From July 6 to 9, the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines and U.S.-based NGO Cultural Vistas hosted in Manila the 2022 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Regional Workshop: Guardians of Good Governance.
The workshop welcomed more than 70 emerging leaders in civil society, government, and academe from Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam for four days of intensive discussions on utilizing civic education to promote good governance.
During the program, participants visited institutions and local governments across Metro Manila to learn best practices in promoting civic participation and demand for transparency and accountability. Sites included Manila-based NGOs such as Ayala Foundation and Galing Pook, the governance institutes of Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University, and the local governments of Pasig City, Quezon City, Valenzuela City, and San Juan City.
“The U.S. government is committed to investing in human capital development by empowering and partnering with emerging leaders like you to address shared problems and build a better future in the region and beyond,” said U.S. Embassy in the Philippines Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Heather Variava in her closing remarks.
The program concluded with a cultural reception to celebrate Philippine-U.S. Friendship Month, the 55th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-U.S. diplomatic ties.
Launched in 2013, YSEALI is the U.S. government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia. Through a variety of programs and engagements, including U.S. educational and cultural exchanges, regional exchanges, and seed funding, YSEALI seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region, strengthen ties between the United States and Southeast Asia, and nurture an ASEAN community.
Learn more about YSEALI at https://yseali.state.gov/.
