Interested and engaged in the beauty of relationships between people, Tran Le Dung (Jun) is always eager to seek new opportunities to participate in youth cultural exchange programmes in the region. As soon as he found out about 5^th ASEAN Foundation Model ASEAN Meeting (AFMAM) 2019, he immediately was drawn to the objectives and decided to apply for the programme, even though it was a big shift from his previous experiences.

“A youth conference that focuses more on formal diplomacy like AFMAM presented a whole different experience compared to my previous events,” Jun confessed. “However, I felt even more motivated to challenge myself to acquire wider experiences and knowledge regarding ASEAN Community.”

Of course, his journey was not always smooth sailing. AFMAM was like a journey of putting together a “jigsaw puzzle,” and for him, collaboration and preparation were the two trickiest pieces of the jigsaw. “Good communication between team members was key to successfully overcome these challenges,” Jun admitted. After being able to surpass the challenges, the outcome was better than what he had expected as he was awarded the Diplomacy Award for his performance. “Receiving this award is like a testament to my effort and engagement in this eye-opening programme,” he said.

Jun considers his involvement as one of the delegates of Vietnam in 5^th AFMAM 2019 invaluable. He not only succeeded in sharpening his leadership and public speaking skills, but also created new connections with other talented and like-minded youth in ASEAN and Australia. “My whole AFMAM journey enabled a holistic self-development, both in skillset and networking,” he said. Therefore, he encourages people to join this programme. “For those who are looking for unique experience, where you gain essential knowledge and skillset for their development, as well to connect with talented fellow young people, this programme is a must for you!” Jun said.

Written by: Fernanda Rizkianita

Edited by: Beatrice Riingen