Last week, I had the opportunity to join Leaders Academy Asia 2025 in Singapore, alongside 44 environmental leaders from 21 countries across the region within the Let’s Do It World Global network.
I was honored to represent and share my experiences as the National Coordinator of Let’s Do It Vietnam, Country Leader of World Cleanup Day Global in Vietnam, and the Secretary of the Sustainability Committee at VinUniversity.
Over four days, we explored diverse topics, from Singapore’s cleanup journey since the 1960s, to behavior change, community campaigns, textile waste, youth-led environmental action, and the future of our movement. We heard from inspiring speakers from National University of Singapore, Public Hygiene Council, Nanyang Technological University, and Stridy and ended the program with a hands-on mangrove cleanup at Sungei Api Api at sunrise, collecting waste brought in by tides and human activities.
This experience reinforced something I’ve come to believe more deeply. Sustainability is no longer just about doing less harm, it’s about actively doing more good. Running World Cleanup Day and a non-profit like Let’s Do It in Vietnam over the past 7 years hasn’t always been easy. There are challenges, from burnout to limited resources, but this Academy has reminded me what becomes possible when joy meets purpose, when passion meets competence, and when great people come together for a shared mission. Thanks all the amazing country leaders for reminding me again why we do this work and for giving me new energy to keep moving forward.
The insights and inspiration from this program will support my work from shaping youth-led, community-based environmental campaigns for World Cleanup Day 2025, to building impactful sustainability initiatives at VinUni, from waste sorting and climate action to everyday green behaviors on campus.
