C asean đến Việt Nam, mang theo sứ mệnh kết nối

C asean extends its ASEAN connectivity mission to Vietnam

On 28 June 2022, C asean, an entity under ThaiBev Group, officially inaugurated its Vietnam branch, taking place at Melia Hotel in Hanoi.

This is C asean’s first ever presence outside of Thailand. Under the umbrella of Thai Beverage Public Company Limited (ThaiBev), C asean is a non-profit entity aiming to create a platform to connect ASEAN communities, focusing on three key pillars: business & sustainability, leadership & talent development and arts & culture.

Joining the opening ceremony were the representatives from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Royal Thai Embassy in Vietnam, leaders from ThaiBev Group, other Thai corporations and the Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (SABECO), etc.

Distinguished guests cut the flower ribbon, officially opening C asean Vietnam.

Delivering the opening speech at the event, Mrs. Nguyen Phuong Hoa – Director General of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has shared her appreciation for the good intention of C asean and showed openness for potential collaboration: “We are delighted that Vietnam was chosen as the first country outside of Thailand for the expansion of C asean’s missions. We highly appreciate C asean’s aim to foster collaboration for the better of ASEAN connectivity and we are also inspired by the initiatives and actions that C asean has taken over the years. The Ministry looks forward to the potential collaboration with C asean in the fields of culture, arts, tourism and sports and hopes that with C asean Vietnam, the network and cooperation between ThaiBev Group and its ecosystem with Vietnamese and ASEAN public and private partners across sectors will be expanded”.

Followed Mrs. Hoa was the Managing Director of C asean – Mrs. Tongjai Thanachanan: “Today marks another milestone in our journey after almost a decade since the establishment of C asean in Bangkok with an ambitious mission to be a collaboration platform for the better of ASEAN’s connectivity. We have been collaborating with business communities, government entities, the ASEAN Secretariat, academic institutions, social entrepreneurs, artists, young talents, and future leaders across the region to strengthen our unity and build up sustainable ASEAN together”.

Mrs. Nguyen Phuong Hoa, Director General of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism delivered the opening speech.

Representing the main sponsor and the founding member of C asean Vietnam, Mrs. Tran Kim Nga, the General Director of Vietnam Beverage Company Limited, expressed her happiness to be laying down the first tiles for the development of C asean in Vietnam so that the entity can continue carrying out its meaningful missions. She added, “Vietnam Beverage has always been active in sustainable development activities and collaborated with C asean to support teachers and students in Central Vietnam impacted by natural disasters. We are also very much interested in a potential collaboration with

C asean in its remaining two pillars – talent development and arts and culture. Also, Melia Hotel in Hanoi is a great rendezvous for international guests and would greatly support C asean’s mission of ASEAN connectivity”.

Since its establishment in 2015, C asean has been collaborating with different public and private entities with the aim to enhance ASEAN connectivity. In the business dimension, C asean aims to promote sustainable development practices across all segments of the economy, ranging from young entrepreneurs to large corporations, including programs such as Thailand Corporate Sustainability Symposium, Thailand Sustainability Forum, Sustainability Action Hero Photo Contest. The most significant initiative under this pillar is the Win Win WAR Thailand – the first TV show dedicated to selecting and incubating social enterprises in Thailand.

On human empowerment, C asean fosters future leaders of ASEAN through various leadership and talent development programs through key activities such as the ASEAN Youth Speech Contest, ASEAN Youth Showcase and the collaboration with the U.S. government’s signature youth program in the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Summit and YSEALI Smart Cities Regional Workshop.

Lastly, C asean celebrates ASEAN art and cultural dialogues, believing that it is the universal language that creates stronger bonds of mutual understanding and harmony, with the programs such as the C asean Consonant, the one and only ASEAN traditional ensemble with ten artists from 10 countries, amongst other activities.