Hello friend,
Connecting global Australians, wherever you are located, and recognising your achievements and insights is core to Advance’s mission. So we were delighted so many members joined the 2021 Advance Awards celebration on September 8th, with over 1500 viewers of the online broadcast and about 300 guests joining the in-person satellite events around the world.
You can catch up on the Awards in this edition and meet the 2021 Award finalists and winners. Don’t miss the inspiring interview (via podcast and video) with this year’s overall winner, Leith Greenslade. It was especially fitting in 2021 to recognise a social impact leader of Leith’s calibre, for her tireless work on many global issues including Covid relief.
Our patron, the Prime Minister Scott Morrison, acknowledged the tremendous difficulty and burden Australia’s expats have borne over the last 18 months, and signalled the pathway to reopening borders. This is critical and urgently awaited, for the well-being of our community, and to maintain the pipeline of highly mobile talent moving to and from Australia.
At the heart of it, the Australian diaspora play a key role in Australia’s soft power diplomacy, so this month we include a primer on how soft power is defined and measured, and how Advance can support it. To this end, we are busy preparing our annual survey of global Australians to launch next month. We are actively seeking research partners, so get in touch if you can help us uncover the key issues faced by Australia’s diaspora.
For those preparing to return to Australia, or those who have recently returned, join our Advance #CoffeeHour on Sep 30 for an opportunity to hear from special guests from Hattonneale about the Board environment and advisory roles.
‘Till next time,
Johanna Pitman
CEO | Advance.org
MEET THE 2021 GAMECHANGERS
Find out more about the incredible work and stories of the finalists and winners from the Advance Awards 2021. The Advance Award Gamechangers are global Australians and alumni of Australian universities who exhibit remarkable talent, exceptional vision and ambition, and create global impact. More
WATCH THE 2021 ADVANCE AWARDS
Missed the virtual celebration on September 8th? Or just want to watch all the inspiring speeches and reactions again? The broadcast includes words from iconic Australian presenters, special guests, and the incredible winners themselves (and don’t miss the blooper reel during the credits – you won’t regret it!). Watch
CELEBRATING AROUND THE WORLD
During the Advance Awards 2021, we were lucky enough to have incredibly successful satellite events hosted in Dubai, Hong Kong, London, NYC and Shanghai. These events enabled our community to reconnect, meet some of the Awardees, and celebrate their work. More
GET TO KNOW LEITH GREENSLADE
GameChanger and 2019 Advance Award Winner for Sustainability Hugh Whalan is repurposing his technology to support Covid-19 vaccine distribution. His company, PEG Africa, has started providing solar-power systems to off-grid health clinics. More
THE IMPORTANCE OF SOFT POWER
A thoughtful, well-crafted ‘soft power’ strategy is key to promoting, enhancing and protecting Australia’s interests both internally and internationally – especially in light of the current uncertain international climate. Understand what exactly soft power is, and why it is imperative for Australia. More
ADVANCE #COFFEEHOUR
Returning home to Australia? Join us for the Advance #CoffeeHour to connect with others, share your story and hear about opportunities and networks to help you settle back in. We will also discuss the Board environment with guests speakers from Hattonneale. It will be hosted online on September 30, 8am AEST. Register
LOOKING FOR WORK?
The Advance jobs board is a great place to start if you’re looking for work, whether it’s overseas or at home in Australia. You can search based on keywords, location and job type (e.g. full time, freelance etc), with hundreds of jobs across a wide range of sectors. More