Kapunan joins the Philippine Official Delegation to AYERA 2013 in Thailand

Katherine Rose F. Kapunan, senior Political Science student of West Visayas State University was accepted to participate in the ASEAN Youth Exchange Program held in Bangkok, Thailand on May 15-25, 2013.

The ASEAN Youth Exchange Program entitled “The ASEAN Youth and the Evolving Regional Architecture” is organized by ASEAN Studies Centre of Chulalongkorn University. The program provided a platform to 150 student-delegates from ASEAN member countries to learn about ASEAN in areas related to three intertwined pillars – Political-security, Economic and Socio - Cultural pillars through various activities by Chulalongkorn University.

The ASEAN Youth Exchange Program aims to promote greater awareness about the establishment of the ASEAN Community and enhance the participation as well as integration of the ASEAN Youth to achieve the goal of ASEAN as “One Vision, One Identity, One Community” in order to ensure genuine people centered, durable peace and shared prosperity of the region.

The said program included workshops:

• Media Production
• Focus: Video Production & Photography
• Journalism
• Focus: Feature News & Article Writing
• Arts & Acting
• Focus: Play
• Advocacy
• Focus: Volunteer Leadership & Peace Workshop, discussion groups, socio-cultural gatherings, and excursion trips.

Discussion group topics included:

• Education for sustainable development
• Role of media to enhance mutual understanding and a sense of community Sexual and Reproductive Health
• Engagement with the community

The participating youths also shared their culture and talents in the ASEAN night, and learned in excursion trips provided by the program. Kapunan and her partner Jerome Aligora from University of the Philippines received cheers as they danced Binasuan, a challenging Philippine folkdance.

Kapunan went with 17 other representatives from University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University and Philippine Normal University.