As ASEAN embarks on its journey towards 2045 with the launch of the ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future and its Strategic Plans, it is worth reflecting on the words of Vincent Van Gogh: “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” This sentiment aptly captures ASEAN’s approach, where decades of steady, … Celebrating Success, Embracing Challenges: The Future of the ASEAN Economic Community
Even the best map needs the wisdom of those who travel the road. This insight underscores ASEAN’s commitment to participatory and inclusive approaches, as reflected in the Ha Noi Declaration on the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision. These principles take on a special resonance with Malaysia’s 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship theme: “Inclusivity and Sustainability.” Far from being … Charting the Unseen: Why Inclusivity is Central to the Future
The year 2025 marks another defining moment in ASEAN’s journey as a Community. ASEAN closes a decade since the establishment of the ASEAN Community in 2015. Remarkable progress has been made in realising the ASEAN Community Vision 2025: Forging Ahead Together, including the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Blueprint, with a 99.6 per cent implementation rate … Crafting the ASEAN Political Security Strategic Plan: A Challenging but Fulfilling Journey
Forging a master strategy in the next 20 years for a regional grouping characterised by diverse backgrounds and confronted by complex megatrends and challenges is a herculean endeavour. However, the Leaders of ASEAN were aware of the rough road that lay ahead; they chose as their Eminent Persons diplomats who had an enduring passion for … The Making of ASEAN Community Vision 2045: Consistency and Inclusivity Amid a Sea of Change
This year, ASEAN has embarked on a momentous journey towards ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future—an ASEAN that is resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centred. On the one hand, “Shared Future” refers to what is envisioned, which, as I said, is a resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centred ASEAN. But on the other hand, “Shared Future” is not … Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn on ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future
About the Artist Jojo S. Limpo is a seasoned Creative Director based in Manila, with a career spanning over five decades across a wide range of industries. His passion for art was reignited during the pandemic lockdown, sparking a creative surge that resulted in three consecutive solo exhibitions. Currently serving as the Creative Director for … Cover Story for the Special Issue 45
A group of mothers and grandmothers from Wates village, Majalengka, West Java, who bear the financial responsibility of keeping their households afloat, have banded together to form Mother Bank. Co-created by the artist Bunga Siagian, 37, Mother Bank is part lending union, part social enterprise, and part performing ensemble. It is an alternative to bank … Mother Bank: Breaking the Internet, Not the Bank
At 76, Ngai Hin Kwok knows every turn of the trail at Singapore’s MacRitchie Reservoir. On even-numbered days, he laces up his running shoes and moves along the familiar path beneath a canopy of green. On odd-numbered days, he trades his running shoes for bodyweight exercises. Each day, he maintains the strength that has carried … Team Strong Silvers: Building Strength, Building Community