THE ASEAN PRIZE
Established in 2018 during Singapore’s ASEAN Chairmanship, the ASEAN Prize is an annual regional premier award to acknowledge inspiring achievements of ASEAN citizens or ASEAN-based organizations with significant contributions toward advancing ASEAN community building efforts.
The Prize is envisioned to foster the ASEAN identity, promote the ASEAN spirit, and champion the ASEAN way. It places particular emphasis on various critical areas, including collaboration and people-to-people engagement among ASEAN Member States (AMS) and between ASEAN and the world; economic integration and promotion of standards between AMSs; and outstanding contributions to ASEAN Community Building.
To date, the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), as the administrator of the ASEAN Prize, has awarded this regional accolade to four (4) individuals and two (2) organizations within the ASEAN.
- 2018 – Ms. Erlinda Uy Koe: Ms. Koe is a dedicated community leader and advocate of family-with-autism from the Philippines. The Prize is a recognition of her exemplary contribution to foster an inclusive ASEAN community.
- 2019 – Dr. Tan Sri Jemilah Mahmood: Dr. Mahmood, a renowned professor of planetary health and regional humanitarian leader from Malaysia, earned the ASEAN Prize for her inspirational and tireless dedication to providing emergency needs and humanitarian responses to affected populations across the region.
- 2020 – ASEAN Studies Center (ASC) ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute: The ASC ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, a Singapore-based regional research center, was honored for its longstanding contributions to promoting ASEAN awareness through academic outreach, publication, and strengthening regional stakeholder engagement.
- 2021 – Mekong Institute (MI): MI, an intergovernmental organization and community development center in Khon Kaen, Thailand, received the ASEAN Prize in recognition of its outstanding contributions to raising ASEAN awareness and strengthening regional cooperation, particularly for sustainable development and economic growth in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
- 2022 – Mr. Haji Muhamad Iqbal Fakhri bin Haji Damit: Mr. Iqbal, a youth advocate and community leader from Brunei Darussalam, was bestowed recognized for his commendable services in upholding humanitarian relief and promoting the spirit of volunteerism among youths. His efforts resonate with the ongoing endeavors to enhance regional cooperation for a resilient ASEAN Community.
- 2023 – Madam Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh: Madam Minh, a Vietnamese advocate for women’s economic empowerment, was recognized for her resolute dedication to empowering women within the business community, contributing to an inclusive and sustainable economic growth that aligns with the progress and development of the ASEAN Economic Community.
THE ASEAN PRIZE SYMPOSIUM 2024
The ASEAN Prize Symposium is a flagship programme aiming to promote the ASEAN Prize and
its role in fostering ASEAN Community building. This year, in collaboration with the ASEAN
Secretariat, Temasek Foundation, and Mekong Institute, the event intends to bring together
ASEAN Prize Recipients (APRs) from 2021 to 2023 in a discussion platform to showcase their
exemplary contributions and share their journey and aspirations as laureates of the ASEAN
Prize.
In the spirit of celebrating the remarkable achievements and dynamic initiatives within the
ASEAN community, the event embraces the tagline, “ASEAN Regional Integration – Journey of
the ASEAN Prize Recipients”. This tagline serves as a rallying call to embrace the ASEAN value
of community-building and recognize the extraordinary journey and contributions that have
earned the ASEAN Prize.
OBJECTIVES
- Create heightened awareness of the prestigious ASEAN Prize and inspire future nominations and submissions.
- Facilitate the building of common understanding among ASEAN individuals and entities about their potential and pivotal roles in shaping a robust regional community.
- Encourage stakeholders to take on more active and impactful roles in fostering the ASEAN spirit and advancing regional cooperation and integration efforts.
FORMAT
The ASEAN Prize Symposium 2024 is designed to facilitate face-to-face engagement with the distinguished APRs of 2021, 2022, and 2023. The recipients, recognized for their outstanding contributions, will serve as key resource persons.
Participants will engage in informative sessions including the “ASEAN Prize Talks” in which the APRs will share their exemplary journey, insights, and viewpoints on topics/issues relevant to the ASEAN community-building journey. The session will then be followed by breakout sessions for a more focused discussion and an opportunity for networking.
- Morning Session – ASEAN Prize Talk
Within a time limit of 18 minutes or less, the APRs will be given the floor to share their exemplary journey, insights, or viewpoints on topics/issues relevant to ASEAN community building. The format of the talk is inspired by TEDx, which are talks designed to spread ideas and knowledge in a concise and engaging format. The goal is to share valuable insights and information in a way that is both informative and entertaining.
One distinctive feature of TED-Ed talks is the use of animated videos to enhance the presentation. These videos are often created by the organizing team in collaboration with speakers. The combination of a well-prepared speaker, engaging visuals, and a limited time frame helps create a powerful and impactful learning experience for the audience. The session will be followed by an open forum.
- Afternoon Session – Solutions Room (Breakout Session)
In keeping with the ASEAN Prize’s goal of supporting efforts to build better communities and
bring the people of ASEAN closer together, the Symposium’s afternoon session will foster
solutions development through peer advising and learning, a breakout group activity that is
also known as the Solutions Room.
The Solutions Room is both a brainstorming and a networking session that gives every
participant the spotlight while promoting problem-solving through deep conversations,
practical advice, and actionable steps. It is also an opportunity for participants to get to know
individuals and organizations closely and see who might be deserving of the ASEAN Prize
recognition for being ASEAN heroes or making a difference in their respective communities
through their advocacies or line of work.
This session will be done according to the three core themes of the event – regional cooperation, youth leadership and volunteerism, and women empowerment. It is designed to enable closer participant interaction with the APRs.
DOWNLOAD AND LINKS
ASEAN Prize Symposim 2024 Concept Note and Provisional Agenda
“Youth Leadership and Volunteerism” by Mr. Haji Muhammad Iqbal Fakhri bin Haji Damit, ASEAN Prize Recipient 2022
“Empowering Women in Socio-Economic Development by Madam Minh” by Madam Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh, ASEAN Prize Recipient 2023
“Fostering the Regional Cooperation and Integration by Mekong Institute” by Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, ASEAN Prize Recipient 2021
- Event Press Release
- Event Photos