The Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) is currently accepting applicants for the 2012 ACYD, to be held in Beijing and Chengdu, China from 19 to 24 October. Delegate applications are open to Chinese applicants until 15 September 2012, and to Australian applicants until 31 August 2012.

Australia-China Youth Dialogue

The ACYD aims to promote frequent and meaningful engagement between young adults in China and Australia who are interested in furthering Australia-China relations. The ACYD was founded to promote sophisticated cross-cultural understanding among Australians and Chinese and to enhance Sino-Australian relations by bringing together key people from both sides to forge deeper connections for the future. 

2012 ACYD

This year, the Australia-China Youth Association, in partnership with the China University Media Union and the All-China Youth Federation’s “Dialogue with the World” series will present the 2012 ACYD from Beijing and Chengdu, China. From 19 to 24 October, the 2012 ACYD will bring together 30 future leaders from Australia and China to discuss, debate and analyse key issues that will shape Sino-Australian relations in the coming decades. Issues on the agenda include:

• Economic reform and rebalancing
• Government reform and innovation
• Geopolitics in the Asian Century
• New development challenges as China modernizes
• Environment, energy and climate change
• The Rule of Law

The ACYD has a record of attracting top calibre speakers including The Hon Bob Hawke (former Prime Minister), Craig Emerson (Australian Trade Minister), The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG (Former Australian High Court Justice), and Professor Ma Jun (Respected Chinese environmentalist and investigative journalist). The 2012 ACYD is set to continue in this vein with confirmed speakers including Gillian Mellsop (UNICEF Representative to China), Michael Lynch (CEO of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and Board Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation), and Ma Guonan (Senior Economist at the Representative Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bank of International Settlements).

Applicant requirements

To be eligible to apply as a delegate to the 2012 ACYD you must be:

• • Between the ages of 18-35
• • Australian (Citizen or Permanent Resident) or Chinese (including Hong Kong and Taiwan)
• • Have a demonstrated interest in the Sino-Australian dialogue
• • A willingness to engage with other delegates and meaningfully participate in the programs provided throughout the 2012 ACYD.

For further information please click here.

UNSW students who are selected should register their travel with the UNSW Global Education and Student Exchange Office at http://www.international.unsw.edu.au/outbound-opportunities/research-exchange/final-preparations/.