PHOTOS: ASEAN Day celebrated in Budapest

Six ASEAN Embassies residing in Budapest, namely Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, organized a celebration to commemorate the 56th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the Residence of the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia.

H.E. Mr. István Jakab, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary, graced the event as the Guest of Honor who delivered the keynote speech. The event was participated by more than 100 guests, including representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Hungarian government officials, Ambassadors, Charge d’affaires, and personnel of the Embassies of ASEAN Member States in Budapest, universities, businesses, ASEAN communities, students, and local journalists.

Following the ASEAN Anthem, the Ambassador of Thailand to Hungary, H.E. Mr. Nipon Petchpornprapas welcomed the participants on behalf of ASEAN Embassies in Budapest; proudly recalled a growing ASEAN that commits to peace, security, and prosperity; recognized EU and Hungary in particular as an important strategic partner, and the Partnership and Cooperation Agreements between the EU and ASEAN countries as landmarks of the bilateral relationship.

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Equality, shared interest, and mutual respects

In his remarks, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Mr. Abdurrachman Hudiono Dimas Wahab gladly shared ASEAN’s recent agreements, most remarkably the development of the electric vehicle ecosystem and payment connectivity; confirmed ASEAN’s determination to remain one of the fastest-growing regions of the world, an attractive destination for investment, despite a more challenging macroeconomic environment.

Photo: Embassy of Indonesia

In his speech, H.E. Mr. István Jakab congratulated ASEAN for its achievements over the past six decades; expressed his belief in ASEAN’s further strengthening its centrality role in the region, developing partnership with EU on the basis of equality, shared interest, and mutual respects and expanding relationship with Hungary in the fields such as parliamentary cooperation, infrastructure development, renewable energy, water management, trade, investment, ODA and education.

After the opening ceremony, guests had the opportunity to celebrate the “ASEAN Way” by savoring authentic and delightful cuisines, while listening to traditional music and songs from the six ASEAN member states residing in Budapest.