Cambodia’s emerging youth leaders earned visibility on the regional stage this year as young Cambodian leaders joined 39 other young leaders for the ASEAN Youth Fellowship (AYF) 2025, where they participated in direct policy dialogues, themed “Inclusivity and Sustainability”.
With more than 213 million youth across Southeast Asia, the programme underscores how young people — including Cambodia’s growing pool of civic-minded professionals — are increasingly recognised as contributors to ASEAN policymaking and long-term development.
AYF 2025, held from November 7 to 14 in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, was co-organised by Singapore’s National Youth Council (NYC) and the Singapore International Foundation (SIF).
Aok Sochenda, an environmental content creator and founder of Zerow, represented Cambodia in the Fellowship’s seventh edition, which focused on preparing young leaders to drive regional cooperation, sustainability initiatives and inclusive growth.
Her participation reflects a broader shift in Cambodia, where youth are taking on more active roles in climate advocacy, digital innovation and community development.
“The fellowship broadened my understanding of what regional leadership means,” Sochenda said.
“It was not just about representing our own countries but about contributing to ASEAN’s shared progress. AYF reminded me that friendship is the foundation of meaningful collaborations,” she added.
Throughout the programme, fellows met with the high-level policymakers who are shaping ASEAN’s economic and digital agenda.
In Singapore, participants held a dialogue with Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong on building economic resilience amid global uncertainty.
In Malaysia, a session with Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil explored digital transformation and the responsibilities of young leaders in guiding their communities through rapid technological change.
For Cambodian youth leaders like Sochenda, these exchanges offer rare opportunities to engage regional decision-makers and bring home insights that could inform local initiatives.
Cambodia faces mounting challenges linked to climate change, unequal digital access and rapid urbanisation — areas directly aligned with AYF’s core themes of sustainability, innovation and inclusive leadership.
Participants visited several key institutions, including Singapore’s Punggol Digital District and Malaysia’s URBANICE, gaining exposure to best practices in smart-city development and sustainable urban planning.
These experiences give Cambodian fellows practical examples of how regional models can inspire local solutions.
Youth from ASEAN’s diverse member states, including Timor-Leste for the first time, also highlighted the importance of cross-border cooperation.
For Cambodia, where more than 65 per cent of the population is under 30, the fellowship’s emphasis on collaboration fits with ongoing national efforts to elevate youth participation in leadership, business and climate policy.
The AYF network now includes more than 280 alumni, who continue to collaborate on cross-border projects in education, sustainability and digital inclusion.
Fellows can also apply for support through the AYF Impact Fund, which offers up to S$20,000 (approximately $15,000) for team-led initiatives — an opportunity that Cambodian participants have increasingly leveraged in recent years.
NYC chief executive David Chua said the programme helps strengthen regional connections at a time of global volatility.
SIF chief executive officer Corinna Chan added that ASEAN’s young population represents “immense potential to shape the region’s future”.
“What continues to inspire us is how our fellows remain connected and committed long after the programme ends, working together to uplift communities and address shared challenges in the region,” she added.
