Innovators’ Collage Summit in Vietnam

こんにちは、Soleil です。お久しぶりです！

Hello everyone, warm greeting from Soleil,  long time no see!
Today I will report to you about the Innovators’ Collage Summit in Vietnam (ICSIV) on November 2012.

In 2015, ASEAN Economic Community will be established. Not only does a borderless Southeast Asia give young people opportunities to thrive economically and culturally but it also challenges us to be more responsible socially. That is the motivation for Habataku Vietnam and partners to hold Innovators’ Collage Summit in Vietnam (ICSIV) - a forum for students and young entrepreneurs to discuss different ways to unleash and improve potential capabilities of people in ASEAN countries and to seize the opportunity of border-less ASEAN countries and enhance the positive impacts on society.

On Nov 17^th 2012, ICSIV was successfully organized at ERC Vietnam. With the participation of 110 attendants, ICSIV became one of the biggest events of Habataku Vietnam and partners in this year. Thank you Sponsors, Partners, Guest Speakers and Organizers for such amazingly seminal event ever!

The conference has 3 sessions:

1. Ideas sharing session

This session was the chance for the audiences to get the innovative ideas from first line innovators who are Guest Speakers from Mekong region countries: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Japan.

Topic: “Youth’s energy as fuel for entrepreneurial growth in ASEAN”

Guest Speaker: Mr. Thuta Aung (Myanmar)

With an inspiring spirit, Mr. Thuta Aung from Myanmar has addressed audiences about how huge the potentials that the youngsters have and how to utilize those potentials. From his real successful business experience, he emphasized the importance of “focus” to leverage the opportunity that ASEAN Economy Community in 2015 will offer. His presentation raised the passion of entrepreneurship in the young audiences and reminded them to consider the opportunities and focus specifically to achieve success.

Topic: “Solving Social Issues Through Innovative Business Approaches”

Guest Speaker: Mr. Evan Scandling (Laos)

Mr. Evan Scandling from Laos shared about the importance of renewable energy in community development – particularly in off-grid, rural areas – as it acts as a gateway to broader economic and social benefits such as increased entrepreneurship, better education opportunities and improved healthcare.

From his experience in field of solar energy, he shared the successes and challenges of how creative thinking and innovative approaches to profit-driven, socially-minded business have enabled rural electrification throughout the Mekong region and other developing parts of the world. This presentation helped audiences to have clearer image about social enterprise and inspire the young to make positive impact on society.

Topic: “Experience What EYE See: The Power of Mind Over Matter”

Guest Speaker: Ms. Prae Sunantaraks (Thailand)

Ms. Prae Sunantaraks from Thailand shared her story of “Experience What EYE See, the power of Mind over Matter” that has helped Prae to face her fear of losing sight and overcome phobias which might limit personal and professional growth. Her story touched the hearts of every individual and inspired people to think more positive and live to the fullest every day.

Topic: “"Robots are mirrors of human heart"”

Guest Speaker: Mr. Hiroshi Ishiguro (Japan) 
<TEDxSeeds>

Originally, we intend to broadcast directly the TEDxSeeds *) 2012 from Japan. However, due to low internet connection, we could not broadcast and instead, we showed the video of TEDxSeeds 2009 in Japan about "Robots are mirrors of human heart". Dr. Ishiguro shared "I desire to create a human'". This led him to force to explore deeply an entire mechanism of ourselves, a human being. Therefore, he amazingly exhibited androids that interact with human. This reflects the possibility of human potentials and motivated the audiences to be more confident to forward exploring the potentials of them in particular and of human beings in general.

Topic: “The Most Valuable Asset in Organization and Japanese Corporate Ethics”

Guest Speaker: Mr. Fumio Okita (Japan)

With the experience of 30 years in the field of infrastructure development, industrial parks and foreign direct investments in Asia and Middle East countries, Mr. Fumio Okita shared about the lesson from Japanese success, which was highly appreciated by all the audiences, especially the young entrepreneurs who are going to run their business in the future. The most successful factor that Japan is proud of is Society with minimum gap between rich and poor.  And the explanation for this is because of the traditional management style and the secret of Japanese Traditional Business Ethics, which is “Sanpo Yoshi” (Good for the Three: Good for the Seller, Good for the Buyer and Good for the Society). The philosophy is simple but raised the awareness about ethics that the business should apply in their management for sustainable development.

