Congratulations to Aaron Maniam, Asia 21 Young Leader!
Aaron Maniam (Asia 21 Young Leader, Class of 2008) was one of three young leaders who received the Singapore Youth Award (SYA) from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday.
The Award recognises youths for their achieved excellence and significant contributions to society.
The Singapore Youth Award is the highest national honour for youths in Singapore.
Aaron Maniam is currently Deputy Director at at the Strategic Policy Office of the Public Service Division, where he leads a team that analyses long-term inter-agency issues. From May 2006 to January 2008, he served as First Secretary at Singapore’s Embassy to Washington, DC. In his community work, Aaron has served as a resource person for Singapore’s National Youth Council and a Member of the Executive Committee of Mendaki Club, a group of young Muslim professionals in Singapore. He was Director for Fundraising and Special Services with the Washington DC chapter of the Hugh O’ Brian Youth Foundation, a501(c)(3) youth leadership body. As Vice President (2003-2005) and President (2005-July 2006) of the Debate Association (Singapore), Aaron was active in promoting debating among Singaporean youths. He continues to judge debating competitions and conduct workshops for schools. He will be one of the Chief Adjudicators at the 2008 World Schools Debating Championship, to be held in Washington, DC. Aaron won the First Prize for English Poetry in the 2003 National Arts Council-Singapore Press Holdings Golden Point Award. His first collection of poems, Morning at Memory’s Border, was shortlisted for the biennial Singapore Literature Prize in 2007. He graduated from Oxford and Yale on a Singapore Public Service Commission scholarship.