The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam organised a flag-hoisting ceremony in Hanoi on August 7 to celebrate the 53rd founding anniversary of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony take place in front of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Hanoi. 

A number of key figures were present at the ceremony, including Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh, leaders of several Vietnamese ministries, and ambassadors of ASEAN countries in Hanoi.

Addressing the ceremony, Deputy PM Minh noted that over the past half century, ASEAN has taken significant steps, going from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic development.

In line with the motto of ‘community thinking, community action’, Vietnam will continue to work closely alongside other ASEAN member states as well as the group’s partners and the wider international community, in order to develop a united and resilient bloc, Deputy PM Minh said.

He expressed his belief that by uniting and standing shoulder to shoulder, ASEAN will be capable of overcoming all challenges that it faces while increasing the speed of development for member states.

The Deputy PM also announced that ASEAN Foreign Ministers will issue a declaration on the importance of maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia on August 8, a significant date that marks the group’s founding day.

Amid increasing uncertainties throughout the region and the world, the declaration will serve to reaffirm ASEAN’s overall vision, its commitments and fundamental principles to build ASEAN into a region of peace, progress, and prosperity as outlined in the 1967 Bangkok Declaration, the Deputy PM said.

The ASEAN flag-hosting ceremony is an occasion that is held annually to mark the founding anniversary of ASEAN, commemorating the group’s shared values and commitments to the people of the region.

Founded in 1967, ASEAN now consists of 10 member states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. 

Following are several images of the ceremony.