For the second year in a row, 2021 ASEAN Prize recipient Mekong Institute (MI) teamed up with Khon Kaen University’s (KKU) Center for ASEAN Studies (CAS) to mark the founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This year, with additional local partners—including the Center for Research on Plurality in the Mekong Region and KKU’s Faculty of Architecture – Architecture Planning and Design School—the 58th ASEAN Day celebration at KKU focused on the role of ASEAN youth in shaping a shared regional future.
“This 58th year of ASEAN’s existence has laid the foundation of peace, prosperity, and opportunities we enjoy today,” said Mekong Institute Executive Director Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn in his welcome remarks. “This event allows us to revisit the ASEAN vision 20 years from now, especially with the Kuala Lumpur ASEAN 2045 Declaration, signed in May 2025 during the 46th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. ASEAN should not just be read through in the declaration; we—especially today’s youth—should truly feel part of it.”
“We are observing the alignment of ASEAN’s strategic goals with the real-life experiences and aspirations of our youth. The theme ‘ASEAN 2045: Youth Voices for Our Shared Future’ emphasizes our belief that young people are not just recipients of regional integration but active architects of our collective future,” said Assoc. Prof. Yingsawad Chaiyakul, Deputy Dean for Academic and International Relations Affairs, KKU Faculty of Architecture, host of the August 8 program.
In his keynote, Former Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the Political and Security Community and current President of the Lao Diplomatic Club, Ambassador Sayakane Sisouvong, spoke about ASEAN youth amid a rapidly changing global landscape. “Youth and students in ASEAN must bear in mind that you yourselves are ASEAN’s unity architects. Youth contribute across all sectors of society. By 2045, let’s measure ASEAN’s success not just by GDP, but by green tech, youth startups, and regional trust. ASEAN youth cherish long-lasting peace, stability, cooperation, and prosperity. That’s our shared destiny.”
ASEAN was founded on August 8, 1967, amid external and internal turbulence at the height of the Cold War. The founding members turned war zones into economic zones, transforming the region into a beacon of cooperation through dialogue, consensus-building, diplomacy, mutual respect, and solidarity. Today, facing unprecedented pressures from geopolitical rivalries, economic competition, technological disruptions, and environmental challenges such as climate change, ASEAN citizens are called to turn uncertainty into opportunity and shared prosperity.
Speaking as a panelist, Mr. Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee, former Deputy Secretary-General of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) at the ASEAN Secretariat, stressed the importance of fostering a strong sense of ASEAN identity. Since the launch of the ASEAN Community in 2015, integration has progressed beyond intergovernmental cooperation, evolving into “a way of life” that, he noted, must permeate the very DNA of ASEAN’s people. “At the people-to-people level, ASEAN citizens have a responsibility to actively strengthen our shared identity. For ASEAN to be fully integrated, we must consider the people element, and what better way to strengthen that bond and share that common identity than by empowering ASEAN youth and actively engaging them in our common values.”
Representing her fellow youth, Ms. Jitsai Santaputra, a youth climate advocate and Thai delegate to UNFCCC COP29, likened ASEAN’s development to an Olympic sport—where some set the rules, others govern the competition, and the rest play the game. “As young people, we are the athletes—the ones learning how to play. We may not be controlling the game yet, but if we want to engage more, if we want to help set the rules… we have to learn beyond just how to play,” she said, noting that many students may feel ASEAN is distant from their daily lives. She urged them to bridge that gap by understanding the “bigger structures and rule-makers” shaping the region. “For Vision 2045, the question is: as young people, as the players in the sport, how do we eventually have our voices heard at the Olympic level—by the people who govern the Olympics?”
ASEAN youth currently make up 22.2% of the region’s 700 million population and are projected to reach 60% by 2050. The ASEAN Day celebration at KKU featured panel discussions and youth-led breakout sessions on jobs, education, culture, and identity, harnessing young people’s insights as they prepare to shape the region’s next two decades. Their perspectives will be crucial as ASEAN navigates global megatrends—from digitalization and climate change to shifting power dynamics. About 100 Thai and international students from across ASEAN participated in the program, which also featured a cultural performance by Indonesian students, traditional attire, and ASEAN-themed cupcakes for refreshments. Other participants tuned in online via livestream on the MI and CAS Facebook pages.
Capping off the event, KKU CAS Acting Director Asst. Prof. Dr. Keeratiporn Jutaviriya expressed delight at the active participation of KKU students. “I am truly surprised and amazed by my students today. Coming on stage and sharing your insights, you have made me so proud. This is an excellent step toward continuing your learning, becoming more active, and fully engaging as students.”
She added that the knowledge, experiences, and connections gained from ASEAN Day should serve as tools for students to contribute meaningfully to the region’s future. “Each of you has a role in building a collective ASEAN that is inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking.”
Catch the full program again by streaming it on MI’s YouTube channel: www.shorturl.at/SVnWH
Full event proceedings are available at this link.
