Asian Young Leaders for Human Fraternity (AYLHF)

The Asian Young Leaders for Human Fraternity (AYLHF) is a youth impact initiative by AES. It was inspired by the landmark “Document On Human Fraternity For World Peace And Living Together”, jointly signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmad Al-Tayyeb in Feb 2019 to urge peace among all people in the world.

AYLHF provides a platform for young leaders of Asia to connect and communicate with each other, building bonds and forging friendships, regardless of race, language, religion or nationality. This promotes the importance of mutual understanding and respect, and raises the awareness of building human fraternity.

AYLHF cultivates essential 21st Century Competencies (21CC) by grounding its activities in the core principles of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue. Through immersive workshops and collaborative projects, the programme challenges students to engage in respectful communication and deep listening with peers from vastly different backgrounds. This process naturally sharpens their critical thinking as they analyse complex social issues and navigate diverse worldviews. By working together on initiatives that promote social cohesion, participants develop strong collaboration skills and a profound sense of global awareness, shaping them into empathetic and adaptable leaders prepared to build bridges in a diverse world.

When launched in 2023 in conjunction with AES’ 70th anniversary and International Friendship Day, it was the first of such youth impact initiatives in Singapore.

AYLHF is now an annual event keenly looked forward to by all staff and students from AES and our partner schools, including:

Assumption College Samutprakarn, Samut Prakan, Thailand
Crest Secondary School, Singapore
Kindai University Junior High School, Osaka, Japan
Montfort College, Chiangmai, Thailand
St Joseph’s Junior High School, Jakarta, Indonesia
Waringin Junior High School, Bandung, Indonesia

One key highlight of the AYLHF includes the making of local hawker delight, popiah, together. The coming together of various ingredients in popiah forms a delectable dish that pleases the palette of many. In addition, the mass assembly programme in the school hall showcases cultural performances by each school which all students enjoy!

Find out more about AYLHF here.