WHAT IS #ASEFYLS?
The ASEF Young Leaders Summit (ASEFYLS) is a Youth platform that connects young people across Asia & Europe, applying a 360 degree approach on leadership development and community engagement: 1) self-leadership (you), 2) team leadership (we) and 3) societal leadership (all).
The ASEFYLS Capacity Buildings 2024 is a youth leadership programme focusing on ‘Leadership in Society 5.0’, with collaborative programme elements taking place both virtually and physically.
The Society 5.0 concept describes a human-centered society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical space. ASEFYLS will explore what kind of leadership is needed for Society 5.0 and how young people can prepare with ethical, inclusive and sustainable values.
The Programme will consist of three phases, with the aim to give participants the opportunity to learn, to collaborate and to turn theory into action:
- Knowledge Building Phase: July 2024, Virtual
- In-person Trainings: August/October 2024, China/Hungary
- Action Phase: August-December 2024, In local communities
WHAT WAS THE ASIA-EUROPE YOUNG LEADERS CAMPUS?
Between 10-18 August 2024, the Asia-Europe Young Leaders Campus took place in Beijing and Hangzhou, China.
The Campus is one of two In-Person Trainings organised as part of the ASEFYLS Capacity Buildings 2024 on the topic of ‘Leadership in Society 5.0’, with this training held in partnership with the All-China Youth Federation (ACYF).
We brought together 40 participants from 39 countries from Asia and Europe to Beijing and Hangzhou for them to engage in people-to-people dialogue exchanges and networking, as well as learning in a local context.
ORGANISATION AND SUPPORT
We are grateful to have been working with the All-China Youth Federation (ACYF) for this training and for the financial support of the European Union and the People’s Republic of China. Thank you to Madam LUI Kai, Deputy Secretary General of ACYF; Governor JIANG Duan, the Governor of China to ASEF; and Mr Mattias LENTZ, Deputy Head of Mission of the European Union to China, for helping us welcome the participants to Beijing, to the Campus, and to the World Youth Development Forum.
THE PROGRAMME
Over the course of the week, participants embarked on a journey – immersing themselves in the local culture and engaged in discussions on different topics, ranging from ethical leadership and intercultural learning, sensitivity, and understanding, to digital citizenship and societal implications of AI.
Using a mix of different non-formal education methodologies, our Trainers facilitated workshops, panel discussions, simulation games, group work and discussions.
We started off with the participants getting to know each other and contextualising their learnings – building a space for understanding and mutual respect considering the intercultural environment.
Throughout the week, we explored areas of cooperation and differences related to digitalisation; the relationship, dilemmas and tensions between citizenship and technology; societal implications of technology; and challenged the participants to (re)imagine the future in society 5.0, formalising their expectations, aspirations, and fears.
Besides this, our Trainers facilitated parallel skill-building workshops on the topics of Responsible AI and Ethical Principles; Content Creation for Social Issues; and Using Digital Tools to Develop and Manage community Projects. Furthermore, they simulated a referendum in a fictional town – prompting the participants to imagine the implications of technology and AI for different members of society.
See the full programme here.
CULTURAL EXCHANGE
In addition to the intellectual exchanges, the programme included immersive cultural experiences; starting with visits to iconic sites in Beijing, such as the Beijing Olympic Museum, the Bird’s Nest, and the Water Cube, where participants learned about China’s Olympic history hosting the events in 2008 and 2022 and the intricate planning behind such memorable events.
In Hangzhou, their intercultural journey continued with a visit to the Liangzhu Museum, the Alibaba Group, the Zhejiang Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, and the Binjiang Exhibition Hall. A highlight of the week was the breathtaking performance of ‘Enduring Memories of Hangzhou’ on the West Lake, blending Chinese and Western cultures through music, poetry, dance, and more.
In addition to these study/museum visits, participants hosted a Cultural Evening during which they shared their local dances, foods, and music – culminating in a fun karaoke session filled with international songs.
The participants left China with a newfound understanding of what it means to be a leader in Society 5.0 and how they can prepare to take on leadership roles themselves – current and future – utilising the skills they learnt and developed during the programme.
Interested in learning more about the Asia-Europe Young Leaders Campus? Have a look at the full programme here. Thank you to our Trainers Elizabeth KASA, Mato HM, and Veronica STEFAN for your facilitation of this great programme!
The Asia-Europe Young Leaders Campus was organised alongside the World Youth Development Forum, this year under the theme ‘Together for a Better Future’, and where the participants got to immerse themselves in the topic of Youth Development-Oriented Cities in Hangzhou for the Thematic Forum. The World Youth Development Forum is a platform which brings together young people worldwide to contribute to global development and to promote youth development.
You can read more about the Forum here.
NEXT STEP: ACTION PHASE
Following the In-Person Training, the participants will continue their ASEFYLS journey in the Action Phase. The participants will take their learnings and bring them back home to their local communities – creating a multiplier effect where more people get to learn about ‘Leadership in Society 5.0’.