• Introduce and provide real-life experiences about ASEAN member countries, encompassing social, cultural, economic, political aspects, and more, to enhance the understanding of the academic community and the wider public about ASEAN and its member countries.
• Promote ASEAN Identity and enhance the understanding of the academic community and the wider public regarding the narrative of ASEAN identity in the context of regional integration.
• Build a network of institutions focusing on Southeast Asia and ASEAN for potential collaboration and activities in the coming years.
• Strengthen relationships between relevant stakeholders and ASEAN member countries.

• Academic community (not limited to UGM, not limited to universities)
  General public (restricted to the Special Region of Yogyakarta Province)

The second event is the Southeast Asian Movie, held on the second day of each Country in Focus. This event features screenings of films from Southeast Asian countries, followed by film discussions. The films showcased correspond to the country in focus, and the selection is based on narratives that depict real-life conditions of the respective highlighted countries.

In addition to introducing Southeast Asian countries and Southeast Asian movies, participants will be invited to familiarize themselves with the featured country through language learning activities, practicing singing the country’s songs, watching local cultural performances, tasting traditional foods, and hopefully witnessing live cooking demonstrations in the “Experiencing Southeast Asian Culture” program. This event will be held on the third day of each Country in Focus.

The entire series of events, CESASS SERIES ON COUNTRY IN FOCUS “Embracing Southeast Asia, Its Lands and Its People to Forge an ASEAN Identity,” is complemented by the Southeast Asian Exhibition and Photobooth. The Southeast Asian Exhibition showcases photos and/or posters, cultural objects, musical instruments, traditional costumes, and more, illustrating the ambiance of the country currently in focus. The Exhibition and Photobooth run for three days during each Country in Focus. In this activity, CESASS intends to involve the ASEAN Member States’ Mission or Embassy in Indonesia. Collaboration with the ASEAN Member States’ Mission or Embassy will add a deeper dimension to this exhibition by presenting authentic materials and attributes in the cultural wealth of each country in the Southeast Asian region. Through the participation of the ASEAN Member States’ Mission or Embassy, this event is expected to provide a profound and memorable experience for all participants and visitors.

As part of efforts to provide information to the academic community and the general public, a session called the Southeast Asia Scholarship Fair will be held as part of the CESASS SERIES ON COUNTRY IN FOCUS “Embracing Southeast Asia, Its Lands, and Its People to Forge an ASEAN Identity.” CESASS will invite representatives from ASEAN Member States’ Missions or Embassies in Indonesia to participate in this session. These representatives will share information about scholarships their governments offer for international students. By involving representatives from the missions or embassies of ASEAN Member States, CESASS aims to provide a comprehensive and accurate source of information about scholarship opportunities in the Southeast Asian region. This session will be followed by a discussion or question-and-answer session. The target audience for this event is the academic community in general and it is open to the broader public.

In line with the objectives of organizing the CESASS SERIES ON COUNTRY IN FOCUS “Embracing Southeast Asia, Its Lands and Its People to Forge an ASEAN Identity,” which aims to introduce ASEAN member countries to the academic community and the general public, CESASS UGM plans to collaborate with the Education Office of the Special Region of Yogyakarta by involving educators (teachers) and students from across Yogyakarta in the Southeast Asia Competition.

This competition will be held once in the second week of August 2024 (planned on August 10th), coinciding with the establishment of the ASEAN. The competition targets students from elementary schools, junior high/middle schools, senior high schools, and university students throughout Yogyakarta. The event will take place at the Grha Sabha Pramana of Universitas Gadjah Mada. The participant selection mechanism involves inviting each school to send student representatives based on predetermined competition categories.

The types of competitions that will be held include an infographic competition, a speech competition, a quiz competition, and a painting competition. Each competition will have 3 winners based on the judgment of the judges and their respective scores, following the regulations set by the organizing committee.