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Is ASEAN branding still attractive for the youth?
The weak emphasis on political and security among the youth could be because the region has relatively enjoyed peace and stability over the past decades.
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Toward a single market: The ASEAN Economic Community, which came into effect on Jan 1, 2016, aims to integrate the diverse economies of Southeast Asia. (Antara/-)
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ince ASEAN launched the 2025 ASEAN Community Vision, the regional bloc’s branding has garnered excitement from its citizens, particularly the youth. The aspirations toward market integration, enhanced mobility and even the “hype” discussion over a single currency in the region have laid the foundations for the youth to reorient themselves to the global standards for future economic transformation.
As the community vision passes the midterms, assessing how the youth perceives the ASEAN branding is timelier than ever. The Youth, defined as individuals aged 15-35 years old, constitutes 34 percent of the ASEAN’s 654 million population. Hence, their perceptions and enthusiasm over regional integration will shape the strategic policy direction on future regional vision.
A recent survey launched by the ASEAN Secretariat on Understanding How Young People See ASEAN: Awareness, Values and Identity shows that university students across the region possess a strong awareness of ASEAN.
Over half of the students surveyed could demonstrate high familiarity with ASEAN, such as accurately naming and listing ASEAN member states, identifying the ASEAN flag and indicating ASEAN’s founding year. But familiarity with ASEAN does not necessarily equate to positive identification with ASEAN. For instance, less than half of the respondents said ASEAN countries were economically and politically similar, signifying the region’s diversity instead of its shared identity.
Students in the survey also agreed that ASEAN is valuable. More than 90 percent of them believed that ASEAN membership benefited their country. They also thought that ASEAN diversity is an asset and ASEAN’s future is essential.
But when asked whether ASEAN benefited them personally, only three-quarters agreed; therefore, it is critical for ASEAN to facilitate a more inclusive community-building process so that the impacts of regional integration can be more wide-reaching.
The survey also emphasized the need for more visible and impactful cooperation. Students responding to the survey believed that economic collaboration, tourism and development assistance are the three more essential domains for ASEAN future cooperation.
