A young Vietnamese boy has been selected to join the Youth Sounding Board for the European Union in ASEAN (YSBEA) in the 2024-2025 period. 

Nguyen Son Tra, representative from Vietnam, joins 11 youths from ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste at the Youth Sounding Board for the European Union in ASEAN (YSBEA) 2024-2025. Photos: EU Delegation to ASEAN

Nguyen Son Tra, 25, who has been leading community outreach and capacity-building programs in Vietnam, was selected by the Delegation of the European Union to ASEAN with 11 youths from ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste as the YSBEA.

Tra, a young Vietnamese climate, environment, and energy champion, will join the YSBEA, which will serve as a youth advisory group to the Delegation of the European Union to ASEAN and contribute to boosting young people’s engagement in EU-ASEAN cooperation. 

Ambassador of the European Union to ASEAN, Sujiro Seam (L) and Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs, Nararya S. Soeprapto, at the meeting with young leaders.

“The selection of YSBEA members is an acknowledgment of their outstanding leadership qualities and impressive achievements. YSBEA will provide a consultative space and platform for the youth to strengthen the European Union’s strategic partnership with ASEAN. YSBEA participation will make the actions of the European Union more relevant and effective for young people,” Ambassador of the European Union to ASEAN, Sujiro Seam, said.

He emphasized that young people make up a third of the population of the ASEAN region. They are change-makers and essential partners in ensuring the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change. “Youth have an important role to play in deciding the future of this region: to build a better future that is greener, more inclusive, and digital. YSBEA members' participation reflects their testament and commitment to make a difference,’’ Ambassador Seam added.

During a courtesy call with the YSBEA members, Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs of ASEAN Nararya S. Soeprapto highlighted the pivotal role of the youth in contributing to the achievement of key development goals within the region, noting that the ASEAN youth population accounted for around 34% of the overall population in 2020 and is projected to peak in 2038.

He emphasized that ASEAN recognizes the crucial role of youth as key drivers of growth, as reflected in the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the Development of the ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision. This statement, adopted by ASEAN Leaders at the 42nd ASEAN Summit in May 2023, underscores the importance of empowering youth to actively participate in shaping the future of the region. 

Youth members and the two officials.

In Vietnam, youth have become increasingly engaged in energy transition discussions, influenced by social and public media, as well as government initiatives. Various organizations, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the EU, have launched youth-focused programs in Vietnam, offering small grants of US$1,000 to US$5,000 for local projects related to energy transition.

However, based on UNDP reports involving 1,260 young people in Vietnam, there is a gap in climate education for youth to more meaningfully participate in climate action. This is what Son Tra is eager to bridge as one of the Youth Sounding Board for the European Union in ASEAN (YSBEA) members.

“I believe that I and the other YSBEA members can raise youth awareness on climate change and energy transition and create discourses among fellow youths from ASEAN. Through this YSBEA, I am interested in exploring lessons from ASEAN nations on how to engage multiple stakeholders, including youth," Tra said.

He believed that the youth’s engagement, which is not only in energy transition in their country, is aligned with the national plan and to learn from the EU, which has been facilitating and accelerating the energy transition through its climate change-related development projects in the region.

Through the end of 2025, these selected cohorts will engage in a series of online and offline consultations with the Delegation of the European Union to ASEAN on youth-related policies and are expected to influence EU external actions and international partnerships on key political priorities, including climate, environment and energy; digital infrastructure; gender equality; human development; migration and displacement; peace and governance; and sustainable growth and jobs.

Globally, YSBEA is among 30 Youth Sounding Board groups established by other EU Delegations worldwide that are part of the Youth Action Plan (YAP) for EU external action. The YAP serves as the EU’s guiding framework to promote meaningful youth participation and empowerment globally for sustainable development, equality and peace. Focussing on three core action areas: Engage, Connect, and Empower, the YAP is a timely endeavor to engage young people in EU external actions.