ASEAN Anthem: The ASEAN Way

No better way to open the new year but by singing the first and Official ASEAN Anthem: The ASEAN Way!

The Asean Way - Kittikhun Sodprasert, Sampao Triudom, Payom Valaiphat

Raise our flag high, sky high
Embrace the pride in our heart
ASEAN we are bonded as one
Look-in out-ward to the world.
For peace, our goal from the very start
And prosperity to last.

We dare to dream we care to share.
Together for ASEAN
we dare to dream
we care to share for it's the way of ASEAN.

Happy New Year 2009 to all!!

The ASEAN Year

2008 is the ASEAN Year, two (out of three) major events occured many of us were not aware. The taking into effect of the ASEAN Charter and our first ASEAN Anthem (not that there will be a second or a third).

ASEAN Charter in full effect

The first was the full ratification of the 1st ASEAN Charter which took effect on December 14, 2008, a month after Thailand submitted the last Instrument of Ratification.

With the Asean Charter now in effect it solidifies the need to go back to the grassroots, the very reason why it exists - We, the Peoples of Asean. For years, ASEAN has become just another news-item many people simply ignore. One reason, lack of information as well as the fact that it has become so far away - an elite, top-minds group.

But could they do it? I think this is where the grassroots comes in, we have ideas how to bring ASEAN to our level which the elite and top-minds can not even fathom. If you read a lot of books, from fiction to philosophy, there is always this concept wherein someone who's way up there, so intelligent, fails to understand or think of the simplest things. In my Point-of-View, this is exactly what is happening.

For example, August 8 is ASEAN Day, and the ASEAN Charter simply stated that we must observe it. No member country has yet declared it as an official Holiday, which is very important in my opinion. Simply observing it is not enough, we need to make the people aware that there is something special every 8th of August.

What's declaring it an Official Holiday got to do with ASEAN awareness? People will ask what is the new Holiday about - ASEAN Day. They may just go to the malls or sleep, but at the bottom of it the people were made aware of "ASEAN" (and "ASEAN Day"). We are all busy people. Most of us only take notice of something "new", something that we haven't heard before, and if our daily routine was disturbed - like a Holiday. And being busy people that we are, we remember by heart the Holidays and we expect these holidays every year.

Eventually, we can use this awareness and expectation to launch more projects or events to further the goals of ASEAN, especially the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Pillar. People will talk about it, ask things about it, and will get involved or express their opinions about it - especially today via Blogging and Micro-blogging.

These simple things can make a huge difference and impact to bringing ASEAN back to its grassroots. I've said this one year ago, December of 2007 to make August 8 an Official Non-Working Holiday and I am going to repeat this over and over until all 10 member Nations do so. And I am not alone, many ASEAN Citizens as well.

(More about this on my summary of the ASEAN Awareness Survey.)

We also have an identity crisis here, what is (being) an ASEAN Identity? We, the Peoples of ASEAN, must get involved, and with the ASEAN Charter now in force, we can finally help shape the region and establish the true ASEAN Spirit.

The ASEAN Anthem

The second was the announcement and first singing of the new ASEAN Anthem entitled "The ASEAN Way" (very fitting for our diverse region). For the first time in our region's history, we now have an Anthem to sing to help us identify ourselves as "ASEAN Citizens", and show the world that we are one despite our diverse culture and differences.

If you were not aware of how the ASEAN Anthem was chosen, there was a regional competition where the chosen entry will win U$20,000 and will become the official Anthem. Do not worry, the dissemination wasn't that effective for some countries.

For example, ASEAN-Philippines disseminated the information to various schools of music and Philippine composers. They also coordinated with the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA). A job well done. However, it is sad that somewhere along the effort and the enthusiasm ended.

I don't remember seeing news about it or reading it from major newspapers (I could have missed it, but how many times was it reported). The PIA could also have sent the information to all the Philippine companies, that is one major way of getting the information out.

I think it is time that we have a serious "ASEAN Information Campaign". True, there are budget concerns, the other agencies were busy and have other more important issues to address. Then why not send the information to Bloggers and Micro-Bloggers? Why not tap the local online gaming companies? I highly doubt no one will talk about a U$20,000 award for creating ASEAN's first-ever Anthem!!

The information was passed on which is great, a job well done. However, there are other channels that could have been used and exploited. ASEAN is better marketed (if that's the right word to use) to the youths, the new generation. Where are most of them? Playing online games. How about the new social media? Then we have the Bloggers and Micro-Bloggers which disseminated faster than any traditional media the De la Paz vs Pangandaman brawl.

