The Opening Ceremony of the 2nd Regional Forum on the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Strategic Plan was convened on 1 July 2026 at the ASEAN Headquarters / ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Forum, with the theme “Mainstreaming the ASCC Strategic Plan into Regional, National and Local Development Plans”, brings together Senior Officials Committee for the ASCC (SOCA), representatives from planning ministries of ASEAN Member States, ASEAN partners, think tanks and research organisations, civil society organisations, and various stakeholders to exchange views and approaches on mainstreaming the ASCC Strategic Plan into development plans, ensuring its sustained and effective implementation.

The Opening Ceremony was also attended by the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASCC, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to ASEAN, and Deputy Head of the Mission of Japan to ASEAN. In his welcome remarks, H.E. San Lwin, DSG of ASEAN for the ASCC, underscored the importance of the Forum in bridging the gap between policy development and implementation. He further highlighted that translating regional frameworks to concrete actions and initiatives is critical in delivering tangible benefits to the people of ASEAN.

The 1st day of Forum also launched the Voices of the People of ASEAN: A Compendium of Stakeholder Insights for the ASCC Strategic Plan, which highlights the inclusive and participatory processes of the ASCC Strategic Plan development.

The 2nd Regional Forum on the ASCC Strategic Plan, scheduled from 1 to 3 July 2026, was organised and hosted by the ASEAN Secretariat and SOCA Indonesia, with the support from the Government of Japan, through the Supporting the Development of the ASCC Strategic Plan project.