7th ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Carnival, Cambodia 2022

AYE Carnival is a gathering of young entrepreneurs from AYEC association members and its Dialogue Partners.

In conjunction with the Cambodia ASEAN Chairmanship 2022, the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Cambodia (YEAC) as the Chair of the ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Council (AYEC) 2022 will host the 7th ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs (AYE) Carnival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in November (Physical).

AYE Carnival is a gathering of young entrepreneurs from AYEC association members and its Dialogue Partners. The Carnival has been annually organized since 2016.

The entire carnival has a total of 3 official venues. While the main venue was at Koh Pich City Hall on 12th and 13th, the Welcome Dinner was held at Naga World 1 and the Special Night was held at Epic Lounge and Restaurant.

Day One – Friday, 11th November 2022

18.00 PM – 20.00 PM
- Welcome Dinner and The Special Night
  - Before the official event on 12th and 13th, there was a welcome dinner in the evening of 11th November at Naga World 1 inviting all council members, representatives from sponsors, speakers and moderators.

The Welcome Dinner is a closed event for all invited guests to get to know each other and in preparation for the ofcial event next day. The main agenda include short welcome and special remarks by Mr. Seang Sopagna, Ms. You Bory, Oknha Sok Piseth, Oknha Pech Bolen and Oknha Kouch Pheng. Speakers expressed their gratitude and appreciation to all the local and international guests who contributed to the organizing of the carnival including their time, effort, in-kind and nancial contribution.

Ms. You Bory as Chair of the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Club 2022 also took the time to present token of appreciation to all the board members of the Club who have been very supportive of the running of the Club for the past year.

Oknha Pech Bolen gives remarks during the Welcome Dinner

Day Two – Saturday, 12th November 2022

08:30 AM – 09:00 AM
- Opening Ceremony

The official program of the Carnival consisted of 1 and a half day on 12th and 13th at Koh Pich City Hall and a reception in the evening of 12th November at Epic Lounge and Restaurant. The one-and-a-half-day conference at Koh Pich included an opening session, 2 keynote addresses, a talk show, an award and handover ceremony.

In the morning of 12th November starting at 8:30 marks the official opening of the Carnival. There was special performance by Khmer traditional dancers/performers followed by remarks of the Chair – Mr. Seang Sopagna, and 2 honorable guests: Oknha Sok Piseth, representing ASEAN Business Advisory Council and Chair of ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, and H.E.Dr. Kan Channmeta, Secretary of State, Ministry of Industry Science Technology and Innovation. During his remarks, H.E. Dr.Kan Channmeta mentioned the importance of public and private partnership as he showed his appreciation to YEAC as the AYE Council 2022 who had been working very hard to make this Carnival possible. He raised a few points in regard to the Carnival's topic of discussion:

Access to Finance is a hot topic. It's the core challenge for SMEs to scale up.
People/Talents especially tech talent. There is movement of skill labors among
ASEAN member states. I would like to ask you guys to please also include this movement. MOA which talking about this. We can get stronger together if we can share tech talent.
The ecosystem. Startup and Innovation Ecosystem

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Welcoming and Opening Address
  - All the head of councils from the 10 countries joined by Oknha Sok Piseth, H.E.Dr. Kan Channmeta, and H.E. Tekreth Kamrang, Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce launched the ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Association Strategy 2025.

The Official Launch of ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Association Strategy 2025

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Keynote Address And Panel Discussion. "Harnessing Access to Finance for MSMEs for Shared Growth"
  - The Moderator was Mr. Raymond Sia Say Guan, Chairman of Association of Banks in Cambodia, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Board Director of Canadia Bank. The speakers were entrepreneurs based in Cambodia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore and Myanmar. The panel discussed the challenges of accessing finance and how they deal with those challenges base on their own respective countries.

Panel Discussion 1

After lunch break where delegates were given opportunity to visit Cambodia Tech Expo, the Carnival started with a Keynote Address on Digitalization for SMEs by H.E. Keo Sothie, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications. H.E. Keo stressed that H.E. Keo Sothie delivers his Keynote Address digitalization and e-commerce play an important role for a country to move towards digital economy and society. In addition to the Address, he did the honor representing the Ministry to launch the ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs App which will connect all entrepreneurs across ASEAN Member States and beyond.

H.E. Keo Sothie delivers his Keynote Address

On the next agenda, panel discussion 2 was moderated by MS. DEBORAH MELISSA BOTTREAU, Managing & Creative Director; Sienna DMB Sdn Bhd; Secretary General, ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Council & President, Malaysia Young Entrepreneurs ASEAN Association. The 6 panelists talked mainly about digitalizing MSMEs including digital skills across ASEAN reference to the country they represent. All speakers and moder-ators are mostly entrepreneurs except H.E.Dr. Seng Sopheap who is an educator as he is currently the President of Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology (CADT).

