Page 12 - APEC 20 Anniversary Book_v12_Neat

MESSAGE MESSAGE
Celebrating our 20 years of innovative leadership in APEC educational diplomacy is an endless ocean of thanksgiving
for the many APEC Economic Leaders, ABAC Members, CEOs, Leadership Council Members and Annual Hosts who
have co-created and developed our programs.
Similarly, I can think of no better tribute to ASEAN’s formative role in our mission than to celebrate our young legacy
with the economic leader who started it all – His Excellency, The Honourable Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, Prime
Minister of Malaysia and with our Co-Chair from Singapore, Mr James Soh, and the National Youth Achievement Award
(NYAA) Council of Singapore.
In 1998, in the midst of financial challenges to the region, H.E. Prime Minister Mahathir chose to enrich and personalize
the APEC Vision by having his students and educators host over 30 peers from around the Pacific Rim in the first Voices
of the Future program. Ten years later, when I was diagnosed with cancer that made it impossible for me to continue in
my executive role, Mr Soh and his team from the NYAA Council became our wise and creative navigators, taking us far
beyond our first charts in both learning and leadership.
Mindful that listing more co-creators and innovators may disappoint the many not named and for whom my
admiration and thanksgiving stretches far beyond the corners of this page, please allow me to thank by economy the
APEC Voices leaders and campuses in New Zealand, Brunei, Mexico, Chile, Canada, Korea, Vietnam, Peru and China for
all you did to help launch this program in the early days. In the USA, the President’s Export Council, Helms Center,
Iowa State Education Association and Richard W. Riley Institute at Furman University were our first teammates.
By the hard work of our Papua New Guinea hosts, all of you participating in this year’s program will be adding your
voices and energy to better the stewardship of the still evolving epic of 21st century globalization, increasingly informed
by Asia-Pacific leadership. Please honor this gift and responsibility by your giving it your best during the APEC Voices
program 2018 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
I close with deepest thanks for my Mum, Mdm June Mayne Gould, who started me on my Asia-Pacific voyage and
provided me the opportunity to set up the June Mayne Gould Award to honour outstanding APEC Voices leaders at
the annual APEC Voices event and my spouse, Dr. Annie Liu, who continues to inspire and enrich this journey.
Noel Gould, JD MPA
Chairman, Virtual Trade Mission Foundation International and
Co-Chair, APEC Voices Leadership Council
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For 20 years, the APEC Voices of the Future program has sought to bring out the best of our young leaders in the
Asia-Pacific region. With half of the world’s population under the age of 30, young people play an important role in
shaping the world’s economy. It is therefore important that we empower and equip them with knowledge, starting
from the Asia-Pacific region, in order to create a sustainable future for all.
The APEC Voices of the Future program was launched in 1998 by visionary leaders who foresaw the importance of
the regional grouping. Through the program, young people from the 21 APEC Member Economies who share a keen
interest in economics, finance and trade can come together, deepen their knowledge and spark potential cooperation
for the betterment of the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.
Over the last 20 years, the APEC Voices founding members have worked tirelessly to provide young people a platform
for learning, engagement and most importantly, to establish a solid network within the region. By engaging APEC policy
makers, business leaders and government officials at the annual event, young leaders from the Asia-Pacific region can
grow to become strong, connected leaders of tomorrow, well positioned to cooperate and create a better world, not
just in the Asia-Pacific region.
We are blessed that my team and I had the privilege of working and tapping the wisdom and experience of the Voices
of the Future founding members to find new ways to improve and strengthen the program which will benefit a wider
group of young leaders from the region.
We are confident that we will continue to build on the solid foundation laid by our pioneers to further enhance our
joint partnership and collaboration while contributing to the wider youth sector in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
Our gratitude and heartfelt thanks to my team at the National Youth Achievement Award Council of Singapore for their
outstanding leadership and contributions in taking the Voices program to greater heights.
I hereby wish the APEC Voices of the Future many more fruitful years ahead.
James Soh BBM PBM, MBE
Co-Chair, APEC Voices Leadership Council