Bangkok--5 Jul--Weber Shandwick
— The 12th Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative students believe enhanced connectivity, closer cooperation and greater integration will bring many benefits to ASEAN countries —
Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT / TSE:6501) hosted a press conference for the 12th Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative (HYLI) students to share their thoughts and recommendations under the theme ‘The Road Ahead: ASEAN’s Role in Asia and the Global Economy’. The event, held in Bangkok from 1 to 5 July 2013, sees a gathering of regional politicians and key thought leaders from the region to speak under the said theme.
A regional corporate social responsibility program that takes place every 18 months, HYLI has, for the past 17 years, provided young people with a platform to exchange ideas on pressing issues in Asia.
HYLI brings together the brightest 28 students from seven participating countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Japan, who have shown potential to become leaders.
After interaction with the distinguished speakers on the first two days, the students conducted three days of intensive workshops and expressed their ideas on the theme ‘The Road Ahead: ASEAN’s Role in Asia and the Global Economy’, as well as sub-themes ‘AEC 2015: What can ASEAN really expect? Asia’s significance in the global economy’ and ‘Connectivity: The driver of ASEAN competitiveness’. They also participated in field trips, community activities and a cultural tour that enhanced their understanding of the themes.
“We are delighted to see our future Asian leaders capable of explaining rationales for their ideas in response to questions raised by the media to firm up their vision of how to cope with the changes of economic integration in ASEAN countries, especially when the AEC of 2015 is nearly here,” said Ms. Yukiko Araki, Executive General Manager CSR Division, Hitachi, Ltd.
“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 Mr. Aekarak Sethi, one of the 12th HYLI students from Thailand.
Please refer to the Executive Summary of the four groups of students’ proposals for more details.
“After the press conference, all discussions from the forums and the students' workshops will be summarized in the form of a white paper and it will be issued to regional governments, academics, business leaders and the private sector. The initiative has gained substantial media coverage in Asian countries, highlighting the importance of nurturing youth leadership for Asia's future,” added Ms. Yukiko Araki, Executive General Manager CSR Division, Hitachi, Ltd.