Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 4) — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), during its 50th Anniversary Grand Celebration, will celebrate its roots through the “Tribute to the Founding Fathers of ASEAN” activity on August 8.
The event, which will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center Plenary Hall in Pasay City, will recognize the five ASEAN founding fathers-former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia, former Foreign Ministers Adam Malik of Indonesia, Narciso Ramos of the Philippines, S. Rajaratnam of Singapore, and Thanat Khoman of Thailand.
ASEAN chair President Rodrigo Duterte will award plaques of recognition to the descendants or representatives of the founding fathers.
The ASEAN was formed on August 8, 1967 through the Bangkok Declaration. It originally had five members-Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand-and has since expanded to include Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
During the Grand Celebration, the winners of ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes Awards, the ASEAN Youth Social Entrepreneurship Awards, and the ASEAN Rice Science and Technology Ambassadors Awards will also be recognized.
“These modern heroes of ASEAN are champions in the areas of biodiversity protection and conservation, social entrepreneurship, and rice science and technology research and development,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in its statement.
It added the celebration will be part of the closing ceremony of the annual ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and Related Meetings held from August 2 to 8, where regional issues such as the South China Sea disputes, violent extremism, tensions in the Korean Peninsula, and illegal drugs will be discussed.
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Aside from the “Tribute to the Founding Fathers,” the ASEAN will also commemorate its golden anniversary through a “Landmark Lighting” activity at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, to be led by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.
According to the DFA, “a colorful 20-foot ASEAN lantern will be lit at exactly 7:00 p.m…simultaneous with lighting activities in more than 70 cities and municipalities all over the Philippines. The beautifully-designed ASEAN Lantern was made in Pampanga, Philippines, known for its lantern industry, and will feature the flags of ten ASEAN Member States, the emblem of ASEAN, vinta sails, sampaguitas, anahaw leaves, and singkaban, among others.”
Landmark Lighting activities will also be held in other ASEAN Member States.
“The Landmark Lighting symbolizes ASEAN’s important role as the light that guides the path of the ten ASEAN Member States in pursuit of regional peace and security, prosperity, and socio-cultural development,” the statement added.
Other activities in the 50th anniversary celebration include a simultaneous blowing of horns by sea vessels nationwide, the student-run ASEAN Grand Parade, and the ASEAN Music Festival at the Bonifacio Global City High Street in Taguig.
