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| 120 youth delegates to take on role as journalists during the APEC summit |
| 2 Nov 2009 |
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World leaders will gather in Singapore for the APEC Summit in less than a week.
And apart from engaging with one another, they may just have to deal with some tough questions- not from your everyday journalists.
Our news desk with more.
In the last few months, 40 Singaporean youths aged between 18 and 25, have been preparing for what some of them say is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
They have been selected to take part in the annual APEC Voices of the Future programme, which seeks to give them an insight into the organisation's role, functions and workings.
Chairperson from the programme's organising committee Natalie Morris tells us why it’s important for youths to get involved.
"Its very easy i think for the APEC issues to lose its relevance for the young people when you don't know so much about them and you have not had the opportunity to learn about them. So when young people get involved, they are encouraged to think about the issues and when they write about them also, they are encouraged to reflect and then they will get to see the relevance of APEC in their own lives and in their own economy."
Taking the role as a journalist, the youths will get the chance to interview APEC economic and business leaders.
And some of them have already set their sights on who, and what to ask.
23 year-old Avnish Desai an undergraduate from Singapore Management University is one of them.
"Everyone will like to meet President Obama,perhaps Prime Minister of Australia, Prime minister Kevin Rudd, and if possible i will like to meet the President of China. I will like to meet Timothy Geithner himself. The man behind what's happening behind the regulations in the US and its impact on the rest of the world."
While 24 year -old Ng Xue na says she has some specific questions in mind.
"In today's context, it is not just about throwing big chunks of money into the financial budget to cushion the effects, but in the long run so how do economies actually deal with the long term issues on the ageing population and also global warming impact on the economic self and also political ties with neighbouring country."
The youth programme will also bring together another 80 young journalists from other APEC economies.
As part of the Voices programme, the Singaporean delegates will also be showcasing various aspects of Singapore to the international delegates. This will include trips to the Night Safari, the Marina Barrage, and HDB Heartlands.
Reports written by the young journalists, will be put on the programme's website everyday.
All of it will eventually be compiled and circulated to APEC stakeholders.
They include the Singapore Business Foundation, Virtual Trade Mission, national youth focal points in the APEC economies, Singapore's Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and Singapore's President, S. R. Nathan. The Voices of the Future programme is organised by the National Youth Council in cooperation with Singapore's Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) Council.
This report was written by Hetty Musfirah.
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