Topic: “Dream Higher, Grow Smarter”
Guest Speaker: Mr. Saing Darareaksmey (Cambodia)

Young people of ASEAN are very potentials, but how to explore the potentials and realize the dream is always a big question for every young ambitious individual. Guest Speaker from Cambodia -  Mr. Saing Darareaksmey shared the experiences he has been through, mistakes he had made and how he could manage to achieve success: published of 6 books at the age of 21, champion of National Math Olympiad and Law competition, and working  as business manager.  Through the story, he recommended some tips for audiences to optimize the success of their dreams: “Dream, Plan, Concentrate and Open”

Topic: “Traveling is an equal opportunity”
Guest Speaker: Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh Huyen (Nickname: Huyen Chip) (Vietnam)

The active traveller, author of best seller travel book: “Xách balô lên và đi”, Guest Speaker Nguyen Thi Khanh Huyen (aka Huyen Chip) from Vietnam shared from her experience, how awesome and how important travel is. “Traveling helps us to see the world as it really is, rather than what the media wants us to see. It’s an important educational tool and the key to mutual understandings between people from different backgrounds. However, traveling is still a privilege of those from developed countries. People from developing countries face a lot of difficulties, among which visa barrier is crucial. I dream of a world where traveling is an equal opportunity for everyone”. The story inspired people to dream more and travel more to explore more about people, culture from different countries and most important to explore about themselves.

2. Workshop – What we can do for Vietnam society?

The most awaited and interesting part was Workshop by World café method. After getting the ideas from first line innovators, this was the time for participants to brainstorm and raise their innovative ideas for themselves to contribute to society.

From the workshop session, participants reminisced about their past happy experience individually. Groups had chance to share and know more about one another in a warm and exciting atmosphere. Thereafter working in group, participants creatively used those experiences to brainstorm more about how they can contribute to Vietnam society and aim to make a bright future by co-creation. We discovered that there are many things that we can do for society from now and for the future, we can develop business, education, improve the environment condition, reserve and develop traditional culture and exchange culture, boost mutual understanding with other countries to bring peace everywhere. The potentials and opportunities are very huge, the important thing is how we can co-create to leverage our potentials to deliver values to society and make a better world.

3. Networking Party
The Innovators’ Collage Summit closed by warm networking party with the Table For Two (TFT) (**) menu. This was also the first time for us to introduce Table for Two project in Vietnam.

This was also a great chance for the participants to widen network, share ideas, inspire and be inspired by one another.

A memorable and rewarding experience for Soleil

It was fantastic being a part of ICSIV. First of all, I have got more experience in organizing event, especially raising sponsor and program creation. As well as that, I was challenged my worldview by innovative ideas, not only from innovators throughout the Mekong region but also from the pro-active participants. In addition, I have got more ideas to write my own story for the future, heading to contribute more to society.  Last but not least, the invaluable thing that I really appreciated is that I have more friends from Mekong region countries and get closer with brothers and sisters in ICSIV team. That’s super-duper excellent!!

(*) TEDxSeeds:

·   What is TED?

It is a conference, in which experts and professional persons in any fields will have presentation of their own idea under the one philosophy “Ideas Worth Spreading.”

TED=Technology, Entertainment, Design

http://www.ted.com/

·   What is TEDx?

It’s a conference hold in all over the world. It is run under the same philosophy as TED.

·   What is TEDxSeeds?

The word "Seeds" represents our willingness to provide a common ground where seeds of ideas from Japan and those from the other parts of the world, old or new, will be shared and connected to create new seeds for our future.
http://tedxseeds.org/

(**) Table For Two (TFT):                                                                                     

In our world of 7 billion, 1 billion are hungry, while a roughly equal number suffer from obesity, diabetes, and other health issues related to over consumption. TABLE FOR TWO (TFT) rights this imbalance by tackling these two opposing problems through a unique "calorie transfer" program. TFT partners with corporate cafeterias, university dining halls and restaurants, designating a healthy, slightly low calorie TFT option. The reduced calories are monetized and 25 cent (0.25USD)  per meal is donated and used to provide one school lunch in Africa.

http://www.tablefor2.org/tft_usa/