CELEBRATING EDUCATION AND CULTURE: INAUGURAL ASEAN DAY EVENT HIGHLIGHTS ASEAN STUDENTS IN MELBOURNE

September 8, 2023, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – In an unprecedented collaborative effort, the Consulates General of the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia in Melbourne jointly held their first-ever ASEAN Day event highlighting ASEAN students in Melbourne, at the Indonesian Consulate General as the 2023 ASEAN Chair. The event, attended by over 65 students from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, aimed to reinforce ties and foster mutual understanding, especially among students.

During the event, the Consuls General emphasized the historical significance of ASEAN and the pivotal role students play in deepening ASEAN ties, as well as ASEAN’s close dialogue relations with Australia. Philippine Consul General Maria Lourdes M. Salcedo underscored the value of people-to-people engagement in ASEAN centrality, the platform for cooperation on regional issues and in engaging dialogue partners such as Australia. She expressed hope for regular ASEAN events among communities in Melbourne.

The evening featured various ASEAN student presentations on their courses of study and research in Australia. Representing the Philippines, Ms. Elizabeth Duyao of Monash University, Australia Awards Scholar, and Programs and EdTech Director of The Teacher’s Gallery, delved into the “Inclusive Lens Approach for Digital Learning”, stressing the significance of inclusive digital education for disadvantaged and disabled communities. Meanwhile, Ms. Aulia Hanifah, an Indonesian scholar, highlighted digital health transformations in ASEAN, and Ms. Shiao Lu, a Malaysian student, discussed education’s impact on ASEAN’s economic growth and innovation.

Cultural performances added vibrancy to the event. Mr. Antoine Aquino, a Filipino student, serenaded the audience with Filipino tunes on his guitar while Malaysian and Indonesian students offered separate dance performances. The festivities wrapped up with a networking dinner showcasing ASEAN’s culinary diversity, featuring, among others, delicacies from the Philippines such as seafood pancit bilao and ube halaya.

The Philippine Consulate General in Melbourne is committed to nurturing ties within and between ASEAN nations, aspiring to uplift ASEAN relations in areas of people-to-people engagement, education, and cultural understanding.

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