Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei Darussalam is the Asean Chair for this year with the theme 'Our People, Our Future, Together' and it is imperative for Bruneians to know more about Asean and its relevance to the country and its citizens.

With this in mind, UBD will be holding a public lecture on Asean and the Community this Saturday, March 9 at the Auditorium of ILIA Building and is open to the public.

The talk will be delivered by Senior Advisor on Asean and Human Rights at the Indonesia's NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy or Human Rights Working Group (HRWG), Wahyuningrum.

The spirit of deeper regionalism and efforts to move Asean beyond a mere association were echoed since the Bali Summit in October 2003 where at that summit, Asean leaders adopted the Declaration of Asean Concord II (Bali Concord II).

Amongst all, the agreement is to establish an Asean Community consisting of three pillars for cooperation to include political and security, economic, as well as sociocultural and furthermore with the signing of the Charter in 2007, Asean has become legally and functionally stronger to further the Asean Community integration.

Emerging the Asean Community means an institutional shift within the region and along with this shift, the scattered societal configuration of Southeast Asia will develop towards a more organised community.

Institutional building, norm-setting activities and the formation of being part of the Asean Community are three important elements that could help shape the ongoing construction of the Asean Community. Moving forward with Asean Community in 2015 is not without challenges. There are enhancing connectivity within the region, narrowing the development gaps, maintaining the Asean centrality in the regional architecture, increasing public awareness and the sense of ownership among the Asean's people and making Asean relevant to the daily life of the people by improving their welfare.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin