Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) held an opening ceremony of the 19th ASEAN and 9th ASEAN+3 Youth Cultural Forum on 24th June 2024 at Bridex Banquet Hall, Jerudong. The 19th ASEAN and 9th ASEAN+3 Youth Cultural Forum is part of the ASEAN University Network’s (AUN) youths’ initiatives. UBD will conduct a six-days forum to be held from 23rd to 28th June. The main purpose is to capture the essence of ASEAN’s cultural heritage and its impacts to foster greater understanding and appreciation of the concept of ‘ASEANness.’ This forum serves as a dynamic platform for celebrating the diversity and commonalities within the ASEAN+3 region through meaningful dialogues centered on artistic and cultural experiences. The annual event was established since 2003 with AUN member universities from the 10 ASEAN countries and expanded to ASEAN+3 with delegates from China, Japan and Korea in 2012.
The theme of this year’s 19th ASEAN and 9th ASEAN+3 Youth Cultural Forum is “Futuring Together Towards Preserving Arts and Culture” (Mendepan Bersama ke Arah Kelestarian Seni dan Budaya) and a total of 145 delegates from 20 AUN Member Universities in ASEAN Member States; Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and 7 partners from ASEAN+3 countries namely China, Japan and Korea participated in this annual event. Last year, the host for the 18th ASEAN and 8th ASEAN+3 Youth Cultural Forum was Universitas Indonesia.
The opening ceremony was graced by Yang Mulia Dr Haji Azman bin Ahmad, the Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education and also attended by Yang Mulia Dr Hazri bin Hj Kifle, Vice Chancellor of UBD and Yang Mulia Dr Chin Wei Lej, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education. Also present at the ceremony, Dr Choltis Dhirathiti, Executive Director of ASEAN University Network (AUN).
Yang Mulia Dr Haji Rozaiman bin Haji Makmun, the Co-Chair of the19th ASEAN and 9th ASEAN+3 Youth Cultural Forum and Deputy Dean II of Student Affairs Section, in his welcoming remarks emphasised that UBD is delighted to kickstart the annual Youth Cultural Forum that showcased the collaborative arts and cultural national performances from each participating country.
The program offered a rich blend of cultural experiences, including cross-cultural communication workshops, leadership and artistic skill development in areas such as Brunei martial arts, theater, traditional music, as well as sessions on language diversity. Also included in the 5-day event, various activities, including academic lectures, campus tours, an ASEAN Art and Cultural Bazaar, social and educational visits, excursions, and workshops. The event concluded with a collaborative performance, showcasing the newly formed relationships and networks among participants.