SEAPA | Southeast Asian Press Alliance

Theme: ASEAN media and the region in transition

Journalists in the region, except those covering ASEAN meetings, are not well aware of the regional group's history and impact on national foreign policies. To understand the region at the time of transition (expansion and integration, leadership changes and social and economic transformation), it is important that journalists understand the significance of this integration at both political and economic levels. Over the past decade, ASEAN has expanded from six to ten countries with diverse political social and economic backgrounds. This rapid expansion has both constructive and negative consequences.

The 2002 Journalism Fellowship will take stock of recent regional developments, in particular, the ASEAN government’s response to the US-led global anti-terrorism campaign following the September 11 incident. It sets the stage for discussions on the stability of the ASEAN governments, in the wider context of freedom of expression and media freedom.