The APEC Voices was launched in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 at the APEC Malaysia Summit, developed and directed by the VTM Foundation International in cooperation with Malaysia ABAC.
Since then, the APEC Voices programme has been further expanded and enriched by the APEC Host Committees, ABAC Chairs and ABAC Members, and the APEC CEO Summits in New Zealand (1999), Brunei (2000), Mexico (2002), Chile (2004), Korea (2005), Vietnam (2006), Australia (2007), Peru (2008), Singapore (2009), Japan (2010), Honolulu, USA (2011) and Vladivostok, Russia (2012).
The APEC Voices Leadership Council and its permanent Co-Chairs were first organized in the APEC New Zealand of 1999, and grew with the addition of the official Voices programmes in the APEC Economies of China, Mexico and Singapore.
In 2005, New Zealand Voices inaugurated the first mid-year preparatory Voices program for all interested New Zealand students and educators, inviting visiting Voices delegations as well. Mexico Voices also expanded its annual preparatory calendar and joined in the Kiwi mid-year schedule. In 2007, China Voices inaugurated the most extensive preparatory program to date, which has been implemented in more than 100 campuses throughout the vast APEC Economy. Later in 2008, during the APEC Voices Program in Peru, the planning for the APEC Voices Program and Secretariat in Singapore began, in coordination and in cooperation with Singapore Voices and Singapore’s APEC Host Year. In 2009, over 120 delegates attended the annual APEC Voices Programme in Singapore from 9 to 15 November 2009. Main topics of discussion were the current issues affecting the APEC Economies such as economic recovery, support for multilateral trading systems, and regional economic integration. In 2010, over 100 delegates from 17 APEC Economies participated in the APEC Voices Program in Yokohama, Japan, from 8 to 14 November 2010. APEC Voices delegates were given the opportunity to meet and interact with APEC Leaders, Ministers and business leaders during the APEC week. In 2011, more than 120 APEC Voices delegates attended the APEC Voices Program in Honolulu from 7 to 13 November 2012. Such platforms provided the youth delegates with an overview of the various issues faced by the region and how youth leaders can play a role in finding solutions for these issues. In 2012, the APEC Voices Leadership Council sent a small group of 25 APEC Voices Representatives from 16 APEC Member Economies to Vladivostok, Russia, from 2 to 9 September 2012. The APEC Voices delegates were invited by the Russian Host Committee to engage APEC Leaders, Ministers and business leaders during the APEC CEO Summit. It was an enriching experience for many youth leaders who were in Russia for the first time. Last year, the APEC Voices 2013 was held in Bali, Indonesia, from 2 to 8 October 2013. More than 130 APEC Voices delegates attended the program. The APEC Voices Leadership Council, with the strong support of the APEC 2013 Host Committee and ABAC Indonesia, developed a program that not only focuses on the economic issues but also gave the delegates the opportunity to experience the rich culture and tradition that Bali has to offer.Background Information
National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) Council, Singapore
The National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) Council seeks to develop and maximize the potential of young people through selfless community service, challenges of adventure, skills development and physicial recreation so that they may be exceptional individuals who can contribute effectively to society and the nation.
Currently, more than 262,000 young people in Singapore are participating in the NYAA’s youth development program.
The NYAA Council Singapore plays a significant role in hosting the APEC Voices Secretariat and helping to organize the APEC Voices Program in Bali, Indonesia.
Virtual Trade Mission Foundation (VTM) International
The VTM launched the APEC Voices of the Future program in 1998 APEC Malaysia.
VTM’s focus is to foster education and communication among students, educators, civil society, business leaders and the media on the United States’participation in the New Global Economy.
Through VTM, the “APEC Voices of the Future” programme was implemented. VTM invites students from APEC Member Economies to participate in the annual APEC CEO Summit and APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) meetings. Students conduct interviews, visit trading facilities, cultural sites, and interact with one another, in realization of VTM’s purpose which is to expose students to a variety of cultures as well as to create knowledgeable “citizen diplomats” from the APEC Economies.