DLSU hosts ASEAN+3 Youth Cultural Forum 2015

The ASEAN University Network (AUN), in cooperation with DLSU, held the ASEAN +3 Youth Cultural Forum 2015 (AYCF) from September 7 to 10 with the theme “One Asia: Framing the Face of ASEAN +3 to our Youth through Culture and the Arts.”

Hosted by DLSU, the four-day event featured lectures, round-table discussions, workshops, cultural performances, cultural trips, and community engagement throughout the week. Overall, there were 118 delegates from different participating universities per country, namely:

• Xiamen University, Yunnan University, and Guanxi University (China)
• Universitas Gadjah Madah, University of Indonesia, and Universitas Airlangga (Indonesia)
• National University of Singapore (Singapore)
• Kanazawa University (Japan)
• Daejeon University (Korea)
• University Kebangsaan, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia, and University of Malaysia (Malaysia)
• Prince of Songkla University, Mahindol University, Burapha University, and Chulalongkorn University (Thailand)
• Can Tho University, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh, and Vietnam National University Hanoi (Vietnam)
• Ateneo De Manila University, University of the Philippines, and De La Salle University (Philippines)

The “+3” refers to China, Japan, and Korea, who recently joined the forum last 2013 through an invitation by the AUN.

On the AYCF

The AYCF was initiated in 2003 and was also hosted by DLSU. AUN Deputy Executive Director Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti shared that with the successful cooperation of various countries, the forum has become one of the main annual activities of the AUN. Its aim is to strengthen cultural understanding, friendship, and cooperation among people of the ASEAN, and contribute to the maintenance, preservation, and cultural enrichment of each respective country.

“The event shall convey the nurturing of our communities’ identity through this cultural exchange among the youth,” Dr. Dhirathiti stated. He acknowledges that the delegates, especially the ones attached to arts and culture, can gain many opportunities in the forum particularly in line with their studies and personal interests.

“Delegates gain from the program a network of youth who share the same interest,” Dr. Dhirathiti added. “The bond they have united and strengthened will surely benefit future ASEAN +3 initiatives and undertakings.”

Closing ceremony

The closing ceremony, which was held last September 10 at the Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium, showcased cultural shows, musicals, and dances performed by the delegates from different Southeast Asian universities.

As a symbolism of strong relations between the ASEAN members, collaborative performances were also included in the program. Later on in the closing ceremony, delegates were presented with plaques and a miniature jeepney model as tokens of appreciation.

DLSU Chancellor Dr. Gerardo Janairo stated that “this year’s theme paves the way for a deeper reflection of what it means to be Asian, especially in the light of the 2015 ASEAN integration initiatives.”

Dr. Janairo added, “Beyond setting the stage for sharing cultural expressions and promoting cultural understanding, this gathering affords our youth with a venue where they can optimize the power of their artistic talents and engage their counterparts from the region and the Philippines in meaningful dialogue and discourse of relevant issues, confronting culture and arts in their respective countries.”

Next year’s ASEAN Youth Cultural Forum will be hosted by Malaysia.