Source : Press Release and photo MCYS
MANILA, PHILIPPINES, Monday, 29 Syawal 1446 / 28 April 2025 – The 14th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Youth (SOMY XIV) convened on 28 April 2025 in Manila, Philippines and was chaired by Her Excellency Ms. Michelle Mae Gonzales, (Assistant Secretary/Commissioner, National Youth Commission, Philippines. This meeting was followed by the 13th ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials Meeting on Youth (13th SOMY +3) on 29th April 2025 co-chaired by Her Excellency Ms. Michelle Mae Gonzales and Mr. Fujimori, Director for International Youth Exchange, Japan.
The above meeting was attended by Yang Mulia Haji Zakaria bin Haji Serudin, Permanent Secretary (Youth), Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports, Brunei Darussalam, as head of the Brunei Darussalam delegation; ASEAN senior officials or representatives responsible for youth affairs; and high-level representatives, as well as the Deputy Secretary-General of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC).
The SOMY XIV and the 13th SOMY+3 are platforms for ASEAN Senior Officials and High-Level Representatives as well as relevant stakeholders in the field of youth affairs to exchange views and discuss cooperation towards empowering ASEAN youth towards developing the ASEAN Community and in line with the ASEAN Leaders' Statement on the development of ASEAN Community Post-2025. The Meeting expressed appreciation for the support provided by ASEAN dialogue partners, ASEAN youth organizations, partners organisation in the implementation of the ASEAN Plus Three Youth Work Plan 2021-2025, which complements the ASEAN Youth Work Plan 2021-2025. These work plan and programme aim towards empowering ASEAN youth and contribute towards strengthening, unity and cooperation by building friendship with dialogue partners.
The SOMY XIV and the 13th SOMY+3 were also attended by Senior Officials of ASEAN and Plus Three Countries responsible for youth, Partners Organization and High-Level Representative Organizations such as the Committee for ASEAN Youth Cooperation (CAYC), ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (ASEAN-IPR), ASEAN Foundation, ASEAN Youth Forum.
During the meeting, Brunei Darussalam took the opportunity to hold a bilateral Meeting with Japan to discuss the implementation of the ASEAN-Japan Youth Exchange Program and the future Japan-Brunei Darussalam cooperation program in youth affairs.
Also present during the meeting was Yang Mulia Dayang Zainab binti Haji Morshidi, Director of Youth and Sports Development and officials from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
