About ASEAN

ASEAN Overview

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam then joined on 7 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.

Map of ASEAN

ASEAN COMMUNITY

The ASEAN Vision 2020, adopted by the ASEAN Leaders on the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN, agreed on a shared vision of ASEAN as a concert of Southeast Asian nations, outward looking, living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies.

At the 9th ASEAN Summit in 2003, the ASEAN Leaders resolved that an ASEAN Community shall be established.

At the 12th ASEAN Summit in January 2007, the Leaders affirmed their strong commitment to accelerate the establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015 and signed the Cebu Declaration on the Acceleration of the Establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015.

The ASEAN Community is composed of three pillars, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community, ASEAN Economic Community and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Each pillar has its own Blueprint, and, together with the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Strategic Framework and IAI Work Plan Phase II (2009-2015), they form the Roadmap for and ASEAN Community 2009-2015. ASEAN has emphasised regional cooperation in the “three pillars”, which are security, sociocultural integration, and economic integration. The regional grouping has made the most progress in economic integration by creating an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015.

The Three Pillars of ASEAN

Read more about The Three Pillars

ASEAN Motto: “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”

ASEAN Flag: 

ASEAN-flag-1

  1. The ASEAN Flag is a symbol of Member States’ unity and support for the principles and endeavours of ASEAN and is a means to promote greater ASEAN awareness and solidarity.
  2. The ASEAN Flag represents a stable, peaceful, united and dynamic ASEAN. The colours of the Flag – blue, red, white and yellow – represent the main colours of the flags of all the ASEAN Member States.
  3. The blue represents peace and stability. Red depicts courage and dynamism, white shows purity and yellow symbolises prosperity.
  4. The stalks of padi in the centre of the Emblem represent the dream of ASEAN’s Founding Fathers for an ASEAN comprising all the countries in Southeast Asia, bound together in friendship and solidarity.
  5. The circle represents the unity of ASEAN.

Present ASEAN Secretariat (2013 -2017): H.E. Le Luong Minh from Viet Nam.

H.E. Le Luong Minh, the present secretariat

Present ASEAN Chairman (2013) : Brunei Darussalam which has the theme of  “Our People, Our Future Together”.  Visit their website

ASEAN Anthem: ASEAN Way

The lyrics were written by Payom Valaipatchra (Thai) while the music was composed Kittikhun Sodprasert and Sampow Traiudom, the winning entry out of  the 99 finalists from all ten ASEAN countries. The competition was launched and announced though out the ASEAN. The winning entry would receive over US$ 20,000.  The panel judges voted “The ASEAN Way” as the ASEAN official anthem on 20th November, 2008.

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