To commemorate a ‘triple anniversary’ 40 years of EU-ASEAN partnership, 50 years since the founding of ASEAN and 60 years of the Treaties of Rome and the establishment of the EU.
A 7KM run was organized last 7th of May 2017 it was the first ever EU-ASEAN Run, bringing together over 1,700 European and ASEAN citizens on Jalan Sudirman and Jalan Sisingamangaraja.
It is a showcase of ASEAN and EU closeness and great sharing of our respective cultural diversity and richness, said AKP Mochtan, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs Department.
“The EU-ASEAN Run is a wonderful way to embrace people-to-people contacts which are the core part of EU-Indonesia as well as EU-ASEAN relations. It has brought us all together to run, or walk, learn more about the EU and ASEAN, to enjoy the cuisine of our respective South East Asian and European Member States all for a good cause,” said Francisco Fontan, EU Ambassador to ASEAN.
The event started at 6:30 in the morning from Intiland Tower at the office building of the EU and ended at the finish line at the ASEAN Secretariat. Victorious Marathon Finishers joined the festivities to mark the ‘triple anniversary’ and enjoyed the stage performances from various artist, together with LSPR Marching Band, LSPR Dancers and LSPR DJ’s. APRN also opened a booth to promote its upcoming ASEAN PR Conference, APRC 2017 that will be held in Bali from September 20-23, 2017.
The entertainment and cultural area featured information and culinary booths from several EU Member States – Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Spain, Sweden and all the ten ASEAN Member States. The EU Ambassador to ASEAN as well as the EU Ambassador to Indonesia, other EU and ASEAN Member States Ambassadors, ASEAN Secretariat staff and representatives also joined the fun run.
In collaboration with the ASEAN Women’s Circle, the runners gathered a donation of more than 75 million rupiah for three foundations supporting the wellbeing of disadvantaged children in Indonesia: Yayasan Al Ikhwan, providing elementary education for children from a low income family or children not eligible for DKI free school programme; Yayasan Onkologi Anak Indonesia, Indonesian Childhood Cancer Foundation; and Yayasan Mpati, providing autism awareness and training for middle to low income parents who have autistic children.