From March to June 2023, the ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) ran the Golden Bridge Short Video Campaign on Instagram. The campaign invited creatives to produce a 15-to-30-second video visualising how ASEAN and Japan have built bridges of understanding and friendship and created heart-to-heart connections over the past 50 years.
Of the 300 entries from the 10 ASEAN Member States and Japan, AJC selected 29 of the best videos. Snippets from these winning entries constituted the commemorative video for the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation with the theme “Open the Golden Future.” The commemorative video was launched on 6 October and is available on AJC’s social media accounts.
One of the entries stood above the rest and was awarded the grand prize. The video titled “ASEAN-Japan: Answer to my Senbazuru” by Mayumi Francine Besorio (@mayumibesorio) was selected for her touching narrative on coping with childhood illness with Japanese animes and origami.
She said, “…because of Japan, especially the animes on TV shows, magically, my heart became so much happier and better. As a child, I started creating paper cranes because they said if you create 1,000 paper cranes, it will grant you a wish. A wish for my health and a wish that I could visit The Land of the Rising Sun…Japan, you are the healer and the answer to my heart’s senbazuru.”
The 28 other winners were as follows:
@_liliology
@14mshbzierre
@5am_film
@affinakhanthesecond
@bloom.the.earth
@estherohnmaung
@experimental_angle
@franky_asshodiq
@hamster_low
@hzqaqwa
@iwapt
@jai__ro
@japans2ries
@jpcine_
@khanhchii_i
@khun.love.you
@md_qai
@nina.instructor
@nur_izdiharr
@project.mikeithappen
@sandart_hokkaido
@seriphap23
@souphabandith_
@sseirraaaaa
@tepp_eee
@thilosophy_
@ttum_potter
@zona.mp4
The online awards ceremony was held on 5 October. Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN Kiya Masahiko, celebrated the campaign’s successful completion, saying that it was “a collaborative exchange among ASEAN countries” and that he looks forward to working with the participants for the next 50 years and beyond.
Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to Japan Haji Shahbudin Haji Musa (Chairman of the ASEAN Tokyo Committee, Jan-Jun 2023), congratulated the winners and said, “When we look back 20 years down the road, I think you all can be proud that you were part of the celebrations this year.”
