By Louis P. Morente
MANILA, Dec. 3 (PNA) -– US President Barack Obama said he plans to meet with youth representatives from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) who “is going to define the Asia Pacific for decades to come” when his planned visit to the region pushes through in April 2014.
Obama announced this during his video message to some 150 youth delegates at the opening of the three-day “LEAD ASEAN Youth Summit” held Tuesday at the Intercontinental Hotel, Makati City.
“LEAD” stands for Link, Engage, Activate and Develop.
“I’ll be making a return visit to the region this April. And when I do, I look forward to meeting with some of the young leaders who are part of this initiative — perhaps some of you — because your generation is going to define the Asia Pacific for decades to come. And I’m excited about the progress we can make together. So thank you for being here. Keep up the great work. On behalf of the American people, we’re honored to be your partner,” Obama said.
The US President also expressed his gratitude to the Philippine government and the Filipinos who have welcomed the participants and hosting the December 3-5 summit “even as they continue to respond to last month’s typhoon,” referring to the devastation brought by super typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) last Nov. 8.
“In recent weeks, we’ve seen our Filipino friends and partners from across the region and the United States join together — to rescue victims, care for the injured and homeless and begin to rebuild. Because when our friends are in trouble, we help. And today, my message to the Philippines, and to our allies and partners across the Asia Pacific, is that we stand with you. As you move forward, you will always have a friend and partner in the United States of America,” Obama said.
Obama said this spirit of friendship and cooperation is what brought the ASEAN youth in Manila “to meet shared challenges, from youth unemployment to human trafficking to climate change.”
The US President also proudly announced a new effort — the “Young South East Asian Leaders Initiative,” which will make the US government provide opportunity for youths in ASEAN to pursue quality education in their respective countries — including in science and technology — and even study in America.
”We’ll deepen the ties between us with new training and exchanges. And in partnership with businesses and investors, we’ll help more young entrepreneurs start their own ventures and create jobs,” Obama said.
The US President also revealed that since he spent much of his childhood in Indonesia, the Asia-Pacific region holds a special place in his heart; has helped him become who he is, and has influenced his approach in the region as a Western president.
“For me, this is personal. Having spent much of my youth in Indonesia, your region has a special place in my heart. Your rich cultures, proud traditions, and incredible dynamism — it helped shape who I am, and it shaped my approach to the region as President. Prosperity and peace in the Asia Pacific means more opportunity for us all, including the United States. And I want to make sure we’re building that future together,” Obama said, as his speech elicited applaud and cheers from the participants.
The main objective of the LEAD ASEAN Youth Summit was to encourage the 150 youth delegates under the age of 35 from the 10 ASEAN countries, to share their ideas on tackling issues within their countries and come up with innovative projects to provide solutions and raise awareness.
It also aims to acknowledge that the youth are what defines the future; that the youth themselves should take responsibility in addressing the challenges within their region, which as a result, will strengthen the ASEAN sense of identity. (PNA)