On 3 July 2026, H.E. Mr. Vijavat Isarabhakdi, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, delivered opening remarks at the Official Launch of the Regional Capacity Building Workshop of the eMpowering Youths Across ASEAN (eYAA) Programme: Cohort 6 at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. The event brought together over 150 participants, including youth representatives from all 11 ASEAN Member States, programme alumni, representatives from civil society organisations, executives of Maybank and the Maybank Foundation, members of the Board of Trustees and executives of the ASEAN Foundation.

In his opening remarks, the Vice Minister expressed appreciation to the ASEAN Foundation and the Maybank Foundation for organising the eYAA Programme, which promotes youth participation in ASEAN Community-Building. The Programme supports the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and aligns with the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship theme for 2026, “Navigating Our Future, Together.” This year, Cohort 6 youth volunteers will implement community projects covering issues ranging from climate resilience, waste management, intergenerational inclusion, sustainability education to agri-tourism. The Vice Minister also reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to supporting the role of the youth in building a resilient, innovative, and people-centred ASEAN, particularly in the lead-up to ASEAN’s 60th anniversary in 2027 and Thailand’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2028. In addition, H.E. Ms. Prinat Apirat, Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN in Jakarta, also participated as a panelist at the Fireside Chat on ASEAN101.

The eYAA Programme has been organised since 2018 through collaboration between the ASEAN Foundation and the Maybank Foundation, with the objective of providing ASEAN youth opportunities to contribute to community development projects across 8 ASEAN Member States. To date, a total of 482 youth volunteers have participated in the Programme and this year was the first year that youth volunteers from Timor-Leste participated in the programme.