Illustrative photo (Source: asean.org)Under the online campaign platform #ASEANyouth2022,ASEAN invites young people and partners across the region to amplify messageson their leadership in community development throughout the year.
At the handover ceremony of the ASEAN Chairmanship toCambodia last year, Prime Minister Hun Sen said, “Cambodia will strengthen thedevelopment of human resources to respond to the needs on the ground forcommunity building, promote the participation of women and youth in buildingand maintaining peace, and develop an inclusive social protection system.Another key priority is strengthening people-to-people bonds to enhance thespirit of One ASEAN Identity.”
TheYear of ASEAN Youth will remain consistent with the post-2020 vision of ASEANyouth development, focusing on fostering 21st century skills and digitalskills, and the institutionalisation of youth engagement mechanisms, guided bythe soon-to-be-published ASEAN Work Plan on Youth 2021-2025.
Atleast four flagship activities under the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting onYouth (SOMY) will contribute to the Year of ASEAN Youth 2022, namely the 1stASEAN Youth Dialogue funded by the Republic of Korea; the 6th ASEAN Youth VideoContest in collaboration with ASEAN Foundation and US PROSPECT; ASEAN YouthPhoto Competition; and ASEAN Youth Debate 2022.
Through these events and other youth-led and partner-led initiatives, ASEANseeks to provide more platforms for young people with various backgrounds andinterests to unleash their potentials and play an active role in addressingcurrent challenges.
Towards the end of the year and through a series of consultations with variousstakeholders, ASEAN expects to adopt a Leaders’ statement on the Year of ASEANYouth at the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits in Cambodia.
ASEANestablished SOMY in 2002 as a sectoral body consisting of national agenciesresponsible for youth development. The ASEAN Work Plan on Youth 2021-2025encompasses five priority areas, which align with the domains of ASEAN youth developmentindex: education, health and well-being, employment and opportunity, participationand engagement, and ASEAN awareness, values and identity./.
VNA
