Articles Category: Culture

Overview The ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) aims to accelerate ASEAN’s transformation into a leading digital economy that fosters greater digital cooperation and paves the way for regional digital integration and inclusive growth and

In the face of unprecedented global health challenges, the ASEAN BioDiaspora Virtual Center (ABVC) has emerged as a pioneering force in the realm of infectious disease analytics within the region. ABVC has evolved into a crucial player in the battle ag

The ASEAN region is noted for its economic vitality, and in recent years, some of the world’s fastest-growing digital industries have emerged in the region. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this trend, with an increase of 60 million more digital custo

The ASEAN-Japan Fair 2023 took centre stage at the Main Atrium of Plaza Senayan in Jakarta from 29 September to 1 October 2023. Organised by the Mission of Japan to ASEAN and the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) Management Team, this event marked fi

Good Design Exhibition 2023 Tokyo, Japan 25-29 October 2023

Gathering over 70 participants from across ASEAN, the ASEAN Foundation hosted the ASEAN Digital Literacy Programme Impact Forum in Bali, Indonesia, on 14-16 November 2023. The participants consisted of partner organisations, master trainers, mentors, y

Transforming education is both an imperative and an opportunity. Our region’s net enrolment and completion rates in primary and secondary education have markedly increased. Substantial progress has also been made towards achieving gender parity in gros

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?

Bullying of children is becoming a pervasive concern in the region. Director General Luu Quang Tuan shares with The ASEAN, some of the initiatives started by ASEAN to protect children from bullying, both online and offline.

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

Minister Phoeurng discusses Cambodia’s key policies and programmes to develop and support its creative industries, the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the role that the creative industries play in the country’s post-pandemic recovery pla

The UNESCO Regional Bureau for Education in Asia and the Pacific, and UNESCO as a whole, and the UN system worldwide, have taken comprehensive action to address the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on education systems while acknowledging continuing challen

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 i

Since its inception in 2007, Maya Dance Theatre (MDT) has been faithful to its philosophy: bridging the space between audience and artist to provoke thought and dialogue about pressing social issues. In 2018, MDT’s artistic director and co-founder, Kav

Dadan Mochamad Rhamdan, or Damar (35), is an Indonesian Language and Literature teacher at SMP Negeri [Public Junior High School] 20 Bandung, Indonesia. He was born with cerebral palsy, which affected the development of his hands. The condition also im

The ASEAN asked some of our ASEAN youth to share their motivations for studying and experience studying in a neighbouring ASEAN country. The respondents also reflect on how the experience shaped their perspectives of ASEAN and influenced their sense of

Fifty-two-year-old Saur Marlina Manurung, better known as Butet Manurung, is the woman behind Sokola Institute. The organisation implement literacy programmes targeting various underserved and marginalised communities in Indonesia, including ethnic gro

Jenilyn de la Cruz—Teacher Jen—is in her ninth year as a multigrade teacher at Lopero Elementary School. The job is demanding and requires multi-tasking skills, flexibility, and improvisation.