Opening the event on November 30,Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador-at-Large with the Singapore Foreign Ministry,shared with the young representatives some of the challenges facingASEAN countries and underlined their crucial role in the region.
The ambassador also emphasised the bloc’s efforts in seeking peacefulsolutions to disputes and improving people-to-people diplomaticactivities.
Sharifah Yokoyama, head of the Singaporedelegation to the festival, said the SSEAYP offers participants abetter understanding of different cultures and allows them to sharetheir experience with friends from other countries.
During the festival, the young delegates, including 29 from Vietnam,will also attend exchanges related to the region’s environmental issuesand distribute food to the poor in Singapore.
The ship serving the programme, the Nippon Maru, will anchor in the country until December 2.-VNA