Articles Category: Culture

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

Twenty visual artists from ASEAN Member States and India gathered in Udaipur, Rajasthan, in 2022 to participate in the second ASEAN-India Artists’ Camp, centring on the theme “Oceans of Connectivity.” The camp was supported by the ASEAN-India Fund and

As diplomats and those in the corridors of power do their jobs, how can ordinary citizens contribute to public diplomacy? While we cannot participate in ministerial talks and high-level summits, ordinary citizens and incredibly creative communities hav

K-pop may hold the global spotlight, but traditional Korean music is slowly finding its audience. Sometimes, with a bit of help from K-pop idols.

Spices are an integral part of Southeast Asian cuisine. They create the unique flavour profile of our countries’ most iconic dishes. Think of tom yum without galangal and chilli peppers, or pho without coriander, cardamom, and star anise.

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?

Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn tells The ASEAN about the goals of ASEAN in the field of sports and the changes and challenges brought about by COVID-19. He also discussed how ASEAN Member States can promote inclusiveness in sports and support their

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

“The ASEAN S4DPL Project is very effective for the youth in the community and it made me become open-minded. I call this the most precious experience of my life,” says Wai Yan Thant Zin, Myanmar youth leader, reflecting on her experience being part of

On 1 January 2021, Brunei Darussalam assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship for 2021. Minister Aminuddin talks to The ASEAN about how Brunei Darussalam will work to accelerate efforts to recover from the pandemic and reach the goal of ASEAN solidarity.

Joseph Isaac Schooling won the first Olympic gold medal for his home country Singapore in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. He beat legendary American swimmer Michael Phelps in the 100m butterfly, and broke the Olympic record that Phelps previously held. S

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

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

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

Fifty-four-year-old I Gusti Agung Kusuma Yudha Rai, better known as Ade Rai, is an Indonesian all-natural bodybuilder, fitness icon, and advocate for a healthy lifestyle.

In the first episode of the much-loved Malaysian television series, the title character, BoBoiBoy, goes on a train journey to his grandfather’s house on Rintis Island. Upon arrival, BoBoiBoy eagerly gets off the train and mistakenly hugs a stranger, th

Prepare to have your mind blown. That is the mission of Mindblowon Studio, a name derived from the playful Indonesian slang “blo’on,” meaning “foolish.” Yet, their creativity is anything but foolish. Mindblowon Studio stands tall as an influential figu