ASEAN

Over the years, ASEAN has evolved as Southeast Asia's voice in the Asia-Pacific and in the world.  To sustain this vital role, ASEAN needs broad support, not only from the Member Countries, but also from the international community, civil society, and the general public.  Several activities are, therefore, being undertaken to promote the message and work of ASEAN and its vision for the future.

Media coverage of ASEAN has been an effective instrument for distributing the messages of ASEAN.  In recent years, the more frequent meetings of the ASEAN heads of state and government have given the organization a higher profile on the regional and global stage.  The international community has been following developments in the implementation of reform measures for economic recovery and for building strong foundation to regain the region's competitive advantage. 

The increased prominence of ASEAN can be attributed to its active and comprehensive agenda, including its role in the preservation of peace and stability in Southeast Asia and in the Asia-Pacific, its commitment to greater economic integration and liberalization, and its activities on other areas of a transnational nature.  ASEAN's comprehensive agenda, from political and security cooperation to economic integration and functional cooperation, contains very rich information that needs to be conveyed to a broad audience composed of many publics.

Culture and Information

The ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information and the ASEAN Secretariat are implementing and continuously developing a communications programme aimed at achieving the following objectives: (a) to develop among the general publics and opinion leaders in the ASEAN countries and selected non-ASEAN countries an awareness and positive opinion of ASEAN, its work, and how they are benefiting from it; (b) to transform positive public opinion into support for ASEAN and its work; (c) to make use of all available media to reach ASEAN's publics; (d) to develop and put in place a media network that is capable of delivering the message of ASEAN and its work to the same publics; and (e) to deepen and enhance the knowledge and understanding of ASEAN on the part of personnel who are involved in disseminating information about ASEAN to other people.

The key ASEAN messages include: (a) ASEAN is the family of all Southeast Asian nations working together for a brighter future for the region's 500 million people. As described in Vision 2020, that brighter future has three basic parts: peace, prosperity and the fulfilment of the human potential; (b) the work of ASEAN is already bringing concrete benefits to the peoples of the region in a way that is changing their lives; (c) the work of ASEAN will contribute to the making of a more peaceful, more just and prosperous world; (d) ASEAN deserves the support and help of its publics and it is in the interest of these publics that they support and help ASEAN.

These key messages are being disseminated in a continuous and sustained manner. Much of the work on developing the content for communication materials will be undertaken by the ASEAN Secretariat, but linkages with the national news and information networks of member countries need to be put up and strengthened. More communication materials will be produced in the form of information kits, basic primers and fact sheets, brochures, and other collaterals. A more active public contact program with the mass media will be undertaken through the provision of news, feature and other releases.

Promoting a sense of regional identity calls for awareness of the cultural heritage of the region.  Three broad strategies have been established by ASEAN-COCI: a more proactive program on cultural heritage, cultural promotion and appreciation, and the production of cultural showcases.

The ASEAN Declaration on Cultural Heritage seeks to consolidate in one single document all the major aspirations of ASEAN in this field.  The Committee has started drawing up an integrated work program to ensure that common priorities are immediately addressed. Such a work program will help pave the way for the more effective planning and formulation of ASEAN-COCI projects, including their management and implementation. It should also help eliminate duplication of activities or the presentation of ad hoc proposals that may not be in line with ASEAN priorities.

The thrust of cultural cooperation requires a deepened awareness and appreciation of each member's culture. There is a need, especially among the youth, to know and understand ASEAN - the history and cultures of its member countries - and why it is relevant to their lives.

ASEAN-COCI will produce materials on ASEAN cultures aimed at the younger generation and promote people-to-people exchanges through cultural immersion camps for the youth to expose them to ASEAN issues and the history and cultures of member countries.

Over the years, ASEAN has successfully organized festivals, performances and exhibitions that have enthralled audiences and have drawn artists and cultural officials together. COCI has also produced some excellent but limited copies of publications and video documentaries that have shown the richness of ASEAN cultures. Two current cultural projects are aimed at the international audience.  One is Realizing Rama," a modern dance production of the Asian epic Ramayana. After touring ASEAN capitals, the production will be shown in select cities abroad. An international exhibition of ASEAN contemporary art is also being mounted under the guidance of ASEAN professional curators. This will be exhibited in major art galleries in Europe.

ASEAN needs to continue organizing these events to stimulate creativity, enhance the artistic talents of its artists, directors and writers and expose them to international events to upgrade their professional outlook. The friendship and camaraderie built during such events will enable artists to play a more profound role in fostering a sense of regional identity in ASEAN. In line with the need to promote ASEAN awareness and its standing in the international community, showcasing the rich and colorful facets of the region's culture to audiences within and outside the region must continue.

The Role of the ASEAN Secretariat

The ASEAN Secretariat supports the member countries in their efforts to promote the region in several ways.  Firstly, the ASEAN Secretariat produces materials, which are sent to target organizations, such as business groups, ASEAN "committees in third countries," and affiliated non-governmental organizations, for dissemination to their respective constituencies.  Secondly, the ASEAN Secretariat undertakes an active media campaign through the regular issuance of press releases, one-on-one interviews, and media briefings.  Thirdly, the Secretary-General and other Secretariat officials participate in numerous public forums to spread the word on ASEAN's work.  Public information has a crucial role not only in promoting the goals, significance, and achievements of ASEAN, but also in making the public understand the limits of ASEAN. 

The Secretariat's Public Information Unit has always utilized the best media mix given certain limitations (i.e. funds and personnel) to implement its public relations activities. The Public Information Unit has targeted its information campaign specifically toward decision and opinion makers. 

In its relations with the media, the ASEAN Secretariat provides facts, figures and other information in timely fashion.  The Secretariat engages in campaigns to prime the media and public opinion on major regional issues.  The aim is to generate positive and accurate news coverage.

For the year under review, the Public Information Unit has produced 15 publications, including the ASEAN Annual Report, investment promotion publications, documents series, public information series, and other brochures.  For the first time ever, last year's ASEAN Annual Report was disseminated to officials, the media and the public immediately after its adoption by the 32nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Singapore.  The ASEAN Secretariat has also revived the ASEAN documents series containing all public documents adopted by various ASEAN bodies.

The ASEAN Secretariat has been actively utilizing information technology in public information activities.  The use of electronic mail has proven to be an efficient, economical, easy, and fast way of sending and receiving communications.  The ASEAN homepage (www.aseansec.org), in existence since December 1995 and constantly improved, has become a major resource for the media, researchers, public officials, and the general public.  The ASEAN homepage has increased its visitors from about 5,000 per month in January 1999 to 15,000 per month in January 2000 - a three-fold jump over one year.  This is the result of active promotion of the homepage by registering it in several Internet search engines, establishing reciprocal links with relevant Internet sites and disseminating free mousepads and bookmarks containing the ASEANWEB address.  The ASEAN Internet site has also been an effective mechanism for the public to communicate with the Secretariat.  The Secretariat requires greater resources in its effort to obtain a more superior bandwidth to improve access and connectivity.