Past Year

In 2023, AUS explored the theme of Interconnected Communities, with sub-themes of Climate Change & Sustainability,
Needs & Wants, Diversity & Inclusion, and Heritage & Culture.

Across geographical and temporal barriers, communities across ASEAN often face similar problems falling under the categories mentioned above. However, these problems are transformed by these communities’ respective different socio-economic landscapes.
By providing communities platforms and solutions that are tailored to and leverage on their own unique contexts,
we are then able to effectively tackle the complex issues they are facing.

Past exemplar projects from 2023 focused on increasing accessibility to unappealing or ‘ugly’ foods in Malaysia (Sustainability), combating the mis-conceptualisation of agriculture as a tedious job and hence mitigating the decline of younger workers in the industry (Needs & Wants), and involving senior citizens in community activities so as to keep their social lives active and meet their healthcare needs (Needs & Wants).

Communities face unique challenges, and their members have a mutual understanding of existing opportunities and threats in their communities. Therefore, through this theme of Interconnected Communities, we intend to explore how problems ranging from the inaccessibility of basic needs to more complex issues like climate change, gender equality, and preservation of culture and heritage could be tackled by providing communities platforms and solutions focused and bespoke for their own unique context.