ARENA advocates alternative paradigms and development strategies which,



- promote equity among social class, caste, ethnic groups and gender



- strengthen popular participation in public life as against authoritarian centralisation



- prevent marginalisation of communities in the face of incursions by modernising influences



- improve the quality of life for Asia's underprivileged



- nurture ecological consciousness



- draw upon aspects of indigenous knowledge systems which enhance social emancipation



- articulate new visions encompassing a holistic world view.