Young Vietnamese man receives Diana Award

Dao Manh Nghia, a young individual hailing from Quang Tri Province in north-central Vietnam, has achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the sole Vietnamese recipient of the prestigious Diana Award. This esteemed recognition, named in honor of the late Princess of Wales, is bestowed upon young leaders who are igniting transformative change on a global scale.

Administrator

4 January, 2024

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In mid-December, Nghia, a 25-year-old resident of Cam Lo District, received a certificate for the 2023 award.

Nghia, who was born in 1997 and graduated from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Law, works as a solicitor at a Japanese law company.

The man is deeply involved in community activities, which led to him being recognized with the Diana Award.

After being nominated for the award and going through several rounds of rigorous selection, Nghia was named the only Vietnamese recipient for his contributions to society.

“This is a pleasant surprise for me. The award will motivate me to continue on this meaningful journey,” expressed Nghia.

The young man mentioned that he has participated in numerous social responsibility initiatives in Southeast Asia and Asia as a whole.

He is also the founder of DMN, an initiative focused on Vietnamese youth, with the goal of promoting awareness about the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Vietnamese law, international law, and international and domestic affairs.

Through this organization, Nghia was able to raise over US$20,000 in donations for community-related programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, benefiting more than 50,000 people in need.

A certificate for the Diana Award given to Dao Manh Nghia. Photo: Supplied

Since its establishment in 2019, DMN has helped over 100,000 people, provided more than 20,000 medical supplies, and donated 100 financial aid packages to disadvantaged individuals.

Nghia also mentioned that he was honored to be the winner of the ASEAN-Korea Academic Essay Contest 2019, selected as a senior delegate for the CIMB Young ASEAN Leaders 2019 in Malaysia, and named an ambassador to the Asia-Pacific MY World 2030.

He has recently participated as a Vietnamese representative in the Young ASEAN Leaders Policy Initiative 2023 in Thailand.

This non-profit organization serves as an international forum aimed at addressing contemporary social issues through grassroots approaches, involving the younger generation of ASEAN in policy creation and implementation.

Nghia is constantly seeking ways to unlock the potential of the youth in his hometown during Vietnam’s international integration process.

“Many young people in the province have limited access to information about international programs, and there haven’t been any solutions introduced to keep them updated,” Nghia said.

To address this problem, DMN was established.

“We hope that this initiative will create a network of young leaders through various activities such as the DMN Young Leaders Competition, national and international workshops and conferences, dialogues, skill-training courses, and charity programs,” he added.

The Diana Award, launched by former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 1999 in honor of the late Princess Diana, is given to young people aged 9-25 who are recognized for their social action or humanitarian work.

To be eligible for the award, nominees must meet five essential criteria, including vision, social impact, youth-led initiatives, service journey, and the ability to inspire others.