I am not sure how it is in other ASEAN countries, but if our respective ASEAN offices will say that they did everything they can and still the information wasn't disseminated enough, then we really have a very serious problem here - no one simply care about ASEAN anymore.

The ASEAN Way

Is the Official ASEAN Anthem. Composed by Thai musicians Kittikhun Sodprasert and Sampaw Triudom, the winner out of 99 entries from all the 10 member Nations.

The lyrics (via Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore):

Raise our flag high, sky high
Embrace the pride in our heart
ASEAN we are bonded as one
Look-in out-ward to the world.
For peace, our goal from the very start
And prosperity to last.


We dare to dream we care to share.
Together for ASEAN
we dare to dream
we care to share for it's the way of ASEAN.

Download MP3 (1.1mb)
Download Score (77kb)

The Philippine Entry: ASEAN Reigns!

Happy New Year to all and 2009 will be the ASEAN People's Year!!

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Related news/links not included above:
Thailand joined in a ceremony to welcome the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter
New ASEAN Anthem Sung

Win U$20,000 and Be Part of History

On Sunday, 2007-November-25, I wrote the A Citizen's Summary of the 1st ASEAN Constitution and gave suggestions about the ASEAN Anthem which according to Article 40: ASEAN shall have an anthem – meaning that we do not have an Anthem yet. Some people have mistaken the ASEAN Hymn Song of Unity and ASEAN Community Song Let Us Move Ahead as the ASEAN Anthem, however, the ASEAN Charter says otherwise.

ASEAN Hymn: Song of Unity

ASEAN Community Song: Let Us Move Ahead

Article 40: ASEAN Anthem

This one, the ‘new’ ASEAN Anthem is still to be written and composed. I strongly suggest to our Secretary-General that you make this an open competition for all ASEAN Citizens. Entries must be recognized as “Asean", not as “Filipino/Philippines", “Singapore", “Laotian", “Khmer", and so on. Then open a fool-proof voting system online and let the people take part in the voting for some percentage. Then the other percentage will be taken from the decision of the high-level and/or top-level ASEAN Ministers.

For the ASEAN Citizens, I suggest you start writing and composing, then gather everyone’s contribution together, I am listening to three ASEAN songs while writing this.

The time has come for all ASEAN Citizens to submit their compositions for the ASEAN Anthem! The winning entry will be played and sung during the ASEAN Flag Raising Ceremony on the 14th ASEAN Summit in Thailand and will receive U$20,000.

Format of Competition

This is an Open Competition - open to all the Nationals of the 10-Member Countries of ASEAN.

Competition Rounds

• 1st Round: National Competition in each member countries. Only 20 compositions will be selected for each country
• 2nd Round: Regional Competition in Thailand in mid 2008-October. Only 20 compositions will be selected
• Final Round: Of the Final-20 Compositions, one will be selected as the Official ASEAN Anthem

Criteria

• Language: English
• The Anthem should incorporate the following elements:
  
  • Should reflect ASEAN Dignity, Coopration, and Solidarity;
  • Reflect ASEAN's diverse culture and ethnicity;
  • The ASEAN Anthem should be an original composition;
  • Must be no longer than 60 seconds

Form of Entries and Timeline

• Entries to be sent with score and sheet music (note and lyrics) with voice and musical instruments (preferably piano) recording submitted on CD;
• Submission of compositions is open from the date the Member Country decides but will be only until 2008-September-20 for all;
• Thailand, as host of the competition, will be responsible for rearrangement of the winning entry, as well as adaptation into a full orchestra version for use at the 14th ASEAN Summit in Thailand in 2008-December
• Entries should be submitted to the ASEAN National Secretariat - visit this Official List to know the address and telephone numbers of your ASEAN National Secretariat

Copyright

The selected composition can be revised and rearranged into the Anthem of ASEAN. The ASEAN Anthem will be the Reserved Copyright of ASEAN.

Prize

The winning composition will receive U$20,000 (Twenty Thousand US Dollars).

ASEAN Composers Forum

We require that National representations to the ASEAN Composers Forum are able to judge on both lyrics and melody of all entries.

Thailand will convene an "ASEAN Composers Forum" consisting of one prominent composer from each Member Countries plus up to three prominent musical experts from a musical institution in a neutral country, in mind 2008-October.

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Sources:

• 14th ASEAN Summit, BANGKOK 2008
• Joint Communique of the 41st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting
• South-East Asian Community comes of age
• ASEAN Anthem Competition
• Asean Anthem Competition
• Competition to look for an ASEAN anthem
• The ASEAN Charter - Bulleted Summary
• A Citizen's Summary of the 1st ASEAN Constitution