A group of 45 students in the EU-ASEAN Youth Diplomats Programme (EAYDP) concluded their participation with a three-day round of discussions in Kuala Lumpur. The participants had been selected out of over 180 candidates from all but one state of Malaysia. The youth simulation, prefaced by training sessions and a dialogue with the EU Ambassador to Malaysia to strengthen policy and diplomatic literacy, supports the EU’s engagement with youth in the context of its strategic partnership with ASEAN.

Prior to the simulation on 17 February, the Swedish and Philippine ambassadors to Malaysia along with the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to ASEAN welcomed the participants at an open house, where they presented views on EU-ASEAN policy and cooperation. At the simulation on 18 and 19 February, the participants – each playing the role of representing EU and ASEAN Member States and institutions – reached common ground through tact, teamwork and diplomacy, while upholding shared values of the regional blocs.

Facilitators from the Centre for ASEAN Regionalism (CARUM) at Universiti Malaya’s Asia-Europe Institute guided participants through their negotiations with one another in a spirit of multilateralism. The exchange culminated in a joint EU-ASEAN statement and a Malaysian youth statement on the crisis in Myanmar. In addition to CARUM, the Malaysian Youth Association for Diplomacy and Policy (MYADP) has been a key partner for EAYDP.

Mr Timo Goosmann, Chargé d'Affaires the EU Delegation to Malaysia (EUD), linked the simulation to the EU’s extensive youth outreach in conjunction with the European Year of Youth 2022. Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman also made appearances during the summit to encourage youth engagement in politics and ASEAN affairs.

The event was broadly covered by Astro Awani – with seven uploads to YouTube – along with Lumi News, Malay Mail, Scandasia, Sin Chew, The Borneo Post and The Star.