ASEAN Friendship Concert 2019:  Singing Together for Stronger Partnership

Bangkok: While in some regions, music and politics are in a dysfunctional relationship, marked by wary trysts and embarrassed silences, the Association of

Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries have shown that music supplements politics in deepening relations and strengthening partnerships.

The ten ASEAN member countries and their allies and partners have been holding meetings in the Thai capital Thailand focusing on multilateral and bilateral issues as well as ways to enhance their cooperation.

But away from politics, Bangkok also hosted a Friendship Concert under the theme of “Singing Together for Stronger Partnership” where famous artists from all the member countries performed, depicting the beautiful relationships among people in ASEAN member countries.

In June, the ASEAN countries ahead of their summit in Thailand issued a statement in which they stressed that guided by the ASEAN Charter to promote an ASEAN identity through the fostering of greater awareness of the diverse culture and heritage of the region, and the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 to realize a dynamic and harmonious community that is aware and proud of its identity, culture, and heritage, and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025 on working towards an Open and Adaptive ASEAN, proclaimed 2019 the ASEAN Cultural Year, and all activities under the ASEAN Cultural Year 2019 to be conducted under the theme of Diversity, Creativity,and Sustainability.