I am pleased to announce the recipients of the ASEAN-Australia Centre's 2024-25 grants program and the 38 schools selected for the BRIDGE school partnership program.
The Centre's initiatives support the implementation of Invested: Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, through practical action that increases Australia's business, cultural and community connections with the ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste.
The Centre is funding grants across three priority areas - creative industry exchanges, business and education initiatives and practical research to strengthen shared understanding and connection between Australia and Southeast Asia.
Successful grant recipients will be listed on GrantConnect, and include:
- support for young women entrepreneurs from Australia and ASEAN countries to scale-up their start-ups through business and investment connections
- a visiting fellowship for ASEAN business and community leaders to share trends and opportunities with Australian businesses and communities
- exchanges for Southeast Asian and Australian music industry professionals to enhance two-way trade
- a football diplomacy program for women's football administrators and players to strengthen cultural, professional and sporting connections in the lead up to Australia hosting the AFC Women's Asian Cup in 2026; and
- an initiative to enhance the supply of premium Australian horticultural produce to Southeast Asia and introduce the region's next generation of chefs to the sustainability, traceability and quality of Australian produce.
I also congratulate the 38 exceptional primary and secondary schools from Australia and Southeast Asia selected for the ASEAN-Australia BRIDGE School Partnerships Program - providing structured learning opportunities and building cross-cultural connections between educators and more than 300 students.
These schools join a prestigious network of more than 1,200 schools that have participated in BRIDGE across the Indo-Pacific region since 2008.
I look forward to seeing the enduring friendships that will emerge from the expanded program.
