ASEAN’s finest minds debate region’s role

The initiative brought together some of the region’s best students, thinkers and politicians

The 12th Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative (HYLI), held in the Thai capital of Bangkok during July 1-5, with the theme ‘The Road Ahead: ASEAN’s Role in Asia and the Global Economy’, provided the platform for the 28 brightest students from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan to exchange ideas on pressing issues facing Asia.   

After interactions with speakers during the first two days, the students conducted three days of intensive workshops and expressed their views on the main theme topics. They also participated in field trips, community activities and a cultural tour that enhanced their understanding of the issues.

 “We are delighted to see our future Asian leaders taking ownership of the current issues affecting the ASEAN region by working together with their fellow HYLI students to propose solutions that have the potential to inspire positive changes,” said Yukiko Araki, executive general manager for corporate social responsibility at Hitachi.

“HYLI has not only given me the chance to voice my ideas on how and in which ways I would like to see my country developing, but also fostered cross-cultural understanding among our friends in Asian countries,” said Aekarak Sethi, one of the 12th HYLI students from Thailand. 

Since its inauguration in Singapore in 1996, HYLI has been successful in bringing Asia’s best and brightest students together. The community relations programme aims to identify and nurture potential Asian leaders, offering them a unique platform to broaden their regional and global outlooks while promoting Asian values and cross-cultural understanding.

“Hitachi is confident about the success of the 12th meeting of HYLI,” said Masahide Tanigaki, representative executive officer, senior vice president and executive officer of Hitachi. “Through the years, we’ve seen that HYLI has become a great platform for engaging a diverse set of young leaders. Through open and constructive discussions we’ll receive a summary of recommendations from our students regarding some of the challenges facing ASEAN.”

Around 222 applications were received from 36 universities in the region to participate in the event. All the applicants were put through a rigorous selection process based on their academic results, participation in extra-curricular activities, personal awards, fluency in the English language and knowledge of current regional issues.

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