They should be proud of the ASEAN community identity as they are going to determine the direction of the Southeast Asian region in future.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi asked the young generation in Indonesia to learn about ASEAN while launching the ASEAN Teaching Materials Book for Primary and Secondary Education on Wednesday.

“The young generations have to know about ASEAN. They should be proud of the ASEAN community identity as they are going to determine the direction of the Southeast Asian region in future," she remarked at the virtual launch of the book on Wednesday.

She lauded the preparation of the book by the ministry in collaboration with the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry as an attempt to introduce ASEAN to the young generation from an early age.

Referring to the ASEAN Curriculum Sourcebook, the book emphasizes five main themes: respecting identity and diversity, linking global and local issues that are increasingly connected in the future, promoting equality and justice, as well as working together to create a sustainable future, she noted.

The book is expected to be used by teachers as a resource to increase students’ knowledge, skills, and positive behavior about ASEAN, Marsudi said.

"I hope that the launching of the book will provide knowledge about ASEAN and strengthen the ASEAN identity and values in our society," the minister added.

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Welcoming the chairmanship of Indonesia

In addition, Foreign Minister Marsudi informed that in 2023, Indonesia will get its turn to chair the ASEAN.

"Indonesia's success as chairman of ASEAN will be achieved only if the Indonesian community is able to support the chairmanship," she said.

The association has made a major contribution to the development of stability, peace, and prosperity in the Southeast Asian region for more than five decades, she remarked.

Furthermore, in the economic sector, the region is one of the world’s growth centers, with a projected gross domestic product of US$4.5 trillion (around Rp64,253 trillion) in 2030, according to a World Economic Forum report, she noted.

"ASEAN continues to encourage fair, free, open, and non-discriminatory economic cooperation," Marsudi said.

Amid the pandemic, ASEAN has also quickly restored the health and the economy sector in the region by facilitating the flow of goods and services as well as developing travel corridor arrangements, she added.

Meanwhile, in the education and human resource development sector, ASEAN has facilitated various teacher and student exchange initiatives as well as provided many scholarships, she pointed out.

The efforts have been carried out to ensure that the association is able to provide benefits to the people, Marsudi said.

“I think ASEAN has provided direct benefits in various sectors of our daily life. However, the principle of people-centered ASEAN can only be realized if the people manage to understand and be proud of the ASEAN identity," she remarked.

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Translator: Yashinta Pramudyani, Uyu Liman
Editor: Suharto
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