“The Warwick ASEAN Conference 2015 is a realisation of the hopes of ASEAN students that youth would be able to engage more on the current happenings in the region as well as understand the progress and change the region is shifting towards. Awareness amongst youth on ASEAN is still lacking, and that resonates with all of us from different ASEAN countries. As the generation that will enter the workforce within the next one to three years, we believe it is crucial for us to understand not only the opportunities but also challenges that await us, as we would be able to work across borders as the ASEAN region continues to integrate its institutional, physical as well as people connectivity.

As the ASEAN Economic Community 2015 dawns upon the region come December 2015, ASEAN will move towards being a single market and production base, with new mechanisms and measures to strengthen the implementation of its existing economic initiatives such as facilitating movement of business persons, skilled labour and talents, and strengthening the institutional mechanisms of ASEAN. All of this only means that the youth would have to play an ever wider role to ensure that the efforts put in are not in vain and that the continuity of the cohesion endures. The Warwick ASEAN Conference 2015 is not a mere engagement of speakers to discuss issues; rather it offers a fascinating experience to develop thinking and a platform to stimulate critical discussions with the unique rhythms of our multifarious ASEAN culture. It is indeed hoped that this first student-run ASEAN conference in the UK would be able to mark the commitment that youth have towards ensuring that the ideals of ASEAN will be achieved.”

Muhammad Hazim bin Mohamad
Coordinator,
Warwick ASEAN Conference 2015,
University of Warwick