Acyd 2012 Summary Report
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BEIJING 19-22 October 2012 CHENGDU 23-24 October 2012 Contents 1 ACYD 2012 2 The Next Steps in Australia-China Relations 3 The Team 4 Major Partners 5 Assocate Partners 6 Delegate Bios 7 Schedule 8 Speaker Bios AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE 1 Clive Lee ACYD 2012 ACYD 2012 Chinese Delegate ACYD is the best program I have ever participated in. Noth- ing compares! A week-long intellectual feast, ACYD takes you to the top of the world to see everything from another point of view. You’ll encounter world class speakers whose perspec- tives and deep engagement with Sino-Australia relations will blow your mind. And sometimes, their differing opinions will challenge your perceptions. It is very challenging, exciting, rewarding and enjoyable! ACYD is not only a program but a journey for all of us and the journey has just begun. Jade Little ACYD 2012 Australian Delegate ACYD far exceeded my expectations. It was a thought-provok- ing five days that examined issues from politics, economics and law to culture and sports. This encouraged me to broad- en my understanding of the Australia-China relationship, and inspired me to re-affirm my commitment to it. I cannot speak highly enough of the diverse range of speakers, delegates and organisers. I cannot recommend ACYD enough to any young person who has an interest in the Australia-China rela- tionship. You will learn a lot, you will meet amazing individu- als, you will make fantastic friends, and ultimately you will be inspired. Chen Sheng ACYD 2012 Chinese Delegate ACYD 2012 gave me an ideal opportunity to get to know more than 40 young people from different fields and indus- tries. With ever increasing political, economic, educational, cultural, and NGO engagement between China and Austra- lia, I learned about the issues that concern young people, what hopes they have for the future and what promises they will fulfill. I found the opportunity to speak frankly and sincerely with expert scholars and executives with long experience in Sino-Australian relations immensely beneficial. I sincerely hope that ACYD will continue to grow, opening a new channel for communi- cation and interaction between China and Australia and especially between the young people of the two countries. AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE Kyle Fox ACYD 2012 Australian Delegate ACYD gave me the opportunity to talk with the people who are currently doing the deals, framing the big questions and pioneering new aspects of the Australia-China relationship. More importantly, I ate frog, sang karaoke, practiced tai chi, cracked bad jokes, exchanged cringe worthy dance moves and pretended to be sophisticated with a group of truly excel- lent young and youngish people from Australia and China. ACYD is an example of a great idea that, given the enthusiasm and hard work of its organis- ers, just works. I would recommend anyone interested in the Australia China relationship to become involved with ACYD in any way they can. Mike Smith CEO ANZ When I first worked in Australia in the late 1980s, Australia’s then Prime Minister Bob Hawke said that for the country to succeed it needed to be prepared to enmesh itself with the dynamism of our region, the Asia Pacific region. Today, China is Australia’s largest trading partner, our largest export market, our largest source of fee-paying students and of tourists, and one of its largest sources of direct foreign investment. Given the massive economic dependency Australia has on China, it’s clear from recent events that a more sustained effort has to be put into framing the relationship properly. To achieve this I believe there needs to be increased and sustained dialogue and engagement across all levels of so- ciety. An organisation like the Australia China Youth Dialogue plays an important role in making that happen, and I ap- plaud the initiatives that our young leaders have taken to develop China-Australia relations by bringing together key people from both sides to forge deeper understanding and connections for the future. Richard Woolcott AC, AO Retired Australian Diplomat The Australia China Youth Dialogue is an important institution… [The Youth Dialogue] is probably in many ways more important because it’s really for a new generation of forward looking young men and women to work for a more stable and peaceful and economically developing Asia Pacific region. AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE 2 At 40 there are no doubts. The Next Marking the 40th year of diplomatic relations between Australia and the People’s Re- public of China, and in anticipation of the 18th National Peoples Congress, the third annual Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) was held in Beijing and Chengdu, Steps in China, from 19 to 24 October 2012. In 2009, Dr. Stephen Fitzgerald (Australia’s first ambassador to the People’s Republic Australia- of China, 1973-76) highlighted the absence of – and a need for – more institution- alised dialogue