RMIT: Global leaders discuss values, reconciliation and gender equality

Prominent leaders from business, government and not-for profit sectors shared their insights on leadership opportunities with 400 students at the recent Global Leadership Forum Worldwide.

The RMIT event in partnership with global leadership organisation Common Purpose, gave students access to leaders from major organisations around the globe; including TikTok, DiDi, Uber, Sacyr and the BBC; to discuss leadership through the lenses of gender equality, inclusion, reconciliation, sustainability and post-pandemic recovery.

L:R, Top:Bottom, Alexander Downer, Ashleigh Streeter, Andrew Garrihy, Karen Mundine, Michael Valvo, Sally Goldner AM, Vivienne Nunis, Mi Tran, Miguel Heras Anguera[L:R, Top:Bottom] Alexander Downer, Ashleigh Streeter, Andrew Garrihy, Karen Mundine, Michael Valvo, Sally Goldner AM, Vivienne Nunis, Mi Tran, Miguel Heras Anguera
Former Australian Prime Minister and now President of the Asia Society Policy Institute, Kevin Rudd AC, delivered the opening keynote on how individual ownership of your leadership can define you and your generation.

Reflecting on his own leadership journey, Rudd emphasised how his values had guided him in making some of the major decisions in Australian history.

Chief Executive of Common Purpose, Adirupa Sengupta with Kevin Rudd AC during the opening keynoteChief Executive of Common Purpose, Adirupa Sengupta (left) with Kevin Rudd AC (right) during the opening keynote.
The theme of drawing on personal values in guiding one’s leadership was also shared by Gillian Triggs, Assistant Secretary-General and Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at the United Nations.

She delivered the closing keynote and said that societies need to listen to young people as the key decision makers of the future.

“Young people today face a lot of challenges; opportunities are not always available. Yet the future lies in your hands at this critical point,” Triggs said.

“We need to encourage young people to find a way to speak up, to think of themselves as leaders and to be driven by their values.

“We need to work with you to bring about change in the areas you are committed to.”

Students were able to personalise their experience by selecting two masterclasses from the twelve on offer.

One such sessions was ‘Leading change, the relentless pursuit of inclusion and participation’, delivered by Karen Mundine, CEO of Reconciliation Australia and Sally Goldner AM, Founder of Transgender Victoria.

Mundine, a Bundjalung woman from Northern NSW, discussed the importance of taking small steps towards reconciliation.

“Reconciliation is a journey; smaller steps mean that you are going at a pace that makes sense for you. Sometimes you have to go slow to go fast,” Mundine said.

Karen Mundine, CEO of Reconciliation Australia, discussing leadership and reconciliation at the Global Leadership ForumKaren Mundine, CEO of Reconciliation Australia, discussing leadership and reconciliation at the Global Leadership Forum.
“A lot of non-indigenous people often struggle to have those conversations with First Nations people because they scared to say the wrong thing and to cause offence.

“It’s important to be respectful but even more so to actually start the conversation and not stand back.”

The panel session ‘Rewriting the gender equality story’ had leaders sharing their personal experiences of leading the fight for gender equality.

Ashleigh Streeter, who founded Raise Our Voice to increase the presence of young females and non-binary voices in politics, said that young people were integral in the fight for gender justice.

“They [young people] can bring a new understanding and solutions to old problems,” Streeter said.

“Equality doesn’t look like putting women on the top of oppressive systems. You need to change the whole systems.”

Sam Baillie, Associate Director Global Experience and Engagement, said it was important global experiences like this were available when international travel was not possible.

“It is a privilege for the Students group to continue to provide global experiences to our students at such a critical time,” Baillie said.

“When world challenges require each individual to find their purpose and take steps towards change.”