ASEAN Future Leaders Summit 2014

Once again, I have been chosen to be one of the lucky delegates of one of the best ASEAN summit I have ever attended. I did not expect that this would be as memorable and as exciting until I was there. I was expecting a little less, but then the people behind it proved me wrong. 

ASEAN Future Leaders Summit (AFLES 2014) is a nine-day exciting program that invites student leaders from universities in ASEAN region as well as other international universities. This is the second endeavour in bringing partner universities under one program and to enrich them with the leadership capabilities. This program intends to create a networking platform for participants to share idea and knowledge in critical issues of higher education, leadership and student participation and to aid in policy making to create a sustainable tomorrow for younger generation. 

During the nine day program, we are exposed to various plenary forum sessions, educational trips, networking lunches, and of course cultural presentations and gala nights. We also got to experience exceptional hospitality of the organizing committee from Higher Education Leadership Academy of Malaysia (AKEPT), Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), and Prince of Songkla University, Thailand (PSU). Aside from the amazing organizers, delegates and speakers, here are some of the amazing experiences and realizations that I had during AFLES 2014:

With upcoming ASEAN Economic Community 2015, it has been the hottest and trendiest topic throughout the program. Almost all the forums, seminars, and presentations revolved with the topic on ASEAN integration. Not only we learned more about AEC2105, but also we got to learn different topics on leadership, cross-cultural mindsets, and ASEAN tourism.

Aside from the discussions we had in the plenary hall, we also got to learn more outside with all our educational trips around Malaysia and Thailand. While in Malaysia, we had the chance to visit Putrajaya, the emerging city of Malaysia; Malacca, the historical state of Malaysia; Penang, the pearl of the orient; and of course, Kuala Lumpur, the gem of Malaysia. On the other hand while in Thailand, we visited Hat Yai, the business center of South of Thailand, Songkla. Not only we traveled around, but also we experienced and tasted different cuisines of each countries, and have witnessed various differences from our culture in our home country.

In just less than ten days, we were thoroughly exposed to the culture and traditions of the host countries, Malaysia and Thailand.  Not only we learn about Malaysia and Thailand throughout the program, but also we got to have an overview of the culture of other countries in ASEAN from Brunei to Vietnam. Even in just a short period of time, we experienced cross-cultural exchange from the delegates from our home country to the rest of the ASEAN region. 

The main goal of AFLES is to enrich each delegates with leadership qualities needed in the ASEAN region, including building network and friendship. With almost two weeks of getting together from our first night in Nilai, Malaysia to our last day in Hat Yai, Thailand, we have created a strong bond of friendship that we will surely remember and will surely last forever. So at the end of the program, we only not brought home learning from the plenaries we had and memories of our good travel, but also friends that we will cherish and will be looking forward to meet again in the future. 

Me with Prof. Anees of USM

With all the delegations that I have been through, AFLES 2014 is the best that I have attended be it locally or internationally. It was not just about the travel and tours that made it exciting, but the people that I have met who have made the delegation more exciting and more memorable for me. I will surely keep this experience of mine as a real treasure and will always keep the message of AFLES 2014 forward for other people to experience it and have the same opportunity. All thanks to Professor Anees Janee Ali and Mr. Ehsan Kh of USM for organizing such awesome event. Without them, and also the organizing committee from AKEPT, USIM, USM, PSU; AFLES 2014 would not be realized. I hope that you will continue the legacy for the next years of ASEAN future leaders to come. Oh hail, AFLES 2015! AFLES 2016! AFLES 2017!

Once an AFLESer, always an AFLESer!

Disclaimer: All photos are from the Facebook webpage of ASEAN Future Leaders Summit 2014. Taken by the official photographer, Jonathan Tan of USM.