The Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) will host this year’s ASEAN Youth Forum to be held tomorrow, July 5, 2017 at the Campion Lecture Hall, Salvador Campus of AdZU. Some 200 youth leaders from different colleges and universities in the city, including AdZU’s own, are expected to participate in the said forum. The 2017 ASEAN Youth Forum theme is “Unido: One Vision, One Identity, One Community, One Asean”.
Brian Bañgo of the School of Liberal Arts (SLA) and ASEAN youth forum coordinator said that, “The forum aims to strengthen youth participation and involvement in ASEAN, by informing and encouraging them to engage in the various ASEAN programs and services such as scholarships, educational tours, and career and business opportunities”.
The forum will also help participants understand the mutual arrangement between and among the ASEAN-member countries. “ASEAN countries have agreed to facilitate career and business opportunities among members, including easy inter-ASEAN country jobs placements for professional and skilled workers, fast travel among the countries with the No VISA Policy, and expanding educational opportunities through the Exchange Student Programs,” Bañgo added
Dr Robert Panaguiton, SLA Dean, will welcome the delegates, to mark the start of the program. Following a talk show format, an overview and updates on the ASEAN will be given by Roderick Trio, an alumnus of the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP), an ASEAN educational tour program. Other benefits and opportunities offered by ASEAN will be presented by Rody Garcia, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) assistant chief, and Raymond Domingo, National Youth Commission (NYC) head. SSEAYP alumni Mark Saavedra, Joseph Lou Sta Teresa will share their ASEAN experiences.
The talk show will be followed by a workshop where participants will discuss ASEAN issues concerning the youth, and display their output in a Gallery Walk. Other highlights of the forum include a fashion show to be staged by the ASEAN youth ambassadors themselves wearing the national costumes of the ASEAN member-countries; a community dance; the singing of the ASEAN Spirit song, and a pop quiz. A commitment ceremony will end the activity, with participants pledging to echo their learnings to other students in their respective schools, followed by a closing message from Bañgo.
The forum, held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is hosted by AdZU in partnership with the Philippine Information Agency, CHED, and NYC.
ASEAN was founded in August 8, 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand. At present, it has ten (10) member-states, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. It was established to promote economic growth, social progress, and political interaction among its members.
