Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Executive Director of the ASEAN Foundation Makarim Wibisono received 17 visiting journalists from various ASEAN countries and Timor Leste at the ASEAN Foundation Secretariat here recently.

Dr. Makarim Wibisono gave lecture on ASEAN and the ASEAN Foundation, and on the various programs and activities supported by the Foundation that are in line with its mandate of promoting ASEAN awareness and identity, enhancing interaction among ASEAN stakeholders, and developing human capacity, the ASEAN Foundation said on its official website here Thursday.

He particularly explained on community building process that ASEAN is now undergoing.

He stated that in order to build up the common "we" feeling towards the ASEAN community building process, good communication among the various layers and networking of the society are required.

Dr. Makarim Wibisono further iterated the important role of the media in bridging the information gap between ASEAN and its peoples, and therefore, it is expected that the ASEAN media will be able to serve as communicator of ASEAN in conveying its messages to the public on the various developments of ASEAN.

He also emphasized the important role of the ASEAN Foundation in involving the youth in its projects and activities. He believes that the youth has great potential in bringing ASEAN to a higher level of political, economic and socio-cultural developments in the region and the international platform.

The 17 journalists, led by Mr. Pichai Chuensuksawadi, Editor-in-Chief of the Bangkok Post, come from various media groups namely Women`s Media Centre of Cambodia, Phnom Penh Post, Koran Tempo Inti Media (Indonesia), Inforithm_maze (Myanmar), Myanmar Consolidated Media LTD, Living Color Media (Myanmar), Philippine Daily Enquirer, Vietnam Student Newspaper, Vietnam News, Vietnam Financial Review, Viet Nam Television, Timornewsline and Timor Post.

They are participating in a journalist training program organized by the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit), previously InWent - Capacity Building International, that is aimed at enriching the journalists` understanding of the concept of regional integration and of the history, institutions and policies of ASEAN to improve the quality of media reporting on ASEAN matters.
(Tx.F001/HAJM)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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