

Identity is not inscribed in stone and fixed for all eternity. It is an ongoing process of being and becoming, never truly reaching a standstill.

ASEAN, led by Singapore, has an upcoming initiative to support ASEAN Member States to prepare for the future of work in a “new COVID-normal” by leveraging a skilled workforce, embracing technology, and providing safe and decent work for all, supported by harmonious industrial relations.

In 2003, ASEAN Leaders adopted the Declaration of ASEAN Concord II (also known as the Bali Concord II), which established an ASEAN Community consisting of three pillars.

Twenty aspiring journalists from 10 ASEAN Member States returned to their home countries armed with newfound knowledge and skills in social journalism, thanks to a training workshop held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam on 16-19 September 2019.

How can ASEAN Member States expand their creative economies? This was the central question that 30 participants mulled over at the regional workshop on creative economy held in Bali, Indonesia, on 4-5 September 2019.

ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) are Southeast Asia’s natural treasures. To date, there are 49 AHPs, each embodying the rich and diverse species and ecosystems of the ASEAN region.


On February 2, 2020, a video of a blindfolded and masked man standing in a plaza in Firenze, Italy, was posted on social media.

The ASEAN Health Sector immediately responded to the threat of a growing outbreak, as soon as it received the report from China, in early January, of unexplained pneumonia clusters in Wuhan. Existing national and regional mechanisms were activated to detect, prevent, and respond to the new coronavirus disease.

Three young graphic designers from the Philippines, Myanmar, and Malaysia showcased their creative interpretations of what ASEAN means to them, at a week-long ASEAN Identity logo exhibition recently held at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta.

ASEAN is taking concrete steps to create meaningful conversations on ASEAN Identity, in both official and public discourse.

The ASEAN Foundation understands the importance of developing the youth as leaders of tomorrow.

Allow me to begin with an anecdote that I believe sums up my concern in this article: Several years ago, while filming a documentary series about our common Southeast Asian history and identity, I persuaded the TV crew to indulge me in a social experiment of sorts.
Seeking information in the digital era is as easy as clicking a link on our mobile phone. But during the current health crisis, clicking one might lead to misinformation.

I have always been a bit of a polyglot. Ethnically, my mother is half-Malay and almost half-Pakistani—with a smattering of Chinese from her great-grandmother (who was adopted and raised by their Pakistani family).