The second iteration of AIA Live was held on Sept. 12, 2021 amid the persisting COVID-19 pandemic. Launched by AIA Ambassador David Beckham, the event was livestreamed on the AIA Healthy Living YouTube channel. AIA Live 2021 also featured AIA regional ambassadors and special guests, including British chef Jeremy Pang, New Zealand Olympic gold medalist Valerie Adams, Malaysia former squash player champion Nicol David and Japanese neuroscientist Ken Mogi, as well as AIA’s Tottenham Hotspur FC coaches.

AIA Live was first held virtually in 2020 as a live event broadcast on YouTube, the first public event discussing health and wellness held by an insurance company.

“The program was our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to reemphasize the importance of health, fitness and protection right now,” said AIA Indonesia chief marketing officer Kathryn Monika Parapak.

AIA Live 2021 opened with a session by Ken Mogi, a neuroscientist, best-selling author and radio broadcaster based in Tokyo, Japan.

Mogi, who has been studying the human brain for more than 20 years, shared the Japanese concept of “ikigai” and its close correlation with mental health in his session, called “Finding Purpose: The 5 Pillars of Ikigai”.

He explained that ikigai gave purpose to life and could be very broad. Small things that gave joy, such as drinking a cup of coffee in the morning or listening to a favorite piece of music, could also be ikigai. Ikigai could also be a major goal in life, like starting one’s own company or family, even buying a house.

For better understanding, Mogi introduced the five pillars of the concept: starting small, releasing yourself, harmony and sustainability, finding joy in the little things and being in the here and now.

“Ikigai helps us face daily life by finding small things that please our heart beyond our profession,” he underlined.

Following his session, Mogi opened “Conversation: How to Purpose (Ikigai) and Harmony (Nagomi)” with AIA ambassador Nicol David from Malaysia and Filipino-American TV personality and blogger Wil Dasovich.

Former world squash champion David spoke about what comprised her ikigai, which were playing squash, dancing, drawing and eating. David said that, being Malaysian, she was always enthusiastic about food, from shopping for ingredients to cooking.

According to AIA Indonesia’s Kathryn, the concept of ikigai started gaining local recognition in 2017 thanks to Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia and Fransesc Miralles, the best-selling self-help book.

Ikigai was also frequently discussed as a concept, especially among youths struggling to choose their university major or new graduates looking for a job that was best suited to their interests.

“The concept of ikigai, which means ‘the purpose of life’, is a life principle that makes life more meaningful, valuable and balanced, in which happiness found in small things in daily life will lead to a more meaningful long-term life,” she said.

Kathryn said AIA Live 2021 focused on four primary fields that aligned with AIA’s goals, namely mental health, physical health, nutrition and environmental health.

This year’s AIA Live program included:

• Tips for parents on how to cope with the pandemic’s effect on the mental health of adolescents and children with special needs;
• Healthy food challenge with chef Jeremy Pang and an AIA-Tottenham Hotspur football coach;
• Physical fitness exercises for the entire family; and
• A talk on the relationship between health and the environment.

Watch AIA Live 2021 on the AIA Healthy Living official YouTube channel to access complete information that will inspire you to live a healthier, longer, better lives.

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