between Australia and China through both governmental and non- China governmental organisations. In 2012, the Hon. Julia Gillard MP, Prime Minister of Australia, stated that “In the Asian century, business as usual is not enough”. Relations ACYD was founded to address these concerns, and promote frequent and meaningful engagement and more sophisticated cross-cultural understanding among Australian and Chinese youth. Since 2010, ACYD has brought young leaders from Australia and China together with key experts and decision makers to discuss key aspects of the bilateral relationship. Speakers at ACYD have included HE Ms Frances Adamson, Australian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Justin Yifu Lin, former Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank, and the Hon. Bob Hawke AC, former Prime Minis- ter of Australia. ACYD seeks to enhance Sino-Australian relations by forging lasting connections that will benefit both countries in the future. The main objectives of the ACYD are to: * Facilitate an understanding of Chinese and Australian culture and society; * Encourage talented youth to take an active interest in Australia-China relations; * Bring together Australian and Chinese youth from different sectors to create long-term, mutually beneficial relationships; and * Encourage youth to seek employment opportunities in future business, research, NGO and/or diplomatic roles between Australia and China. With the respected former Australian diplomat Richard Woolcott AC recently describ- ing the ACYD as “probably more important than the Australian American Leadership Dialogue,” it is safe to say that the ACYD is well on the way to achieving these aims. Henry Makeham, Founder Dominic Meagher, Director AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE 3 The Team Henry Makeham, Founder Stevan Tao Dominic Meagher, Director Jacob Taylor Natalie Cope, Deputy Director Michael Ting Jakob Braunack-Mayer Hayley Ward Christiana Liang Tom Williams Simon Manetti Joel Wing-Lun Joe McCarthy Zhou Kang AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE 4 Major Partners AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE 5 Associate Partners AUSTRALIA-CHINA YOUTH DIALOGUE 6 Delegate Bios 6 Australian Delegates Philippa BRANT passion and ideas for innovation, and has a strong interest in developing a new gen- Delegate Philippa is a researcher eration of leaders through programs, pre- and consultant specialis- sentations and mentorship to other young Bios ing in China’s foreign aid people. program. She completed her PhD at The University She has 10 years of experience in ad- of Melbourne in mid-2012 where she in- vocating on a range of issues including vestigated the implications of China’s for- multicultural affairs, international students, eign aid for the global aid architecture. young people and people with disability, She also has a first-class honours degree and was the founder of the Australian Fed- in Asian Studies/Political Science with a eration of International Students. thesis on the barriers to education for mi- Currently, she is the Director of Cultural grant children in Shanghai. Intelligence, a consultancy and training Philippa previously worked in Beijing as a organisation specializing in inter-cultural visiting researcher at the International Pov- awareness, engagement, and manage- erty Reduction Centre in China (IPRCC), ment. a Chinese government organisation work- Some of her previous professional roles ing to translate lessons from China’s own include, management consultant, project development experience to other develop- officer and senior manager in industries ing countries, through South-South Coop- ranging from healthcare, IT, government, eration. She was also an intern at UNICEF international education, aged care and China in the Health Division, working on disability. the maternal child health program. These were supported through the Prime Min- Wesa has appeared regularly on a range ister’s Australia Asia Endeavour Award, of television programs, in radio interviews which Philippa received in 2010. and has published a range of articles and opinion pieces. In 2012, she was Philippa’s interest in China began through an inductee to the Victorian Honour Roll her beginner’s Mandarin studies in a Di- for Women and awarded University of ploma of Modern Languages – originally Melbourne “Rising Star” Alumni Award. intended as a complement to her Japa- She was named Young Victorian of the nese skills. Travels to rural China on a Year 2010 and a recipient of the 2006 university fieldtrip however, cemented her Service Delivery to Multicultural Victoria desire to develop a China-related career. award. In addition, she was a finalist for Her current interests cover Chinese foreign the 2010 Premier’s Community Volunteer- policy, domestic development challenges, ing Leadership Award. Chinese engagement in Southeast and the Pacific, China’s impact on global gover- Wesa sits on a number of Boards includ- nance norms, and Australia-China rela- ing, Ethnic Communities Council of Victo- tions.