Another summit, more promises. After the 12th Summit at Cebu, ASEAN has agreed on 5 major points (go over to ASEAN website for details).
Setting up goals is one thing, to actually do it is another ball game. Will ASEAN be able reaching the common goals?
First of all, are we really serious about this, afterall ASEAN has seen alot of promises but no major progress and achievments with exception to the visa-free initiative. It is no coincedence that some call ASEAN a talk shop – another summit, another great holiday at a great city, isn’t it?
Let’s just admit this. ASEAN nations are too divided and too different to the extremes when it come to politics and economies. On paper, we are a “caring and sharing community“; but actuality we are like football teams competing against each other.
The real challenge of ASEAN is to earn each other trust. How can we earn each other trust? I’m not so sure how, but I’m sure it cannot be done overnight.
Politically, we’re divided but our people have generally been getting along well. Why not using the people power to great effect? Leave it to country leaders alone, things may never progress. People have to play a part. That’s why educating the mass about the benefit of ASEAN as a group is important. How about setting a common text book about ASEAN? Right now, apart from those who attend the summit, an ordinary guy on the street does not know what ASEAN is all about.
Making ASEAN studies compulsary in school would be a no-brainer. That would certainly encourages more debate amongst ordinary people. More debates, more ideas, more curiosities and more cultural exchanges. A common history and geography books would be a great bonus. Then again, history and geography wise, some nations are quiet at odds. That’s the challenge! We love challenges, don’t we?
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One Cool, Calm & Collected Comment:
January 22nd, 2007 at 2:20 pm
[...] Vireak in Cambodia argues that for the regional group ASEAN(Association of South East Asian Nations) to succeed, it needs more involvement of the people living in the region rather than the politicians. “Politically, we’re divided but our people have generally been getting along well. Why not using the people power to great effect? Leave it to country leaders alone, things may never progress. People have to play a part. That’s why educating the mass about the benefit of ASEAN as a group is important. “ Preetam Rai [...]
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