JAKARTA, 5 April 2023 – Leading up to the ASEAN Youth Dialogue 2023, Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a two-day virtual pre-departure programme for youth delegates from ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste on 4-5 April. The event provided an opportunity for the delegates to establish connections, deepen understanding of the ASEAN Community and cooperation on digital transformation, and formulate a draft of recommendations before joining the on-site programme on 10-14 April in Jakarta.
The ASEAN Youth Dialogue 2023 on Digitalisation for Sustainable Development Goals will bring together 50 youth delegates to discuss policy recommendations for the ASEAN Leaders on the creation of the region’s ecosystem for youth entrepreneurship to mitigate youth unemployment, develop youth potential in accelerating digital transformation, and realise inclusive economic growth and sustainable development.
At the pre-departure programme, the delegates took part in a series of knowledge sharing sessions featuring experts from different backgrounds and stakeholder groups.
Professor Asrorun Ni’am Sholeh, Deputy Minister for Youth Development of Indonesia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, graced the online event, alongside Rodora Babaran, Director of Human Development of the ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC). Presentations were made by Yuliana Bahar, Director for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Cooperation of Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Dr Roger Chao Jr, ASEC’s Head of Education, Youth, and Sports Division.
Two discussion panels were held on Digital Development for SDGs and Narrowing Development Gaps through Creativity and Innovation. Speakers in the discussion panels included representatives of ASEC’s Digital Economy Division and Culture and Information Division. The panel also included the Director of the Policy Department of Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and Alternate Leader of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Education Cambodia Dr Bo Chankoulika, Head of Programme of ASEAN Foundation Mahmudi Yusbi, co-founder of Tanare and Lecturer of Prasetiya Mulya University Riko Reinarto, and Alwani Shaidun from the Esports Association of Brunei Darussalam.
Throughout the pre-departure event, participants joined interactive sessions and exchanged views on the digital transformation in ASEAN and the ways to address relevant issues such as digital divide, digitalisation of education, partnership for digital skills and literacy, ASEAN Creative Economy, and alternative career paths for the youth. Facilitated by the Indonesian Youth Diplomacy, the delegates participated in breakout sessions to formulate the zero draft recommendation which they will further discuss at the on-site event in Jakarta.
The ASEAN Youth Dialogue is an activity under the ASEAN Work Plan on Youth 2021-2025. The inaugural batch was convened in 2022 as a flagship youth initiative under Cambodia as ASEAN Chair.
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