Young People Key in Making Australia-Indonesia Ties Prosper
For the Australia-Indonesia relationship to prosper in the Asian Century, young people from both countries must play a role. Strong people-to-people links at the youth level are vital to the future of our bilateral relations.
Luckily, a small cadre of culturally aware, bilaterally engaged youth already exist, and their efforts are helping to maintain and strengthen this critical relationship. But more must be done.
These emerging leaders will ultimately shape the state of relations in the years ahead. Already, they bring a valuable – and different – perspective to the big issues.
— Bede Moore, Karina Akib and Chris Urbanski, The Jakarta Globe
Looking beyond ‘Beef, boats, and Bali’
The second thing that Ms Bishop should consider doing is to attend the inaugural Conference of Australia & Indonesia Youth in Canberra next month. Thirty youth leaders from both countries will attend this event that has the appropriate title, ‘Our turn to decide’. They are right, as these young people can provide our foreign minister with an honest and achievable vision for the future, and some good starting points.
