Leaders of tomorrow: How Asean’s next generation is reshaping the region

Trust is rarely built 20 metres above ground. But for Ms Attiya Ashraf Ali, being tethered to a stranger during an Outward Bound Singapore session showed her otherwise.

“Being vulnerable with people we didn’t know opened everyone up. We saw each other as people even before we were introduced to one another in professional terms,” says the 29-year-old Ernst and Young assistant manager.

That morning in Pulau Ubin last November set the tone for what would become an extraordinary week at the

Asean Youth Fellowship (AYF)

2024, where 44 young leaders across 11 countries – including Timor-Leste – discovered that building strong regional partnerships began with personal connections.

A leadership development programme organised by the National Youth Council (NYC) and Singapore International Foundation, AYF aims to connect young people across borders and deepen their understanding of the region’s challenges and opportunities.

Its sixth run, held in Singapore and Laos in November 2024, took delegates on visits to leading organisations and dialogues with political officeholders and industry thought leaders. As night fell, their conversations deepened into heartfelt sharing of personal stories, sometimes continuing into the early morning.

“It’s just incredible. I don’t even get that close with the people I’ve met on other programmes that span a year, but AYF managed to do this in less than 10 days,” says Mr Edward Yee, the 30-year-old co-founder of GivFunds Social Ventures.

Although AYF 2024 has ended, the friendships forged among the delegates live on. They celebrate each other’s milestones – travelling across borders for weddings and seizing every chance to reunite, no matter where work takes them.

“There was a lot of bonding that transcended work relationships, and we’ve grown close enough to say these are the people whom I want to be connected with for life,” adds Ms Attiya.

Broadening their horizons

Having experienced the camaraderie firsthand, Ms Attiya finally grasped why past fellows spoke so highly of AYF. 

Her visit to a Laotian community workspace struck a deep chord with her, where she met youths leveraging technology to help rural farmers overcome connectivity challenges and improve crop yields. 

This reminded her of her own work as vice president of Mendaki Club, where volunteers come together to ideate and execute programmes to address community needs.

For Singaporeans accustomed to challenges faced by urbanites, exposure to issues like agricultural development and rural connectivity was eye-opening. 

The learning journey challenged Ms Attiya’s preconceptions, revealing that Singapore’s progress does not equate to expertise in all domains. While many AYF delegates may see Singapore as a model in many fields, every nation has expertise and innovations that Singapore can learn from.

“Singapore cannot operate alone. Building that kinship with others in the Asean market is very important for us to prosper,” she says.

These connections call for cultural fluency. During AYF, Mr Yee observed that meeting dynamics can vary across borders. Where Singaporeans typically dive straight into meeting agendas, their Indonesian counterparts may focus on building rapport before getting down to business.

“We’re all from very different backgrounds, and it’s very important for us to be able to empathise. AYF made me think about the kind of leader I want to be,” says Ms Attiya.

Sustaining the momentum

Within just three months of the AYF’s conclusion, Mr Yee has started collaborating with fellow participants from the programme. 

For Ms Attiya, a conversation with AYF alumna Vanessa Paranjothy, a founder of Freedom Cups, during the programme’s inaugural Human Library segment reinforced her approach to community initiatives.

Introduced for the first time in 2024, the Human Library session allowed fellows to engage directly with AYF alumni, gaining firsthand insights from their experiences. 

Ms Vanessa’s emphasis on listening to a community before implementing solutions resonated deeply with Ms Attiya, who has been actively applying this philosophy to a mentorship programme she runs with her team of volunteers at Mendaki Club.

While the 2024 fellows champion diverse causes – from financial inclusion to female empowerment – they converge on a singular vision: A better future for the region. Together, these emerging leaders at AYF are uniting to tackle the region’s toughest challenges.

“Standing together is where we will draw our strength in the next 20 years. There’s a multitude of problems ahead of us to solve, and we need good people who are committed to doing the right thing and making Asean better,” says Mr Yee.

Learn how you can be part of the Asean Youth Fellowship journey.