Young Leaders Programme (YLP) 2025

About YLP 2025

Organised in conjunction with the ICCS, the Young Leaders Programme (YLP) is a dynamic platform for the emerging local and international leaders to network, ideate and collaborate on initiatives that strengthen social cohesion.  The YLP connects young leaders from Southeast Asia and beyond, fostering a vibrant community where ideas are shared, skills are honed, and confidence is built to address social cohesion challenges. YLP harnesses the energy and creativity of youth to drive practical solutions and contribute meaningfully to building a more cohesive and resilient society. 

YLP 2025 will focus on experiential and interactive learning sessions where youths across the world get to exchange unique cultures, share fresh perspectives, and ideate innovative approaches to foster cohesion and harmony. Through working with select youth alumni as part of the YLP 2025 Working Committee and involving YLP delegates as co-creators of the programme, we also support youth leadership and their development.

Programme Overview

YLP Day 1: Cultural Exchange

Join us for a vibrant evening where cultures converge and connect! This unique networking event brings together international delegates for an enriching experience of cultural exchange and showcase.

YLP Day 2: Experiential Learning and Ideation Opportunities

YLP’s experiential learning programmes like interactive theatre and YLP Working Comm-led breakout activities immerse delegates in real-world scenarios, turning theory into practice. Through hands-on activities, delegates will gain practical insights and develop critical problem-solving skills.

YLP Day 2: Forum Theatre Experience

To encourage insightful participation and reflections, YLP delegates will go through a forum theatre experience, an interactive theatre that allows audience to participate in the performance by suggesting changes in the action or even stepping in as actors to alter the course of the story. Delegates will be engages in post-forum theatre reflections facilitated via a civic conversation toolkit.

YLP Day 2: Breakout Sessions

1. Volunteer Quest: Expedition of Harmony

Be transported into an immersive, narrative-driven environment where you will explore the intersectionality of volunteerism, race, and religion through real-world challenges. In this breakout room activity, you will solve puzzles, decode clues, and brainstorm solutions while deepening your understanding of these complex themes. This experience will challenge you to think critically, act empathetically, and collaborate effectively to create meaningful change.

2. "Act" Against Disunity

In a diverse society like Singapore, maintaining peace and harmony requires active effort and understanding. This dynamic engagement will immerse participants in evolving scenarios where social harmony is disrupted by racial, religious, or community-based tensions. Participants will be assigned roles as key stakeholders—community leaders, government officials, affected individuals, bystanders, and media representatives. As the scenarios unfold with new developments and escalating challenges, you must take strategic actions to de-escalate conflicts, mediate disputes, and implement long-term solutions.

3. Grand Challenges: faith in action scenarios for a more resilient tomorrow

In an increasingly diverse yet divided world, interfaith engagement is crucial for building cohesive and resilient multicultural societies. This participant-led scenario-based breakout session empowers you to take ownership of interfaith dialogue and action. Through interactive discussions, real-world case studies, and scenario-based problem-solving, you will explore current and future interfaith challenges—from misinformation and religious discrimination to the ethics of AI and faith. You will collaborate to design solutions and commit to tangible actions that foster inclusion, mutual understanding, and social cohesion.

4. Soundscapes of Religions in Singapore Experiential Exhibition

Soundscapes of Religions in Singapore is an experiential exhibition that takes participants through an immersive experience of sounds associated with faith communities in Singapore. The exhibition features guided tours that will incorporate mediation practices, hands-on activity with religious musical instruments, panel explanations on sacred sounds in different religious traditions, and an interactive performance featuring a cultural performance group where participants are welcomed to join in the fun!

Participating partners include:

• Dialogue Centre, Singapore

YLP Day 2: Ideation Pitch

A slot is carved out for delegates to transform inspiration into action through our brainstorming session where delegates will get to collaborate in teams, share diverse perspectives on fostering harmony and develop practical, innovative ideas for community engagement and create actionable plans for cultural bridge-building.

YLP Day 2: Heartlands Experience

Experience Singapore's multicultural tapestry through curated heritage trails and learning journeys, where delegates navigate through vibrant heartlands to witness how shared spaces foster community bonds and celebrate our multicultural identity. YLP Heartlands Experience will be held in the evening of 27 June 2025 after the day’s proceedings, with 5 concurrent sessions.

1. Wok and Walk: Uncovering Chinatown’s Hidden Tales

Ready to unlock the secrets of Chinatown? Embark on an epic adventure to the heart of the district and uncover its rich multicultural elements, from architectural wonders to hidden food treasures! Be part of a mission to level up your cultural experience by exploring the rich stories of Chinese settlers while immersing yourself in Chinatown’s vibrancy that makes it so unique.

2. HELL-O: To hell and beyond!

Ever wondered what it was like to set foot in Hell’s Nether Realms? Leave the mortal world behind as we take you on an epic expedition to uncover the courts of hell! This mind-bending journey is like no other as you learn what different cultures believe about the afterlife – from spirit worlds and graphic descriptions of the divine. Think you’re up for this underworldly adventure? Cross over and join us!

3. Tekk-a Cultural Trip: Where every corner curries a tale

Interested in uncovering the captivating charm of Little India? Now’s your chance to power up your senses with a flavourful cultural expedition, where you can immerse yourself in the bustling atmosphere and explore charming traditional shops and savour authentic local delights. An unforgettable blend of culture, history, and local life awaits as Little India’s vibrant flavours come to life!

4. Gelam-orous Art and Culture: The hippest Kampung story in town

Embark on a magical adventure through Kampung Gelam, where traditional heritage meets modern vibrancy! Level up your cultural adventure by uncovering the beauty and intrigue of Singapore's historic Malay-Muslim quarter, from traditional heritage shophouses to legendary Middle Eastern and Malay flavours.

5. Kueh-munity Spirit: Sweet Heritage Stories

Hop on our journey through the charming enclaves of Katong and Joo Chiat, where the rich traditions of straits-born culture come alive! Unlock the neighbourhood’s hidden treasures by exploring the unique blend of Chinese, Malay and European influences on traditional crafts and vibrant architectures unique to the Peranakan and Eurasian enclave. Don’t miss this chance to level up your cultural adventure and try some local kuehs (bite-sized snacks/desserts) while you're there!

YLP Day 3: Applied Learning

This interactive session synthesises insights from ICCS main conference and YLP sessions. Facilitated by USC-CRCC, this closing workshop will help bridge the gap between knowledge & skillsets gleaned across the whole conference and actual practices, helping YLP delegates connect classroom concepts with real-world applications.

Participating partners include:

• Center for Religion and Civic Culture, University of Southern California, United States of America