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Organised by The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the third HKFYG Jockey Club School of Global Leadership’s Global Seminar was successfully held on 21-28 March 2021.
The School strives to nurture young leaders for the development of Hong Kong and the world. The Global Seminar series is designed as a leadership pipeline; a journey that nurtures youngsters from being potential leaders to outstanding, and then to exceptional leaders. It is believed that every student has the potential to be a leader.
Under the theme, “New Leadership, Globalisation and Personal Elevation”, the six-day seminar comprised a series of lectures, discussions and networking sessions, which covered such topics as the challenge of leadership; leadership in an age of globalisation; global values; and the future of leadership.
The Seminar was designed to prepare “tri-sector leaders” (young leaders in business, government and nonprofits) and equip them to face today’s challenges, while enabling them to develop their own personal and team work competencies to cope with future uncertainties.
Changes create new leadership
For the past year our lives have been dramatically changed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. So many of the changes might very well have a long term impact on the way we live and work, and even study. In the midst of all these changes, we have looked for new opportunities and possibilities.
Take this year’s Seminar as an example. Because we had to go online, we were able to make it more of an international programme, inviting speakers and participants from seven regions across two time zones to join the journey virtually or physically.
“This year, the Global Seminar focused on what is so important in our world today, which is change.” said Andy Ho, Executive Director of HKFYG. “We focused on how the delegates could understand their own role of leadership in today’s globalised world that will benefit them in the long term. This understanding included the learning of both skills and attitudes, both of which are key for personal and professional advancement.”
Leong Cheung, Executive Director of Charities and Community at The Hong Kong Jockey Club said the Club’s support for youth development, including the HKFYG Jockey Club School of Global Leadership, has helped cultivate an enabling environment where young people are empowered to unleash the enormous potential that they have to improve communities and societies. He said: “This Global Seminar is a key part of the programme as it is designed for high potential young participants, to learn, exchange ideas and meet people with great minds to share valuable international leadership insights.”
A journey in self-development
The Seminar programme was designed in partnership with the Aspen Institute, a US-based, global nonprofit organisation renowned for gathering diverse, nonpartisan thought leaders, creatives, scholars and members of the public to address some of the world’s most complex challenges. Unlike traditional leadership development courses, the Seminar was “not leadership training, but a journey in leadership”, said Todd Breyfogle, PhD, Managing Director, Executive Leadership Seminars at the Aspen Institute.
He elaborated, “The event reflected different modes of learning, addressed participants from a variety of sectors, and connected delegates past and present with one another and with leaders from all over the world. The delegates were challenged to reflect upon their own moral compass and develop essential qualities of new leadership that are especially important in a globalizing world—both within the pandemic and in what comes after.”
Unique approach to leadership development
This year, 31 delegates from a variety of backgrounds across the globe joined the Seminar. Dylan Kwan, the co-founder of Caprikon Education, an education technology company was one delegate.
“I found the Seminar unique and distinctive, not only because it gathered a group of young people aged 25-40 from around the world, but because it was interesting to listen to and learn from peers,” said Kwan.
The key takeaway from Kwan was how he learnt to emphasise people rather than work. As he said, “The world has changed, with the younger generation viewing employment completely differently. They pursue more than just money, but job satisfaction, value of their work and work-life balance. Going forward, I will check in with my fellow colleagues more regularly, to understand what they like and dislike about the company, as well as what motivates them, to sustain the business in the long run.”
Better self for a better world
Jennifer Lam, another delegate, was also impressed by the format and content of the Seminar. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer of The D. H. Chen Foundation, and is a qualified lawyer in Hong Kong, England and Wales.
“It was a thought-provoking Seminar that led us to think about a number of questions. Some of which were more broad-based concerning issues around our world, while some were more personal. The Seminar provided me an opportunity to reflect on myself, how I want to move forward and how I can give back to the community.”
“It was also very inspiring to spend time with a group of outstanding young leaders and learn from their experiences. It gave me a global and sometimes a brand new perspective to comprehend or view some of the world’s biggest challenges today,” she added.
The end of the Seminar is just the beginning of a new journey in leadership. Delegates of the previous Global Seminar in 2019 continued to extend their influence with 800 hours of post-seminar engagements with different tri-sector leaders, sharpening their tools to think globally and act locally. They were also invited to share their experiences at this year’s seminar, priming the delegates for better takeaways from the Seminar journey.
Following the footsteps of their predecessors, delegates of this year’s Seminar will pass the torch of the School’s mission and sparkle initiatives to continuously nurture the next generation of leaders to unleash their potential and lead positive changes in the world.