Unconference of the Eisenhower Fellowships held in Vietnam

PANO - More than 60 outstanding leaders from across East Asia and their invited guests gathered in Hanoi for the unconference of the Eisenhower Fellowships held for the first in Vietnam on October 10^th and 11^th.

The unprecedented unconference brought together fellows and guests from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan (China), Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and the U.S. in Vietnam, the newest country of the Eisenhower Fellowships global network of influential leaders in more than 100 countries.

Among the distinguished fellows presented at the unconference, there were Permanent Secretary of Singapore Ministry of Finance Lim Soo Hoon; Founding President of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), Malaysia, Abidin Muhriz; President of the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) Dr Somkiat Tangkitvanich; and Regional Governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Mujiv Sabbihi Hataman.

Vietnam’s first Eisenhower Fellows and Dr. Vu Tung Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Vietnam (centre) in WashingtonDC, U.S. in 2013.

"These extraordinary fellows meeting in Hanoi from across East Asia exemplify the mission and the promise of Eisenhower fellowships: Outstanding leaders, working together, striving to create a world more peaceful, prosperous and just,” said President of Eisenhower Fellowships George de Lama.

President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Dr. Vu Tien Loc said, “Vietnam began participating in the Eisenhower Fellowship program in 2013. Since then, Vietnamese fellows have gained much credibility and received wide support regionally to host this year’s regional Eisenhower unconference in Hanoi. This reflects Vietnam’s proactivity and ability to integrate, and the fact that Vietnam has a generation of young and promising leaders who are visionary and committed to the country’s development.”

Vietnam has six Eisenhower fellows. New two Vietnamese fellows, including Dr. Nguyen Duc Thanh, Director of Vietnam Economic Policy and Research Institute of the Vietnam National University in Hanoi, and Dr. Phan Quoc Cong, CEO of ICP Inc, have been selected for the Spring of 2015.   

Eisenhower Fellowships is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization created in 1953 by a group of prominent American citizens to honor President of United States Dwight D. Eisenhower for his contribution to humanity. In 1984, the U.S. Congress authorized a grant to cover fellowship expenses for seven years. Since 1990, the U.S. Congress established a permanent endowment to honor President Eisenhower, under which the Eisenhower Fellowships would receive the yearly interest earned from the federal trust fund.

Every year, the organization engages 40-50 mid-career (age 32-45) professionals from around the world to enhance their leadership skills, broaden their network of contacts, deepen their global perspectives, and unite them in a diverse, global community where dialogue, understanding, and collaboration lead to a more prosperous, just, and peaceful world. Each Fellow receives an individualized five to seven week program of consultations with experts and senior officials in government, industry, academia, the arts and the not-for profit sector.

Since the organization’s founding, nearly 2,000 men and women have been awarded fellowships, forming a global network of leaders.