ASEAN has awarded the ASEAN Prize 2021 to the Mekong Institute in recognition of its long-standing contributions to promoting ASEAN awareness and strengthening regional cooperation towards sustainable development and economic growth, especially for the Greater Mekong Sub-region.
In its statement released on August 3, the ASEAN Secretariat said Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and the Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Lim Jock Hoi presented the prize trophy to Executive Directo of the Mekong Institute Dr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn at the 55th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Related Meetings in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on the same day.
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the official announcement on the award was made separately during the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Bandar Seri Begawan last year.
Mekong Institute - a research institute and community development centre based in Khon Kaen, Thailand, also received a monetary prize of 20,000 USD sponsored by the Temasek Foundation and Yayasan Hasanah.
Established in 1996, the institute has been acknowledged as one of the region’s driving forces in accelerating and promoting prosperous and harmonious sub-regional development, particularly in the areas of capacity building and sustainable community development.
Administered by the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Prize is an annual regional premier award that recognises outstanding and inspiring achievements of individuals or organisations based in ASEAN who have significantly contributed to community building efforts. Since 2018, the ASEAN Prize has bestowed the award to four individuals and organisation./.
VNA
