ASEAN Socio-cultural Community Blueprint

The "ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint" is not a book but a strategic document outlining the vision and goals for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) for the period 2016-2025. Here is a comprehensive overview of the key themes, objectives, and critical reception:

Key Themes

1. People-Centred Approach: The ASCC Blueprint aims to create a community that is people-oriented and socially responsible, focusing on enhancing the well-being, livelihood, and welfare of the people.

2. Inclusivity: The blueprint emphasizes inclusivity, promoting high-quality life and equitable access to opportunities for all, including women, children, youths, the elderly, persons with disabilities, migrant workers, and vulnerable marginalized groups.

3. Sustainability: It aims to promote social development and environmental protection, ensuring that the community is sustainable and resilient in the face of current and future challenges.

4. Resilience: The blueprint seeks to enhance the community's capacity and capability to adapt and respond to social and economic vulnerabilities, disasters, climate change, and emerging threats.

5. Dynamic and Harmonious Community: It aims to foster a dynamic and harmonious community aware of its identity, culture, and heritage, with the ability to innovate and contribute proactively to the global community.

Plot Summary

The ASCC Blueprint 2025 is a strategic document adopted by ASEAN Leaders at the 27th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 22, 2015. It outlines the vision and goals for the ASCC from 2016 to 2025. The document is structured around five Vision Statements:

• Engages and Benefits the People: A committed, participative, and socially responsible community through an accountable and inclusive mechanism for the benefit of all ASEAN peoples.
• Inclusive: An inclusive community that promotes high-quality life, equitable access to opportunities for all, and protects human rights of various groups.
• Sustainable: A sustainable community that promotes social development and environmental protection.
• Resilient: A resilient community with enhanced capacity and capability to adapt and respond to social and economic vulnerabilities, disasters, climate change, and emerging threats.
• Dynamic: A dynamic and harmonious community aware of its identity, culture, and heritage, with the ability to innovate and contribute proactively to the global community.

Critical Reception

The ASCC Blueprint 2025 has been well-received for its comprehensive approach to socio-cultural development in the ASEAN region. It has been praised for its emphasis on inclusivity, sustainability, and resilience, which are critical for addressing the region's diverse challenges. The document has also been recognized for its strategic measures to enhance human and institutional capacity, particularly in addressing climate change and promoting social development.

The Compendium of Analytical Views for the ASCC Blueprint 2025, which was compiled by the ASEAN Secretariat, highlights the importance of stakeholder engagement and cross-sectoral collaboration in achieving the blueprint's objectives. It identifies case studies that demonstrate effective implementation of the blueprint's strategies, such as the AADMER Partnership Group Model and Malaysia’s KitaMatch, which have shown promising results in enhancing stakeholder engagement and policy implementation across local, national, and regional levels.

Overall, the ASCC Blueprint 2025 is seen as a significant step towards realizing an inclusive, sustainable, resilient, and dynamic ASEAN Community that engages and benefits its people.