After nearly one month returning from APEC Voices of the Future, one of the important events in the framework of APEC Summit 2017 activities in Danang, emotions are still lingering within Thuong.
Thanh Thuong (in the middle) with international friends in an exchange forum. Photo: NVCC
Proposing the establishment of an APEC university system
"To become an official member of the forum is not easy. It was a personal effort as well as a chance for me to be present and on behalf of many other young people to write a speech to present my views as a youth of the host country,” Thuong recalled the first few suspenseful days waiting for the result after submitting to the forum.
However, in order to make it through rounds of rigorous tests, the Hue girl with the small pretty face had to excel in an English interview showcasing her extensive knowledge. In addition, her outstanding academic achievements as well as her leadership scholarship in the United States helped Thuong affirm her capabilities in front of a “sea of eminences” from many APEC member economies.
In an inspirational voice, the student born in 1996 was confident in expressing her views on the challenges that the world is facing with so many tensions surrounding politics, societies and globalization. Despite the advantages, challenges for young people are not small. "Therefore, the young generation needs to face the challenges to foster a shared future," Thuong quoted her speech. Following this, Thuong proposed two main solutions to the forum, namely human resource development in the technological age and policies of starting a business, innovating and supporting small and medium enterprises.
According to Thuong, human resource development in the technological age, the lack of opportunity and equity among young people in the economy is a matter of controversy. Thuong gave examples of the difficulty in applying for a job abroad due to visa issues and immigration policy.
Thuong proposed the establishment of an APEC university system standardized by APEC. These schools must commit to meeting APEC educational standards and commit to providing students with exchange opportunities within the system. She also recommended creating a database to make it easy for students to find jobs overseas and believed that with digital technology, even in the home, young people can make a profit.
Pursuing climate change
The issue of start-up policy was also brought to the table. Thuong said that there is a shortage in both management capacity and cooperation opportunities. Not all small and medium enterprises are correctly oriented on the right path in the era of industrialization and modernization. It is necessary to set up the Organizing Committee of enterprise weeks to enhance the competitiveness and creativity of young entrepreneurs.
The week would provide young entrepreneurs with training and networking opportunities. "The regional business network should have aids to help alleviate the financial burden of small and medium enterprises," Thuong added.
In addition to the issues she expressed, there is an issue that Thuong is working hard on, which is climate change. That was the reason why right from the time when she was a student majoring in English at Quoc Hoc High School for the Gifted, she had chosen to pursue economic studies and management of environmental resources. Thuong said, "Climate change is a major crisis that the world is facing. As a young person, I realize that I need to be a pioneer. But pioneering is not enough as I need to learn well, to research rigorously to give evidence and publish scientific data.”
When asked what she was most afraid of, Thuong said, “Lagging behind.” Thus, Thuong always orients herself to overcome some social prejudices. Going to new places, Thuong reminded herself that "travelling broadens the mind". Thu also learned a lot about style, diplomatic ability, etc. from international friends as well as from youths in the country.
At each exchange program, Thuong did not forget to introduce Hue, a “specialty” that she has always been proud of. Thuong told her friends about Hue tourism and heritages, and promised to be the tour guide for her eager friends. The road ahead is still long, and Thuong is still paving the way for herself. "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, then go together," said Thuong.
By PHAN THÀNH