From 2 to five December, the Younger Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Summit 2024 introduced collectively 100 younger leaders from throughout ASEAN and Timor-Leste within the World Heritage Website of Luang Prabang, below the theme “Connecting the Inventive Economic system.”
The occasion, supported by the US Division of State, the US Embassy in Vientiane, and YSEALI, and applied by STELLA and Quack, two youth empowerment teams in Laos, highlighted how artistic industries can drive innovation, protect tradition, and promote sustainable growth all through the area.
All through the 4 days, contributors took half in quite a lot of workshops, masterclasses, panel discussions, and cultural exchanges, all designed to foster collaboration, spark new concepts, and encourage motion.
“YSEALI has all the time been a beacon of hope and inspiration in our area. This summit has, as soon as once more, demonstrated the ability of collaboration and innovation in shaping a brighter future,” Heather Variava, the US Ambassador to Laos, famous through the closing ceremony.
One of many key highlights of the Summit was the chance for contributors to interact in masterclasses on cutting-edge matters like “How Can Expertise and AI Assist Inventive Industries?” and “Inventive Writing and Storytelling.” These periods have been led by international and regional specialists reminiscent of Adele Lim, co-writer of Loopy Wealthy Asiansand Steve Arounsack, cultural advisor for Disney’s Raya and the Final Dragon. These specialists shared their insights into the intersection of creativity and know-how, inspiring contributors to suppose exterior the field and discover new potentialities.
The occasion additionally featured a collection of panel discussions, together with one on “Creation be Economic system 2030 and Strengths of ASEAN’s Inventive Industries.”
The Summit additionally included cultural immersion actions. The Lao Inventive Arts Truthful and visits to native artistic hubs just like the Conventional Arts and Ethnology Centre and Baan Chan Pottery Village allowed contributors to expertise firsthand the fantastic thing about conventional crafts whereas seeing how native improvements are serving to to bridge the hole between heritage and fashionable creativity.
Collaboration was on the coronary heart of the Summit, with contributors coming collectively in team-building periods to develop mission concepts that have been eligible for funding by YSEALI’s USD 40,000 small grant pool. This funding gave them the chance to show their concepts into significant initiatives that would make an actual influence of their communities.
The Summit concluded with a certificates presentation ceremony, the place Ambassador Heather Variava delivered inspiring remarks and contributors made a collective dedication to advancing the artistic economic system of their respective communities.
Since its launch in 2013, YSEALI has empowered 1000’s of younger leaders to handle essential challenges throughout ASEAN and Timor-Leste.
