New project to uncover Asia's young leaders - RIAP Emerging Voices Project

Business Asia, Oct, 2002

Asia's youth will be given a chance to have their voice heard thanks to a new initiative by the Research Institute for Asia and the Pacific (RIAP) and Business Asia Magazine (with Overseas Trading).

The RIAP Emerging Voices Project aims to uncover new and emerging thought leaders in the Asia-Pacific region. The Project is asking for essay submissions from 18-25 year old citizens of any Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member country on the topic of generational change in Asia. Entrants are welcome to explore any subject within that broad topic

The essays need to be approximately 2000 words in length, with the two winning entries being published in a future edition of Business Asia magazine. Winners will be decided by a leading panel of media and business judges.

The two winning essayists will also receive a week-long trip to either South Korea or China. While there, the two winners will engage in interviews and meetings with leading business and government figures, all organised by RIAP and First Charlton Communications. The winners will then produce two more articles each for publication based on their trip's experiences.

RIAP director Dr Stephanie Fahey says the Project aimed to analyse the growing generational shift in Asia as seen by the leaders of tomorrow.

"Asia is changing rapidly, and it's the younger generation that will push a lot of these changes through," she said. "We're also starting to see across Asia that leadership is no longer based on age, but on capacity and capability. What we aimed to do was give these young leaders a platform to speak, to analyse the changing situation from their own unique perspective."

Business Asia publisher and First Charlton Communications chairman Peter Charlton says the RIAP Emerging Voices Project gave aspiring writers, commentators and other interested youth a great chance to have their views aired.

RIAP is the lead international projects and multidisciplinary agency of the University of Sydney. RIAP's major consultancy activities are geared towards developing international collaborative ventures that contribute to the building of institutional and human resource capacities; and promotion of network linkages between Australia and Asia Pacific region. Entries for the RIAP Emerging Voices Project close on 15 December 2002. Winners will be announced in the February 2003 edition of Business Asia.

For more information, e-mail inquires.emergingvoices.enquiries@riap.usyd.edu.au