02:00 PM – 09:00 PM
- Keynote address ASEAN and Panel Discussion: Digitalization for SMEs/Digital ASEAN by H.E. Keo Sothie, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.
  - H.E. Keo stressed that H.E. Keo Sothie delivers his Keynote Address digitalization and e-commerce play an important role for a country to move towards digital economy and society.
  - Panel discussion 2 was moderated by MS. DEBORAH MELISSA BOTTREAU, Managing & Creative Director; Sienna DMB Sdn Bhd; Secretary General, ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs Council & President, Malaysia Young Entrepreneurs ASEAN Association. The 6 panelists talked mainly about digitalizing MSMEs including digital skills across ASEAN reference to the country they represent.
- Talk Show co-hosted by GIZ-RECOTVET on “SKILLS FOR BUSINESSES – HOW CAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR GET THE STAFF THEY NEED?”
  - The talk show featured Ms. Yuni Lee Heatcote, CEO of EZECOM and also an ASEAN Business Skills Development Award 2022 winner, and Ms. Teresa Toepfer, Advisor RECOTVET, while Mr. Jost Wagner, the Change Initiative was the Moderator.

Panel Discussion 2

Before the conference ended, there was a Talk Show co-hosted by GIZRECOTVET on “SKILLS FOR BUSINESSES – HOW CAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR GET THE STAFF THEY NEED?”. The talk show featured Ms. Yuni Lee Heatcote, CEO of EZECOM and also an ASEAN Business Skills Development Award 2022 winner, and Ms. Teresa Toepfer, Advisor RECOTVET, while Mr. Jost Wagner, the Change Initiative was the Moderator. The show managed to engage the audiences by additionally asking them to take several live polls as well as presenting an introduction video of SEAVET web portal.

Talk Show by GIZ-RECOTVET

On the morning of 13th, the first 2 sessions were a keynote address and a panel discussion number 3. The keynote address on Harmonization of Practices in Trade Facilitation: Lawmake rs' Pe rspe c tive s wa s H.E. Suos Yara delivering his Keynote Address delivered by H.E. Suos Yara, Chairman of the Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Information and Media of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and Director General of Asian Cultural Council.

H.E. Suos Yara delivering his Keynote Address

After the Keynote Address, began the panel discussion 3 on Trade Facilitation and Coordination Beyond ASEAN. Sit at the panel were representatives from Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Australian Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, Indian Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia. The session was moderated by H.E. Dr. Chheng Kimlong, Executive Vice President of Asian Vision Institute (AVI). This panel discussion captivated a lot of attention from the delegates especially those who have businesses in trading or is working to import their products within and beyond ASEAN. By the end of all the discussion, Oknha Pech Bolen, Chair of AYE Carnival 2022 Organizing Committee did a 10 minute recap of the entire carnival, follow by a Congratulatory Remarks by Oknha Kouch Pheng, Chair of YEAC's Advisory Council.

Panel Discussion 3

All Delegates posed for picture during the Special Night

The Special Night was a cocktail reception where all guests and delegates were invited and spend the night getting to know each other and party. The Night also featured 2 remarks by Oknha Sok Piseth and Oknha Kouch Pheng, Chair of YEAC's Advisory Council. It took place in the evening of 12th November at Epic Lounge and Restaurant.

H.E. Dr. Ing Kantha Phavi and Awardees

On the 2nd day of the Carnival – 13th November, the Young Entrepreneurs Council had the honor to present 7 Award Categories to the ASEAN young entrepreneurs presided over by H.E. Dr. Ing Kantha Phavi, Minister of Women's Affair, and H.E. Hun Many,

H.E. Hun Many and Awardees

Chairman of the Commission on Education, Youth, Sport, Cult, Religious Affairs, Culture and Tourism (Commission 7) of the National Assembly and President of the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia.

Day Three – Sunday, 13th November 2022

09:30 AM – 11:00 AM
- Keynote Address: Harmonization of Practices in Trade Facilitation: Lawmakers' Perspectives was delivered by H.E. Suos Yara, Chairman of the Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Information and Media of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and Director General of Asian Cultural Council.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Panel Discussion: "Trade Facilitation and Coordination beyond ASEAN"
  - Sit at the panel were representatives from Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Australian Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, Indian Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia. The session was moderated by H.E. Dr. Chheng Kimlong, Executive Vice President of Asian Vision Institute (AVI).
12:00 PM – 02:00 PM
- Handover Ceremony presided over by H.E. HUN MANY,President of the Union of Youth Federation of Cambodia

Gala Dinner and Award Night

H.E. Hun Many and H.E.Dr. Ing Kantha Phavi presided over the handover ceremony to Indonesia

Each year at the end of the Carnival, a handover ceremony is held to handover the chairmanship of the Young Entrepreneurs Council to the next country. For 2023, Indonesia will be the Chair of the AYE Council which include the Carnival as well. Mr. MR. BAGAS ADHADIRGHA, Secretary General, Himpunan Pengusaha Muda Indonesia did give a Commitment H.E. Hun Many and H.E.Dr. Ing Kantha Phavi presided over the handover ceremony to Indonesia Speech to the crowd after the handover ceremony. H.E. Hun Many, later, delivered a Closing Remarks before lunch reception started. In his speech, his excellency expressed his sincere appreciation and admiration to the Chair, organizing committee, and all the delegates local and international for making this gathering after pandemic possible.

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
- Keynote Address And Panel Discussion. "Harnessing Access to Finance for MSMEs for Shared Growth"
  - The Moderator was Mr. Raymond Sia Say Guan, Chairman of Association of Banks in Cambodia, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Board Director of Canadia Bank. The speakers were entrepreneurs based in Cambodia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore and Myanmar. The panel discussed the challenges of accessing finance and how they deal with those challenges base on their own respective countries.

Please enter invitation code

Request access