THE upcoming ASEAN 100 Leadership Forum, which will be held later this year in Myanmar, has confirmed the participation of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, according to Asia Inc Forum.
The Burmese opposition politician is set to deliver a speech during the annual event and will also engage in dialogue with participants on the second day, Asia Inc said in a statement yesterday.
This year's forum, themed "Turbulent World. Asia Rising. Where do we go from here?", is set to take place in Yangon on December 5 to 6.
"The annual ASEAN 100 Leadership Forum is our flagship regional event, focusing on the next wave of ASEAN leaders from business, government and civil society," Asia Inc said in the release.
The company's chairman, Dato Paduka Timothy Ong, visited Suu Kyi at her residence in Naypyidaw, Myanmar's capital, on August 16 to confirm her participation.
"We are greatly honoured that Aung San Suu Kyi will participate in this year's ASEAN 100 Leadership Forum in Myanmar.
"Her journey and resilience has become a source of inspiration to many in ASEAN and beyond," he said.
Dato Ong said of Myanmar: "This forum takes place at an important time in the history of this important ASEAN nation as it opens up and re-engages the world"
Asia Inc said that participation in this year's ASEAN 100 Leadership Forum will include key government and business leaders from Myanmar and from across ASEAN.
"The government of Myanmar's commitment under the leadership of President Thein Sein to political and economic reform after decades of isolation is attracting significant interest in this nation of 60 million people located strategically where China meets India," the statement added.
Previous ASEAN 100 Leadership Forums have included the participation of current ASEAN Leaders including President Benigno Aquino III of the Philippines, Prime Minister Dato Sri' Najib Razak of Malaysia, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore.
Last September, the forum opened in Manila where leaders discussed how close the regional bloc is to becoming "One ASEAN" and ways to realise this vision.
The Asean 100 Leadership Forum, which was first started in 2003, has grown from strength to strength in terms of its ASEAN 100 network as well as the topics that have come out from it.
For more information on December's two-day ASEAN 100 Leadership Forum, interested parties can look up www.asean100forum.com.
The Brunei Times
Saturday, August 18, 2012
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