Asian Women Leaders are Hot Right Now—Lessons from an International Conference (1)

On May 15th, I spoke at the AWLF Asia Women Leaders International Pre-Summit 2024 held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.

The discussions with ambitious leaders gathered from across Asia were an inspiring and enjoyable experience. In this article, I will share an overview of the conference and the lessons I learned.

Conference Overview

This conference is an international initiative to promote women's leadership and empowerment in Asia. It is planned and operated by the AWLF (Asia Women Leaders Forum), which was founded by a Japanese individual.

• Collaboration across borders, generations, and industries

• Promoting the empowerment of Asian women

• A platform for co-creating a beautiful 'virtuous cycle' in Asia

Keynote speeches were delivered by figures such as a former Prime Minister of Thailand and a Cambodian princess, and messages of support were received from individuals including a former Deputy Director-General of UNESCO and a State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.

The panel discussions were organized around three themes: 'Politics,' 'Education,' and 'Economy,' and I participated in the 'Education' panel. Together with female leaders active on the front lines, such as the founder of an educational institution and a former Secretary-General of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization, we discussed

'The power and essence of education,' 'What should be conveyed through education,' and 'The ecosystem of education'.

Lesson 1: My life is limitless

The moderators and panelists this time were all multi-leaders who, in addition to holding key government positions or managing universities, were simultaneously developing multiple businesses. They are people who, while having a face as educators, are also simultaneously advancing entrepreneurship and social activities.

Witnessing such figures, I once again realized that 'my life is limitless.' When you go out into the world, you are overwhelmed by that power and scale, and at the same time, you gain the courage to expand your own possibilities.

Lesson 2: Common traits of Asian women leaders

The leaders I met had several things in common.

• Strong-willed and full of vitality

• Cheerful, humorous, talkative, and quick to laugh

• Handling multitasking naturally without showing signs of fatigue

• Devoting themselves fully to their work while also cherishing their families

• Acting with grace and a refreshing attitude, free from complaints or a sense of tragedy

• Expressing their own voices based on coexistence rather than conflict

Even in the face of economic, social, and political difficulties, they do not ask to be protected, but rather adopt the stance of creating the society they believe in themselves. Their integrity and ability to take action felt incredibly beautiful and powerful.

Summary

I didn't know a single person at this conference.
However, that is precisely why I encountered a new world and my perspective expanded significantly.

Diving into a place where you know no one equals pioneering a new world.
This interpretation was a major lesson for me.

In the second part, I will share even deeper insights.