Mekong Institute (MI), in collaboration with the People’s Government of Yunnan Province, P.R. China, officially opened the Training on Communication Skill Capacity Building for Regional Cooperation and Integration in the Lancang-Mekong Region last July 15, 2019. Held at the MI Residential Training Center in Khon Kaen, Thailand, the training program gathered 34 government officials from Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, representatives of state-owned enterprises from Yunnan Province as well as MI young scholars and staff.  

Addressing the participants, Mr. Sudam Pawar, Director of Innovation and Technological Connectivity Department of MI, encouraged inquisitive and peer learning. “Be confident, ask questions, and learn more together. Though this training program, we hope to equip our participants with effective communication capacities that will enable efficient coordination when engaging in inter-country cooperation,” he stated.

The two-week training program offers a four-part module covering the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and Greater Mekong Subregional Economic Cooperation against the backdrop of regional integration, fundamentals of English and communication skills such as persuasive and public speaking, narration and report writing, as well as practical techniques to enhance English proficiency and comprehension especially in a cross-cultural setting. The program also integrates a platform for networking and interaction wherein participants will have the opportunity to attend the Joint Mekong Forum and GMS Logistics Forum happening on July 24.