TEHRAN- The 57th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was celebrated in Tehran on Thursday evening.

The ceremony to mark the 57th ASEAN Day, held at the place of Vietnamese Embassy in Tehran, was participated by the ambassadors of ASEAN countries as well as the ambassadors of some other countries in Iran, in addition to a number of Iranian and foreign diplomats and officials, including Ali Asghar Mohammadi, an official with Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Philippines’ Ambassador to Iran Roberto G. Manalo delivered speech in the ceremony on behalf of all ASEAN ambassadors in Iran. The following is the major part of his speech.

"I speak on behalf of the Ambassadors of the ASEAN Tehran Committee: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

It is with great honor and immense pride that the Ambassadors of ASEAN gather before you today as we celebrate the 57th Founding Anniversary of ASEAN under the theme: “Connected and Resilient Community.” This occasion is not merely a reminder of our history, but a celebration of our shared aspirations, achievements and the enduring spirit of cooperation.

Fifty-seven years ago, ASEAN was established with a vision to promote peace, stability and prosperity in our region. Today, we are united as one community of ten diverse nations, each contributing its unique strengths and perspectives to a collective journey. We belong to that part of the world where a sense of common decency abound manifested in our peoples’ friendly smiles, warm camaraderie, kind disposition, respect for one another, and most of all, good neighborliness.  Indeed, the “Association” should be more aptly called a “Family” of Southeast Asian peoples.

Over the years, ASEAN has made remarkable strides in fostering peaceful co-existence and economic growth, enhancing cultural exchanges and promoting sustainable development.

Together, we have sustained an environment of peace and stability, advancing diplomacy as a means to resolving disputes and maintaining harmony within the region. Here and now, ASEAN has emerged as an indispensable player and major contributor to peace, security and prosperity in Southeast Asia and beyond. All external threats to ASEAN’s unity will always be met with truthful diplomacy and respect for the rule of law.

The COVID-19 pandemic the past four years has put our resilience to the test and challenged us in unprecedented ways. Yet, ASEAN has demonstrated its ability to adapt and innovate. Through the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework, we prioritized health, security, economic recovery and social resilience. Our collaborative efforts have not only helped us navigate these turbulent waters but also reinforced our commitment to building a more integrated and sustainable future.

A rundown of ASEAN’s achievements these past years must be highlighted at this point:

* On the economic pillar: ASEAN had a combined population of over 660 million and a collective GDP of almost $3.2 trillion in 2019. But take note, that figure was 5 years ago prior to the pandemic. Since then, ASEAN has fully recovered from the ravages of COVID-19. ASEAN now has a combined GDP of approximately $3.7 trillion with over 670 million people in population size. This makes ASEAN the third-largest economy in Asia and the fifth-largest in the world. By 2030, ASEAN is projected to be the fourth-largest economy in the world;

* In the political-security pillar: ASEAN’s convening power, commitment to dialogue and experience in conflict prevention are crucial pillars of stability. To quote the speech of the United Nations Secretary General last year at the ASEAN-UN Summit in Jakarta: “Today, (global) tensions remain high…...  I am grateful to ASEAN member States for your pursuit of dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution, rooted in the respect for international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea;”

* And in the Socio-Cultural pillar:  Based on the report of ASEAN Secretary General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn – “ASEAN focused on strengthening health systems, implementing initiatives on health security and universal (health) coverage, and establishing the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases. Progress was made in achieving global nutrition targets. ASEAN also worked on education and skills development, launching guidelines for the reopening schools safely (after the pandemic), promoting digital transformation in education, and enhancing higher education. Work was done to protect children and migrant workers, promote youth and women’s inclusion, improve governance, preserve cultural heritage, and enhance resilience to disasters and climate change action.”

As we reflect on our achievements, it is essential to also highlight the invaluable relationship we have cultivated with our host country here, the Islamic Republic of Iran. Our partnership, grounded in mutual respect and shared interests, has flourished since Iran’s signing of the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in 2018. Consistent with Iran’s Look East Policy, ASEAN has once again become one of Iran’s major focus, with the exchange of visits of many of our high ranking officials over this past year, in addition to the hundreds of thousands of Iranian tourists who come to our region every year.

We welcomed Iran’s application for Sectoral Dialogue Partnership with ASEAN and look forward to meaningful collaborations that will facilitate and promote synergies in various fields of interest such as health, nanotechnology, oil and gas, renewable energy, outer space and satellite technology, science and innovation, among many others.

We must seize the opportunity to strengthen our ties further. The ASEAN-Tehran Committee plays a pivotal role in this endeavor. It is not merely a forum for exchange of views, but a platform for action, a bridge that connects our peoples, cultures and economies with Iran.

The way forward for the ASEAN Tehran Committee is clear: to further focus on enhancing trade and investment, foster more cultural exchanges and promote better mutual understanding with Iran."

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Vietnam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.

ASEAN organs always strive to achieve ASEAN’s goals and objectives, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat shall be functioned as coordinating Secretariat to help facilitate effective decision-making withing and amongst ASEAN bodies. In addition, each Member State shall appoint a Permanent Representative to liaise with Secretary-General of ASEAN and the ASEAN Secretariat 

As set out in the ASEAN Declaration, the aims and purposes of ASEAN are:

* Accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavors in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian Nations;

* Promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries of the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter;

* Promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interest in the economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific and administrative fields;

* Provide assistance to each other in the form of training and research facilities in the educational, professional, technical and administrative spheres;

* Collaborate more effectively to encourage further growth in the agriculture and industry, and trade sectors. This includes improving transportation and communications facilities and conducting studies on international commodity trade with the overarching goal of raising the living standards of ASEAN peoples;

* Promote Southeast Asian studies; and

* Maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regional organizations with similar aims and purposes, and explore all avenues for even closer cooperation among themselves.

Photo: Ambassadors of ASEAN countries in Iran and an Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry’s official cut the cake in ASEAN DAY ceremony in Tehran.