 2013, Sombath's wife issued a statement saying, "In many recent articles and statements related to Sombath’s disappearance, he has sometimes been billed as a human rights defender or a social/civil society activist. These terminologies do not accurately depict Sombath, the man or his work. It is true that Sombath through his projects has worked tirelessly to advance the well‐being and support the building of human resource capacity of the rural poor. But, Sombath’s work has never been confrontational or antagonistic to government policy. Every project and every activity that Sombath has carried out, has been with the approval of the relevant government sector, and in cooperation with the local officials."〔(An Open Letter to Sombath’s Well-Wishers, From Ng Shui Meng, wife of Sombath Somphone )〕 In later years, Sombath played an important role in introducing the concept of Gross National Happiness into Laos. In 2007, he was one of the organisers of the 3rd International Conference on Gross National Happiness,〔http://www.gnh-movement.org/conference_detail.php?id=11 3rd International Conference on Gross National Happiness - Speakers and Resource Persons〕 while in 2012 he was the senior adviser for a film called "Happy Laos", shown at the closing of the 9th Asia-Europe People's Forum.〔('Happy Laos' video at website of AEPF9 )〕 This work was closely related to Sombath's involvement in the International Network of Engaged Buddhists, led by his friend Sulak Sivaraksa.〔('Unhappy Laos' - article at website of International Network of Engaged Buddhists )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sombath Somphone」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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