Articles Category: Culture

On his first night in La Union, the Philippines, Indonesian youth volunteer Andi Reza Zulkarnain arrived with a clear plan. Together with his team, he was scheduled to begin community sessions on marine conservation and environmental education as part

Circular economy has moved from niche sustainability circles to centre stage in global climate negotiations. At UNEA-7 in Nairobi in November 2025, member states deliberated on binding agreements to tackle plastic pollution and resource depletion. The

When the world’s leaders adopted the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015, they set an ambitious goal of achieving prosperity that leaves no one behind. In that same year, ASEAN adopted the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, chartin

The Mango Flavour: India and ASEAN After a Decade of the Act East Policy, written by India’s former Ambassador to Indonesia and ASEAN, Ambassador Gurjit Singh, explores three decades of ASEAN-India relations and the evolution of India’s Act East Policy

The ASEAN Secretariat initiated the ASEAN Artists Residency Programme (AARP) in 2018 to nurture and support the region’s young and upcoming artists. The programme has since featured several artists from across Southeast Asia. In 2025, the ASEAN Art Res

In the heart of Cambodia, where the ancient stone spires of Angkor Wat reach towards the heavens, a different kind of monumental effort recently took place. The vibrant city of Siem Reap served as the backdrop for the 10th ASEAN Plus Three Junior Scien

On 11 October 2024, Ekkaphab Phanthavong officially completes his tenure as the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Before assuming his role at the ASEAN Secretariat, he was the Ambassador/Permanent Representative

As the Lao PDR assumes the Chairpersonship of ASEAN and your Ministry leads the ASCC, could you share Lao PDR’s top priorities for the ASCC?

Dr. Kao Kim Hourn began his five year-term as Secretary-General of ASEAN on 1 January 2023. He served two terms as Secretary of State of Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (2003-2013) and two terms as Minister Delegate

Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, first woman Prime Minister of Norway, pioneered the concept of sustainable development and shaped its early agenda. She is a founding member of The Elders, the group of independent global leaders founded by Nelson Mandela in

Tourism has been one of the hardest- hit sectors by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Secretary Romulo-Puyat talks to The ASEAN about the pandemic’s impact on the Philippines’ tourism industry, on jobs and businesses, and how the country is working towa

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reflects on his 10-year tenure as chief diplomat and development advocate, and the role that mutlilateralism plays in addressing ongoing and emerging global challenges.

Poonam Adnani had just finished her fourth event of the day when she talked with The ASEAN. It was ten days after Diwali, and many in Jakarta were still celebrating. Adnani’s parents moved to Indonesia in the 1950s. She was born and raised in Bandung,

Living and studying at Nalanda University made Yuni Saputri reminisce about her high school life. She was a student at an Islamic boarding school or pesantren in her hometown in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Like in Nalanda University, students and teachers i

The Phoenix is an apt metaphor to depict the revived Nalanda University. Like this mythical bird, the historic campus was resurrected after being burned down to ashes. According to the university’s website, historical findings revealed that ancient Nal

Managing personal finances could seem like solving a complex equation—from figuring out how to save money without losing your social life or cutting down on meal expenses, to dealing with your parents’ poor financial choices. Looking for solutions to y

The 2022 edition of the ASEAN Artists Residency Programme (AARP) brought two ASEAN artists to the global stage, offering a month-long residency programme at the Sharjah Art Foundation in the United Arab Emirates.

UNICEF says approximately one billion children are at an “extremely high risk” of the impacts of the climate change crisis. Research has shown that children born now will face much more extreme weather and other climate disasters than their grandparent