Hanoi (VNA) –𒅌 More than 500 delegates have registered to attend the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF) 2025 in person, including senior leaders from ASEAN countries and partner nations, regional and international experts, ambassadors, and high-ranking officials, representatives from international organisations, businesses, local authorities, and domestic and foreign journalists.

The information was revealed during a press conference held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hanoi on February 13. As an initiative announced by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, in September 2023, the forum is hosted by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) and will take place on February 25-26 in Hanoi. This year’s theme is Building a United, Inclusive, and Resilient ASEAN amidst Global Transformations. Talking to the press, Trinh Minh Manh, Acting Director of the DAV’s Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies, said the first edition of the forum, held in April 2024, was a resounding success, garnering widespread interest, support, and engagement from bloc member countries and the international community. According to him, this year’s event will kick off on the morning of February 25 with a series of pre-event activities, including a photo exhibition on Vietnam’s 30-decade journey in ASEAN, and several roundtable discussions concerning the topics of “Women, Peace, and Security: Digital Inclusion for Sustainable Peace and Smart Agriculture for Regional Food Security. The official opening session will be held in the afternoon, featuring remarks from PM Chinh. This will be followed by two plenary sessions discussing megatrends shaping ASEAN and the world by 2035 and the bloc's fundamentals that help address future challenges. The first day will conclude with a high-level gala dinner. On February 26, the forum will continue with four plenary sessions, including a high-level session attended by PM Chinh and senior leaders from ASEAN and partner countries. Other sessions will focus on sub-regional cooperation for resilience and sustainability, balancing innovation and regulation for comprehensive security, and ASEAN's potential in a fragmented world. A thematic working lunch will take place before the closing session. The forum stands as one of the largest multilateral events hosted by Vietnam in 2025, reaffirming the country’s proactive and constructive role in regional and global cooperation./.