Today, Sujiro Seam, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to ASEAN officially inaugurates 11 youth representatives from ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste as the first ever cohort of the Youth Sounding Board for EU in ASEAN (YSBEA).
Among the 11 inaugural members is Chilanhouth Nitvongkhay, a 22-year-old Lao digital skills advocate.
Chilanhouth’s inclusion in the YSBEA highlights his commitment to addressing the digital divide in Laos and promoting digital literacy. He has been active in equipping Lao youth with digital tools to advocate for climate action and environmental sustainability. His previous efforts include training 100 participants on using digital platforms for climate advocacy, leading to new community projects aimed at raising climate change awareness.
YSBEA will provide Chilanhouth and his peers a platform to influence EU policies on key issues such as digital infrastructure and sustainable development. This is particularly relevant as Laos, under its ASEAN Chairmanship for 2024, prioritizes digital transition to boost regional connectivity and economic growth. The YSBEA’s focus on empowering youth aligns with Laos’ efforts to close the digital gap and build a more inclusive, tech-savvy future.
The establishment of YSBEA is an initiative aimed to boost young people’s engagement in EU-ASEAN cooperation to act as a youth advisory group to the EU Delegation.
“The selection of YSBEA members is an acknowledgement of their outstanding leadership qualities and impressive achievements. YSBEA will provide a consultative space and platform for young people to strengthen the European Union’s strategic partnership with ASEAN. YSBEA participation will make the actions of the European Union more relevant and effective for young people,” Seam said.
“Young people are change-makers and essential partners in ensuring the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Youth have an important role to play in deciding the future of this region: to build a better future that is greener, more inclusive, and digital. YSBEA members’ participation reflects their testament and commitment to make a difference,” he added.
YSBEA members had the opportunity to pay a courtesy call to Nararya S. Soeprapto, Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs of ASEAN.
DSG Nararya highlighted the pivotal role of the youth in contributing to the achievement of key development goals within the region, noting that the ASEAN youth population accounted for around 34 percent of the overall population in 2020 and is projected to peak in 2038.
He emphasized that ASEAN recognizes the crucial role of youth as key drivers of growth, as reflected in the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the Development of the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision. This statement, adopted by ASEAN Leaders at the 42nd ASEAN Summit in May 2023, underscores the importance of empowering youth to actively participate in shaping the future of the region.
“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of the Youth Sounding Board for EU in ASEAN (YSBEA),” said representative from Cambodia, Vichny Chanchem. “I look forward to collaborating with like-minded fellow YSBEA members to strengthen EU-ASEAN cooperation on sustainable development that upholds the rights of the people in ASEAN.”
These 11 individuals are young activists who are passionate in the fields of the environment and climate change, education, science and technology, human rights, gender, entrepreneurship and health. The inauguration of YSBEA is part of a 3-day on boarding phase consisting of an induction and mentorship program on environment and energy; digital and infrastructure; gender equality; human development; migration and forced displacement; human rights, peace and governance; as well as sustainable growth and jobs.
YSBEA is among 30 Youth Sounding Board groups established by other EU Delegations worldwide as part of the Youth Action Plan (YAP) for EU external action. The YAP serves as the EU’s guiding framework to promote meaningful youth participation and empowerment globally for sustainable development, equality and peace. Focusing on three core areas of action: Engage, Connect and Empower, the YAP is a timely endeavor to engage young people in EU external actions.
