A young ambitious Brimbank local will represent and advocate for the interests of people his age, as he prepares himself to step into the role of ‘Young Ambassador’ for a global humanitarian organisation.
Nineteen-year-old resident Todd Truong is among the two Young Ambassadors selected by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Australia to represent Victoria in an 18-month program for aspiring young advocates.
Todd and Melbourne local Lincoln Ingravalle, are part of the new UNICEF Australia Young Ambassadors group.
The 11 successful candidates were selected from 350 applicants around the country, through a lengthy application process that included both individual and group interviews.
As a university student pursuing his passion for environmental law and human rights, Todd’s ultimate goal is to become the first-ever Vietnamese judge in Australia.
Todd said climate-change action was also among the things he is really passionate about.
“We have known about climate change for so long, yet there is so little being done to combat this and even more concerning is that climate change is accelerating every year,” he said.
“This is why I have chosen to study this, because we must make a change now — through policy, advocacy and youth initiatives — to see the future.
“I want to be part of the solution and implement positive change so our planet can prosper for generations to come.”
Over the course of the 18-month program, Todd and the rest of the group will develop their skills in leadership and communication, while taking part in advocacy at the highest levels of government.
