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ndonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa called on Friday for a new level of measures to promote the integration of ASEAN into the regional community, saying it’s time to move beyond awareness promotion and start instilling a “sense of ownership” of the organization.

“Awareness of ASEAN today is far better than it was 14 years ago,” Marty said in a speech during an event to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the ASEAN Foundation in Jakarta.

“But, raising awareness is no longer sufficient; we have to instill a sense of ownership among the peoples of ASEAN,” he added.

Marty said that to instill this sense of ownership ASEAN should be more “people-centered” and “people-relevant”, meaning that events within or under the banner of the organization should involve more members of the public in the region instead of merely government officials.

He added that Indonesia supported the ASEAN Human Rights Council, which involved regional rights activists, and convened last year the ASEAN People’s Forum as part of ways to instill a sense of ownership.

The foreign minister further said that people in the region must see real outcomes and benefits from the organization so as to develop this ownership sense.

“This cannot be achieved simply through the legislation process and a produced declaration; but must be bottom-up as well as top-down,” he added.

The ASEAN Foundation introduced in the Friday forum a new initiative called “Friends of ASEAN”, which is part of the foundation’s moves to promote ASEAN awareness and the ASEAN Community, set to be established in 2015, according to foundation executive director Makarim Wibisono.

Makarim said that since its establishment in December 1997, the foundation had continued to support the promotion and development of the ASEAN Community through a range of activities in various areas, covering social development, science and technology, environment and culture and information.

He added the ASEAN Foundation had launched 100 programs and projects worth a total of some US$20 million over the past 14 years.

ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan, meanwhile, called on guests attending the forum, including foreign ambassadors and businesses, to financially support the work of the ASEAN Foundation.