Remarks at ASEAN YOUTH DIALOGUE

Secretary-General of the Lao Youth Union, H.E. Monexay Laomoaxong;

Vice-Governor of the Luang Prabang Province, H.E. Soukanh Bounnhong;

Esteemed representatives of ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste;

Distinguished guests, and development partners;

And most importantly, ASEAN youth leaders –

The United Nations defines youth, for statistical purposes, as persons between ages 15 and 24. For non-statistical purposes, however, we are all young at heart and full of passion for our values and beliefs. And this is how I feel today in your company.

As the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Lao PDR, I am delighted to welcome you all to the ASEAN Youth Dialogue hosted by the Government of Lao PDR in this beautiful historic city of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.

The coming week is the most important one for the ASEAN Summitry, and there’s no better way to kick-start the week’s events with this dialogue. 

For the United Nations, youth participation and empowerment have never been higher on the agenda. 

Last year, the UN Secretary-General appointed the first Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs. This is a very senior appointment, signaling the Secretary-General’s commitment to youth engagement in decision-making. 

Exactly two weeks ago, at the Summit of the Future, UN Member States adopted the Pact for the Future. Agreed as part of the Pact is the Declaration on Future Generations, confirming that the way forward to meeting challenges to peace and development is by actively involving children and youth as the leaders of tomorrow.

The Summit of the Future showed what meaningful youth engagement looks like in action, and underscored the indispensable role young people play in improving our world. “Indispensable” as in absolutely essential, a role and a voice that belongs to youth itself – and to nobody else.

And all of you present here today *are* that voice, representing the ASEAN region, home to the largest youth cohort in our history.

As youth leaders you come from different walks of life. You are innovators, entrepreneurs, advocates for development, justice and sustainability. You have the potential of transforming the communities you live in, influencing the region as a whole – and doing so for the good of everyone.

Today, the world faces tough interconnected challenges – climate change, inequality, and the rapid pace of technological advancements. In the face of these challenges, bold, future-focused, innovative solutions are needed now more than ever.

I call on all of you to take ownership of your future and drive the change. 

The ASEAN region is diverse, with countries that are high and middle-income, and also some that are least developed states. This means that there is great potential for peer-to-peer learning and sharing.

The theme of this year’s ASEAN Summit is connectivity and resilience. Connectivity comes in many forms – physical, digital, and human-to-human.

The digital aspect holds a huge potential. As the most digitally connected generation in history, you have unprecedented access to information, tools and platforms. The Global Digital Compact, a key outcome of the recent Summit of the Future, highlights the transformative potential of digital technologies for the betterment of humanity. 

I urge you to be not just consumers of technology, but champions of its positive use. You can use digital platforms to amplify your voice on critical issues such as human rights, gender equality, and climate action. But also recognize that not everyone has equal access to these opportunities. You have a very important role to play in bridging the digital divide, especially in rural areas and among marginalized communities. Advocate for digital literacy and equitable access so that all young people in ASEAN can share in the benefits. 

Equality also applies to emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence that should be forces for good, leaving no region, country or community overboard.

Just over three weeks ago, this city – and other provinces of Laos – have sustained serious flooding. These floods are a stark reminder of the importance of building resilience that involves investing in human capital, breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty, and adapting to climate shocks. As youth leaders, I urge you to advocate for more inclusive and equitable investments in healthcare, education, skills development, job creation and social protection so that future generations are better equipped to tackle these challenges.

Over the next two days, you have a chance to shape policy recommendations that will be presented to ASEAN leaders. This is your opportunity to make a meaningful impact and influence the future direction of this region. 

As you engage in these discussions, remember that you represent not only yourselves but also those who could not be here – youth from rural areas, minorities and marginalized groups. Do ensure that every voice is heard and that every young person has the opportunity to contribute to our collective future.

So, take this moment to dream big, act boldly, and collaborate generously. Together, you can turn challenges into opportunities and make sure that ASEAN remains a beacon of growth, inclusion and resilience.

Let me leave you with this: the future of ASEAN is not something that will happen to you – it is something you will create.

It is your moment. Seize it. Make it count. The world will be a better place for it.

I wish you all the very best.