On Sunday, representatives of four member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional intergovernmental organization comprising 11 Southeast Asian countries now chaired by the Phillipines, spoke at the Catholic University of Erbil (CUE) to explain the bloc’s role and objectives.

The Philippines’ Ambassador to Iraq Charlie Pacaña Manangan told Kurdistan Chronicle that often when people hear about ASEAN they typically think about individual countries such as China, Thailand, or Vietnam, rather than an association of several member states.

“That’s the main purpose: to introduce ASEAN, raise awareness, and make people more curious so that they might research it on their own.“We are the world’s fifth-largest economy. We are $4.5 trillion in terms of size. Indonesia is the biggest, with $1.5 trillion, followed by Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam with roughly $500 billion–600 billion. Together we are a big economic force, and by 2030 we hope to become the world’s fourth-largest economy.”

In addition to Ambassador Manangan, the speakers included Indonesia’s Ambassador to Iraq Didik Eko Pujianto, Malaysia’s Chargé d’Affaires Neermal Shunmugam, and Thailand’s Ambassador to Iraq Jiraporn Jirampaikool. 

Safeen Dizayee, head of the Kurdistan Regional Government Department of Foreign Relations, also spoke at the event. 

He highlighted the importance of international missions in promoting cultural relations and strengthening bonds between nations. He welcomed the opportunity to host an event focused on ASEAN, and praised efforts to foster cooperation and cultural exchange.

“Hopefully, this platform will help improve relations between the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and your countries. We hope to see more academic visits and exchanges with the wonderful students here, including student exchanges, lecture exchanges, and the sharing of experiences.”

“The CUE has a very diverse student group,” Ambassador Manangan said. “They have Muslims, Christians, Arabs, Kurds, and Yezidis. This is exactly what we want. We do not want to focus on only one group.”

Indonesia’s Ambassador Pujianto agreed. “This is the best place for ASEAN countries to promote the bloc in the Kurdistan Region.

“Most of Indonesia is Muslim, and most of Iraq is Muslim, but we choose CUE because we respect the diversity of the population.”

Ambassador Pujianto also added that, since Indonesia has good relations with Iraq, they also have good relations with the Kurdistan Region, especially since many of the Indonesians who are living and working in Iraq are in the Kurdistan Region.

On Saturday, October 24, Ambassador Manangan also held a meeting with President Masoud Barzani, where he outlined ASEAN’s history, its approach to international relations, and economic potential, and conveyed the association’s desire to strengthen ties with the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.

Ambassador Manangan also announced that the Filipino novel Noli Me Tángere by José Rizal — which has already been translated into Arabic — will be translated into Kurdish for the first time.

“We intend to translate it into Kurdish so that the Kurdish people can better understand this novel, which is very important for the Philippines. This will be the first Filipino work that will be translated into the Kurdish language.”

The Head of the Philippines’ Honorary Consulate Office Falah Anwar Karur also told Kurdistan Chronicle that the event at CUE aimed to inform students and other citizens in Kurdistan that ASEAN member states offer “good opportunities for business, for tourism, and for investing.

“It’s a good time for us to show to our people and our governments that this area is very important for us and to cooperate with them in the government sector, business sectors, or any other sectors.”

CUE President Dr. Nazar Shabila said the event was important because it is “important for the students and staff to broaden their perspectives and understanding of different cultures and the interconnected world.

“At CUE, we have students from different cultures, backgrounds, and religions, so it’s important for them to understand that different cultures and nations can work together and collaborate toward a common goal.”