Themes

It has been almost two years since the outbreak of the SARS-COV-2 virus, which caused the COVID-19 pandemic, and the global community is still battling against its devastating impact. So far, the disease has resulted in millions of cases and deaths worldwide, loss of livelihood, economic downturns, and disruptions in trade and the flow of essential goods and other supplies.

Dr. Vandine is the Chair of the Ad-Hoc Committee for Rolling Out COVID-19 Vaccination Throughout the Country (ACC-19), and Chair of the Sub-Committee of Education, Training, and Public Communication and Spokesperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee to Combat COVID-19.

Cities are at the frontline of key global trends and challenges affecting the region, from pandemic to climate change and digitalisation to inclusive growth. Around half of ASEAN’s people already live in urban areas, and by 2025, a further 70 million people in this region will be city dwellers. Rapid urbanisation would place increasing pressures on most of these cities that may not be adequately equipped to deal with a growing range of potential threats.

“Be a man.” “Toughen up.” These are phrases women often hear. From everyday life to the professional realm, we are reminded more often than needed to be equal to men. This has set us up to a fallacy that men and masculine qualities are the benchmarks for excellence and success in life.

Right To Play Thailand Foundation Country Director Phunyanuch Pattanotai says it was not easy for the youth leaders to plan and implement projects in their communities. ”We are proud of all the youth who continued to utilise what they learned to create a greater change in their communities despite the challenge caused by the COVID-19,” she adds.

The ASEAN talked to three youth leaders who spearheaded sports projects in their respective communities after participating in the ASEAN S4DPL project.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forcibly accelerated digitalisation in almost all aspects of human life in ways we never imagined. Physical distancing measures require a shift to digital technologies, with the amount of time we spend online surging to new heights. Nearly nine out of 10 youth in ASEAN reported increased reliance on digital tools in the past year, while almost half (42 per cent) have picked up at least one new device.