Perspective - What the ASEAN Community will bring to young people

ASEAN Youth Forum on 22 August 2016 in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Since the establishment of ASEAN, this regional integration has put many efforts toward gaining success, prosperity and harmony. Each country has created various policies and mechanisms with the same goal. In the recent years, there is an emergence of ASEAN citizens’ active participation, especially young people. Remarkably, there is an increase of young leadership, entrepreneurship, and youth employment within the region. With clear objectives, ASEAN provides youth with enormous benefits in the fields of cultural exchange, human resource development, economic integration, human trafficking prevention and environmental protection.

First of all, ASEAN promotes high understanding and mutual respect among the members through cultural exchange. For example, many cultural events have been celebrated in ASEAN region to support the conservation and preservation of ASEAN cultural heritage. Besides, it ensures its continuity to enhance awareness and understanding of the people about the unique history of the region and the cultural similarities and differences between and among ASEAN member states. The notion of culture focuses on the processes of interactions and socialization within ASEAN which have produced long-term attitudes and habits with respect to the management of issue of conflict and peace. We share the conviction that the culture of peace is a set of values, attitudes, modes of behavior and way of life that reject violence and prevent conflicts by tackling their roots causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation among individuals, communities and nations. Interestingly, ASEAN youth has chances to learn new languages, get to know other religions, and understand the protocol during ASEAN summit and how to speak in ASEAN formal meetings, which also promotes a culture of cooperation and the way ASEAN interacts with each other not only among country’s leaders but also citizens.

Secondly, human resource development is seen as one of the significant efforts which ASEAN community contributes to their youth. To achieve high human quality, ASEAN youth like us have been given more opportunities via ASEAN University Network to pursue desired degrees in another country in the region through funded scholarships with an aim of equipping them with useful and better knowledge they might not be able to acquire in our country. It is undeniable that roles of youth have been taken into consideration since either governmental or non-governmental institutions of ASEAN such as ASEAN Foundation and CHULALANGKORN University which have been paying much attention to youth involvement as they frequently organize conferences and workshops that enable young people to express their opinions and take part in decision making and finding solutions for certain issue. More than these, ASEAN youth can exchange their practical knowledge with each other via volunteering activities. For instance, Cambodian medical students have collaborated with other ASEAN students on many healthcare projects to help out poor and vulnerable people in Cambodia. Hence, effective health care services will be ensured by ASEAN in the whole region as it will help one another in disaster strikes and fight against nasty diseases. Furthermore, this community eventually empowers youth to be more skillful due to the ASEAN Framework for Equitable Economic Development as they aim to generate more productivity to the community. To meet this need, youth has unconditionally been introduced with some high-demanding technical skills such as engineering, mechanics and electronics on the ground that they can boost the pace of mutual development among all member countries.

ASEAN Economic integration is another benefit which youth can absorb. It is expected that through free flow of labors, youth will be provided with more job opportunities, more incomes and advanced technology. Since this community brings out large market with convenient conditions for foreign investors, more investments and business are strongly believed to take place widely in the region. With no trade barriers, accessible and qualified infrastructure will be firmly constructed and connected with one another throughout the region. Thus, it encourages young entrepreneurship with initiative ideas of creativity and innovation to largely involve in the world of free market with more competition as it will be very beneficial for them and the future generation. For example, a program called YSEALI Generation: Power of Entrepreneurship, which was held at Ho Chi Minh City from 27-31 May, 2015 as a regional exchange program focused on training 60 youth from ASEAN countries with entrepreneurial skills and mindsets that are necessary for them to successfully start and grow their business. Consequently, youth has more choices to mass goods and services with low prices and good qualities in this competitive market across the region.

In today’s trend, ASEAN political cooperation has brought about massive benefits to youth in terms of peace building and security maintenance in the region. Also, they are committed to fighting against terrorisms, pirates, drug trafficking and especially human trafficking which youth is subject to. Human trafficking is of course a serious crime that affects the human rights, dignity and integrity of all its victims including women, men, and children. Taking a real example of ASEAN’s context, all member states have already created anti-human trafficking laws to promote and protect the rights of the victims. During the economic integration, there will be free flow of human labor which accelerates either development or human exploitation. However, ASEAN’s citizens, especially youth, who wishes to cross borders, will be informed and provided with useful information before making decision as their connection with host countries is reliable.

Sustainable development in ASEAN requires environmental protection which youth can actively involve in. ASEAN has been working together to tackle environmental problems and bring out positive change. Certainly, ASEAN youth will be guaranteed to have good living and health condition with sustainable environmental development. ASEAN strongly promotes clean and green environment with low level of pollution, deforestation, global warming and climate change. Also, youth will be empowered to gain capacity in helping their community by taking part in environmental protection activities and to have the voice in any decisions making in both local and regional level. Through ASEAN Environmental Year 2015 celebrated under the theme “Empowering the Youth for a Green ASEAN Community”, many young ASEAN leaders will be equipped with knowledge about environmental protection actions. ASEAN youth will be able to build network, learn how to deal with challenges, find effective solutions and improve particular skills.

All in all, ASEAN builds connection and cooperation which create various opportunities for youth to make more friends in different countries, build networks, get higher education with scholarship provision, find wide market for job employment, and live with sustainable development. Therefore, promoting young leadership plays a very important role in increasing understanding about ASEAN and even encouraging others to participate and work for our community. Building ASEAN community will benefit for wide participation from relevant stakeholders, including young generation. ASEAN youth must pay attention and grasp this opportunity to participate for better ASEAN community.