ASEAN Heads of State/Government Informal Meeting with ASEAN Youth Representatives

On 28 February 2009 at 12.00-12.30 hrs. H. E. Abhisit Vejjajiva Prime Minister of Thailand chaired the ASEAN Leaders’ Informal Meeting with Representatives of ASEAN Youth along with 9 ASEAN Leaders and Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, ASEAN Secretary-General, at the Dusit Thani Hotel Hua Hin, Cha-am, Phetchaburi.

The ASEAN Leaders’ Informal Meeting with Representatives of ASEAN Youth is a part of a series of informal meetings between ASEAN Leaders and representatives of the peoples of ASEAN, including ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, youths, civil societies, and the private sector, which is aimed at promoting greater people participation in ASEAN according to the ASEAN Charter which entered into force on 15 December 2008.

During the meeting, the Thai Prime Minister stressed the important role that youths can play in helping create an ASEAN Community, both as recipients of the benefits of ASEAN integration and as Leaders of ASEAN in the future. In this connection, he also called upon the youths of ASEAN to play its creative part in raising awareness of ASEAN and reaping the benefits of community-building.

Joint Statement of the ASEAN University Youth Summit 2008 (held in Bangkok on 16 September 2008) was submitted by representatives of ASEAN Youth to ASEAN leaders.