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collective gasp could be heard among the handful of people in the audience in the gallery as a large LCD screen up front shows an eye-catching pie chart depicting the hundreds of ethnic groups that make up Indonesia’s population. They are evidently surprised by the newly learned facts about the largest ASEAN member state.

The group was visiting the ASEAN Cultural Center in Bangkok. At the digital center, visitors are invited to learn about the roots and history of the regional bloc in an interactive manner across the gallery’s different zones.

The virtual experience brings visitors to landmarks like Cambodia’s Angkor Wat and even shows them a plate of Malaysian nasi lemak (coconut rice).

In front of one large LCD screen stood a table with a touch screen map of the Southeast Asian region. A touch on the Indonesian flag on the map brings to the screen traditional music that accompanies vibrant images of traditional attire, landmarks and population data of the country.

As the birthday place of ASEAN, Bangkok initiated the interactive digital center, which was established in 2015 to publicize the group’s artistic and cultural identities, which some are similarly shared by several countries in the bloc.

The Thai capital witnessed the signing of the ASEAN Declaration, also known as the Bangkok Declaration, on Aug. 8, 1967. What began with five member countries — Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand — has now grown to be a 10-nation group with 10 dialogue partners and two observers.

Located on the third floor of the Ratchadamnoen Contemporary Art Center, a stone’s throw away from the Democracy Monument, the center showcases the artistic and cultural aspects of all 10 country members spread over 600 square meters.

The space this year is host to a special gallery to commemorate ASEAN’s 50th Anniversary, with photographs of the historic moment and a replica of the declaration displayed.

Emphasizing the aspect of unity in diversity, ASEAN Cultural Center officer Kotchaphop Kornphetcharat said the center focuses on upholding the bloc’s socio-cultural pillar.

As such, various sections of the exhibition draw upon a red string that is a common thread shared by different countries, including aspects like history, language roots, folktales and cultural traditions. Shadow puppetry, for example, is shared by Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand.

“Why is the socio-cultural pillar particularly important? Because it is the only pillar that focuses on the people-to-people relations in uniting the region, whereas the other two focus on state-to-state,” Kornphetcharat said, in reference to the bloc’s political-security and economic pillars.

Bangkok, along the rest of the country, is still in a year-long mourning period since the passing of its longest reigning monarch in October. Memorials are prominent around the city while the majority of the residents also strictly adhere to the black-and-white dress code for the time of grievance.

Passing through the streets of Bangkok, pictures remembering the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej could be seen hoisted up on numerous large billboard stands and building facades. Some buildings also adorn their gates with black-and-white cloth to show respect.

Bangkok will nevertheless see to the celebrations over ASEAN marking its half-century-old establishment. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sek Wannamethee has ensured the government’s commitment to involving all relevant ministries despite the somber mood in the time of grief.

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of ASEAN and in Thailand we’ve launched the festive mood for celebrating the 50th anniversary. Of course, ASEAN with its three pillars — the political-security pillar, the economic pillar and the socio-cultural pillar — it means that all government agencies concerned are involved in partaking in activities,” Wannamethee told reporters from ASEAN and Japan during a recent meeting hosted by the Thai government in Bangkok.

To commemorate its 50th anniversary, ASEAN is this year promoting the region as a tourist destination under the banner “Visit ASEAN 2017.”