Asean encouraged to establish own-initiated youth programmes
Published on: Friday, November 30, 2018
Kuala Lumpur: Asean has been encouraged to establish its own independent youth programmes to create impactful awareness by reaching out to more youngsters and developing lasting interest of the target group towards the grouping.Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said it was very timely to have such Asean-owned youth programmes in supporting the 10-member regional bloc's mission to have inclusiveness of the people-centred Asean Community."Youth is, of course, one of the most important components of any country. There are lots of talents among young Asean people, thus member state governments need to facilitate in a way that allows the young to unleash their true potential."
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Saifuddin said this at a press conference after delivering a keynote address at 'The Asean Post Inaugural Forum: Reimagining Southeast Asia 2018' here today.Citing the success of The Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Programme, commonly referred to as SSEAYP, an annual youth exchange programme organised by the Japan Cabinet Office and governments of Southeast Asian countries, the minister said Asean could potentially do more in this area by having its own initiated programmes, instead of just engaging partnerships with its Dialogue Partners and close friends."The SSEAYP is indeed, a brilliant and very successful programme but it is not made in Asean."We do have also, the United States-sponsored Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), as well, as many others including those organised by AirAsia and other business sectors. It has been there for so long, but of course, we can do more in this regard," he noted.
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Elaborating on SSEAYP in which the programme provided more than 300 youth from Southeast Asian countries and Japan, with the unique opportunity to mingle on board the ship, Nippon Maru for over 40 days, Saifuddin said more such lasting programmes should be also implemented."There have been a lot of programmes organised in Asean by Asean youth organisations and Asean ministers' platform, too. More often, these programmes do not last long. We have yet to come out with such a good programme (SSEAYP) that is very lasting," he added.
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