Asia's young leaders discuss key regional issues in Hitachi forum

HANOI, Vietnam — Multinational electronics firm Hitachi, Ltd. on Monday opened its 11th Young Leaders Initiative, a forum that seeks to identify and groom Asian leaders by bringing them together to discuss key regional issues.

The event was attended by participants from seven Asian countries and will be held until Jan. 13.

Key officials from Asian countries attended the event to discuss issues on energy, environment, transportation, trade and economic integration.

The event was part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects of Hitachi, which employs about 360,000 people worldwide.

“It is encouraging to know that the vision we have set out to achieve in 1996 is supported by some of the most respected and prominent leaders from the region. Without them, the HYLI (Hitachi Young Leaders Initiative) would not have been made possible,” said Hitachi chairman Takashi Kawamura.

A total of 28 students and young leaders from seven countries were given the opportunity to dialogue with important Asian policy makers and experts.

The students were selected based on their academic performance, participation in extracurricular activities, awards received and knowledge of current regional issues.

The Philippines was represented by economics graduate student Kurt Gerrard See, Mark Andrew Copuyoc of Ateneo de Manila University, Miguel Antonio Garcia, a lecturer of University of San Carlos, and Camille Aquino of De La Salle University.

“It is my sincere desire to use this immense opportunity to gain deeper knowledge, insight, experience and motivation. I hope that when I go back to my country, I will be able to use what I have learned to improve my country’s situation,” Aquino said.

The other countries that sent representatives were Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and host country Vietnam.

The theme of this year’s forum is “The New Stage for Asia — an Asian Perspective on Managing Sustainable Development and Economic Integration.”

Philippine Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo served as a speaker of the event. Hoang Trung Hai, deputy prime minister of Vietnam, was the event’s guest of honor.

The other resource persons were Sukhumbhand Paribatra, governor of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Ngo Doan Vinh, president of Vietnam’s Development Strategy Institute, Datuk Ir. Ahmad Fauzi bin Hasan, chief executive officer of Malaysia’s Energy Commission and Djadjang Sukarna, secretary of directorate-general of Indonesia’s new Renewable energy and Energy Conservation.

Also in the event were Yasuaki Tanizaki of the embassy of Japan, Rebecca Fatima Sta. Maria, secretary-general of Malaysia’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Yukiko Fukagawa, political science professor of Japan’s Waseda University, Tran Duc Minh, former deputy secretary-general of the ASEAN secretariat, and Tran Dinh Thien, director of Vietnam’s Institute of Economics.

“It is amazing to see the passion and enthusiasm our regional leaders have in grooming the future generation. Their very presence at the 11th HYLI is a positive endorsement,” said Kiyoshi Kinugawa, Hitachi Ltd. chief executive for Asia.