ASEAN Blogger Festival 2013

The ASEAN Blogger Festival 2013 -- which is a conference for bloggers and social media enthusiasts from the ASEAN countries -- will be held in Solo, Central Java, Indonesia on May 10 - 12, 2013 with the theme “Reinventing the Spirit of Cultural Heritage in Southeast Asia”. 

Why I want to participate in the event

I love visiting new places, and what draws me to a particular destination, is its culture and history. I've always believed that a place's character lies in its traditions, its people's way of life and in its unique architecture. 

ASEAN Member Countries I've been to: Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam

But in trying to keep up with the changing times, more often than not, we also lose our heritage...our identity. This is why we have to exert a conscious effort in preserving it. After all, wouldn't it be boring if everyone and everything looked the same? 

By joining this event, I'm sure I will learn what measures our neighboring countries are putting in place in terms of cultural preservation. Additionally, bloggers can share notes on how we can help in this advocacy.

What ASEAN bloggers should do for the coming ASEAN Community 2015

The ASEAN Community is a place where all the member countries come together to build a better life for everyone based on the cornerstone of the 3 Ps: Peace, Prosperity and People. 

Being a blogger means we have a 'louder voice and influence' (which should always be used responsibly). And now fortunately through social media, information dissemination is easier and faster than ever. We can help in the following ways:

PEACE - Sure, we are all different. Sadly, sometimes these differences causes rift among nations. I feel that as a blogger, it is part of our responsibility to share what we have learned about our own culture and of others' as well. It is only through education will one understand and respect another. 

PROSPERITY - It is sad how mainstream media tend to sensationalize things, which in turn, create fear, misconception and other negative effects. 

We can counter this by highlighting not only the beauty of our countries, but more importantly, our people's reception of guests. This will help boost tourism, which hopefully, will attract more investors. When businesses grow, it will create more jobs and opportunities, and our quality of life will improve.

PEOPLE - By sharing our experiences, we create interest that compels more people to want to know more about our neighbors. It's amazing what we can learn about one another and from each other. Only then will we realize that we have more things in common than we can imagine. As the famous phrase used throughout Indochina goes: 'Same same but different' ;)

K