ASEAN Blogger Festival 2013

All about the #ABF2013

This year marks an exciting milestone for the Southeast Asian social community as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) launches the ASEAN Blogger Festival 2013 on May 10-12, 2013 in Central Java, Indonesia. Bloggers and social media practitioners from Southeast Asia will be converging amidst the beautiful backdrop of Solo City under the theme “Reinventing the Spirit of Cultural Heritage in Southeast Asia“.

 

 

Activities include a seminar on ASEAN Cultural Heritage Linkage and ASEAN Tourism, various workshops tackling online initiatives that impact positive social change (such as online business and advocacy), and enlightening discourse regarding social media development including but not limited to the role of social media in the ASEAN integration process and the ASEAN Blogger Community Plan of Action.

 

 

As a full-time social media specialist, this is an incredible opportunity to participate and contribute in groundbreaking discourse regarding social media development in Southeast Asia. For someone who deals with social media on a daily professional basis, I am excited to share my experience and expertise to hopefully begin to initiate positive impact not only for my own country but for neighboring ASEAN regions as well. Social media is a powerful tool whose influence seems entirely boundless; when used responsibly, I believe social media can create tangible, positive change within a Community.

 

 

In behalf of When In Manila, one of the top online communities and blog sites in the Philippines, this is a great opportunity to harness our extensive influence in order to spread awareness about ASEAN’s digital initiatives as well as forge friendships with other bloggers and social media practitioners from ASEAN regions. This festival is a good opportunity for ASEAN fellowship: working together and learning from one another as we foster towards the goal of becoming catalysts for positive social change.

 

ASEAN Community 2015
The ASEAN Community 2015 is comprised of three pillars, namely: the ASEAN Political-Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community, and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

As digital influencers, we can contribute greatly through social media. The ASEAN Political-Security Community is a platform for peaceful dialogue and cooperation among member states, as well as the rest of the international community. In our own way, we can help promote peace by working together to keep our regions safe from terrorists, drugs, and other negative influences. For the coming ASEAN Community 2015, we can unite together as one blogging community under a shared initiative to dedicate time and energy to focus on topics and digital efforts that will benefit the ASEAN community. 

 

 

The ASEAN Economic Community is moving towards free professional movement, capital and a faster customs clearance procedure. As bloggers, we can contribute to stronger economic development by initiating positive social influence such as creating opportunities for online businesses and online advocacy, which in turn generate more jobs and foster social as well as economic development. Our digital influence is also a chance for us to represent the ASEAN regions and connect with the world. By doing so, we are opening doors to discourse and learning. As a blogging community, our first step should be to forge relationships and friendships with communities from other ASEAN regions, learning from each other and growing together despite our differences. 

 

 

And lastly, the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community ensures a better life for its people through keeping a clean environment and working together against natural forces such as disasters and diseases. Throughout the years, social media has shown its immense capability in the Philippines when used as a powerful tool in response to natural disasters. As an ASEAN Community, we can work together to develop this tool further ensuring quality of life for ASEAN communities in times of need. As a blogging community, we can contribute greatly to the development of systemized social media structures that can prevent natural disasters and the spread of diseases through the strategic use of information and mass communication. 

 

 

Meet ASEANita!
ASEANita is the face and voice of ASEAN. She serves as a guide for discovering ASEAN in behalf of the 600 million people who share a cultural heritage called home. She represents unity despite diversity in ethnicity, religions, and linguistics. ASEANita represents one ASEAN community. The ASEAN Blogger Festival 2013 is co-presented by ASEANita and Air Asia. 

 

 

Connect with ASEANita and discover ASEAN together:
https://www.facebook.com/Aseanita
https://www.twitter.com/aseanita

 

When In Manila, be proud to be ASEAN! It might be more fun in the Philippines, but it is certainly more rewarding to share and learn, transcending cultural boundaries with friends. For more details and updates on the 2013 ASEAN Blogger Festival, follow @blogfestid and @aseanblogger on Twitter. 

 

 

ASEAN Blogger Festival 2013