Year 2020 was a year fraught with unprecedented challenges in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet it is the throes of adversity that bring out the best in us, no better exemplified than by how ASEAN has weathered many crises and emerged even stronger and more confident together over the past decades.
Delivering quality education to prepare today’s learners for the challenges of a rapidly changing, highly globalised, and technology-driven world has been the overarching goal of ASEAN Member States for many years.
ASEAN youths are a tech-savvy demographic equipped with a growth mindset and blessed with abundant opportunities. Thus, they bear the important responsibility of making sure the regional digital economy continues to thrive. Their success may also be a key factor in the region’s recovery. But the right policies must be in place to provide them with the most up-to-date skills, reliable digital infrastructure, and enabling ecosystems if this is to be the case.
“Women are naturally nurturing and empathetic. They are intrinsically more suited to caring for children and families.” This worldview, which dominates many cultures to this day, is the epitome of gender essentialism. It appears commonsensical, but it has harmed generations of women—and society at large. It has led to exclusion, discrimination, exploitation, and inequality.
As the COVID-19 pandemic raged across the globe in 2020, nations imposed containment measures with varying success levels. For every decision to implement strict measures to help save lives, there have been devastating impacts on livelihoods and economies.
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.
Changi Airport, Southeast Asia’s busiest airport with hundreds of thousands of passengers on a typical day, sat near empty for months. The sprawling Angkor Wat complex, normally bustling with tourists in the peak months of January to April, fell silent.
These scenes, which look straight out of a dystopian movie, paint a dynamic region on pause.
In today’s digital age, compelling narratives can make a message stand out in a saturated media landscape. They can capture the imagination, build understanding, and forge emotional connections among people.
Flying the skies to nurturing the earth sums up Captain Nadira and Captain Abdul Rahman’s journey over the past few months.
Many employees in the aviation industry are still facing turbulent times caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While boarding gates remain shut, this inspiring husband-wife team share their passion for flying and how they navigate life away from the cockpit.
Tadioto is owned by Nguyen Qui Duc, a well-published Vietnamese-American writer who decided to return to Viet Nam after years of living in the US. Duc opened Tadioto in 2007, and after several iterations, it has become the favourite haunt of artists, writers, and literati in Viet Nam. They come to mingle, toss ideas, and soak up the bar’s creative vibe while partaking of good food, drinks, and music. Over the years, Tadioto has also become a place to showcase the work of established and budding musicians, performers, visual artists, and poets— local and foreign alike.
Tadioto is one of the many businesses in Hanoi that has been upended by COVID-19 control measures. Duc had to adjust his operations to stay afloat and retain his staff. Through these challenging times, he kept Tadioto open as a space not only for artistic expression, but also as an outlet for patrons to ponder and process the impact of the pandemic and other social malaise.