700 delegates from ASEAN social organisations, non-governmental organisations, and regional and global consultancy organisations are attending the sixth ASEAN People’s Forum, which opened in Hanoi on September 24.

 

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan called for the building of a peaceful, stable, and sustainably developing ASEAN community, with an increasing role and increasing benefits for all its people.

 

The Deputy PM said he hopes participants will work out measures to strengthen cooperation between ASEAN people’s organisations and propose them to member governments, to help build a people-centred ASEAN community.

 

Delegates applauded the theme of this year’s forum, “Solidarity and Action for a People-Centred ASEAN”, which complements ASEAN’s theme of “Towards the ASEAN Community: from Vision to Action”.

 

Professor Francisco Nemenzo of the Philippines said ASEAN will become better if social organisations can build close relationships and join hands to resolve the problems triggered by globalisation.

 

(VOV)