Hundreds of Australia’s most creative young minds will connect with businesses, government, community and youth organisations during an upcoming leadership conference at UQ.
Held this Friday, July 1, AIESEC’s INITIATE The Future: Ideas, Innovations, and Inventions, will involve a series of discussions, debates and workshops aimed to critically analyse Australia’s current leadership landscape and the country’s future.
Representatives from Teach for Australia, ABC, Together for Humanity, Hunter Hall Ethical Investments, and the Queensland Department of Education will lead forums on human rights, multiculturalism, and entrepreneurship.
“We believe it’s important that whenever there’s a discussion on the future of Australia it involves not only those who are currently active but also anyone who’s interested in joining the debate,” AIESEC Director of External Relations Anastasia Symons said.
Professor Patrick McGorry, recipient of the 2010 Australian of the Year Award, will open the conference with a presentation titled “Leadership for Action on Mental Health” at the UQ Centre.
To build on this year’s theme, workshops will give participants the opportunity to profile their own ideas, innovations, and inventions, which will be published in a post-event report.
“This event is as much about creating ideas as connecting them with Australia’s future leaders and citizens,” Ms Symons said.
A panel discussion will close the conference, allowing delegates to contribute and connect with some of Australia’s top youth leaders including those from The Big Issue, Australian Youth Climate Coalition, LeftRight Think Tank and the Oaktree Foundation.
The event will also act as a venue for the presentation of the 2011 Innovation Competition, Connecting Young Ideas, which provides a platform to launch innovative youth initiatives in Australia.
UQ President of AIESEC Divya Raju said the conference presented UQ students in particular with a wonderful opportunity to broaden their perspectives and inspire them to begin thinking about what impacts they can make in the future.
Students and members of the wider community are encouraged to attend for free (enter UQ as organisation on the conference registrations page).
Media: Anastasia Symons, AIESEC Event Organiser (Anastasia.symons@aiesec.net) or Allison Rock from UQ Communications (07 3365 2619, a.rock1@uq.edu.au)
