The 2019 Australia-Vietnam Young Leadership Dialogue brought together 20 emerging leaders from Australia and Vietnam to learn more about the Australia-Vietnam relationship, and how they can support it in the future. This ambitious Dialogue was spread across two cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from 26-30 May 2019.
In exploring the theme Beyond 2019: Creating a Sustainable Future Together, participants engaged in open discussions on matters highly relevant to both countries. Discussion topics included global leadership, harnessing opportunities, sustaining our futures, and building momentum.
UTS alumna delegate and UTS Insearch support
Among the 2019 delegates was UTS alumna Alli Devlin. Alli is an environmental and civil engineer with experience across Asia-Pacific. In 2017-2018, Alli spent 14 months in Asia as an engineering student and trainee for the Asia Foundation in Hanoi, Indochine Engineering in Ho Chi Minh City and Leighton Asia in Hong Kong. Her achievements include holding a received a Vietnamese Language Intermediate Certificate, being selected as the 2017 New Colombo Plan Vietnam Fellow by awarded by the Australian Government and receiving High Distinction and the ‘People’s Choice Award’ at UTS’s Thesis Showcase for her thesis on clean cookstove technology across Vietnam, Laos and The Philippines.
UTS Insearch is proud to continue its connection as an Associate Partner of the Australia-Vietnam Young Leadership Dialogue after being the sole Education Partner of the inaugural AVYLD in 2017 in Sydney.
Kate Dennis, Head of Corporate Communications for UTS Insearch said, “It’s exciting to see the potential in this impressive group of young leaders. Australia and Vietnam stand to benefit from the ideas and relationships generated in these discussions, especially in terms of business and trade opportunities.”
Not-for-profit initiative makes an impact
AVYLD is a not-for-profit initiative which is also supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Australia-ASEAN Council. It was established to nurture relationships, promote engagement and incubate collaboration between Australian and Vietnamese young leaders from a broad spectrum of society. Through people to people links, it aims to build bilateral relationship between Australia and Vietnam to contribute to the development of each both nations.
Ms Cat Thao Nguyen, Co-Founder and Board Chair noted how quickly delegates acted on the ideas raised in the sessions.
“The Delegate group has already met up with potential partners to launch a food rescue program in Vietnam, are sharing articles about economics and energy and seeking collaboration on implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals in their organisations,” she said, only one week after the final session. “Such early outcomes are incredibly encouraging.”
The Public Leaders’ Forum gained strong community support to work towards impact and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. “The lively conversations that followed confirmed the strong will among young leaders to make an impact,” said Ms Nguyen.