Jakarta (VNA) - Over 30 high school students from ASEAN member states and Italy have attended the second ASEAN-Italy Youth Conference held at the ASEAN Secretariat's headquarter in Jakarta, Indonesia, from May 29-31.

Jointly held by the Global Action, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, ASEAN Secretariat, and ASEAN Youth Organisation (AYO), the event aimed to foster stronger relations between ASEAN countries and Italy.

 

Opening the event, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Ekkaphab Phanthavong highlighted the great potential that the ASEAN-Italy connections contain for the youth in terms of education, cultural interaction, and economic progress. He underscored that diversity and intergenerational collaboration can be valuable assets to partnerships that will promote exchange of valuable perspectives and successful approaches among individuals of diverse ages and socio-economic statuses.

During the three-day event, participants discussed food security and climate change, digitalisaiton and youth empowerment.

The conference concluded with inspiring closing presentations by the youth delegates who offered fresh ideas for the future of ASEAN-Italy collaboration./.

Long Pham / VNA