Kuala Lumpur, 2 October 2025 – INITIATE.MY participated in the Seminar on the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) at the Asia Pacific University (APU), Kuala Lumpur.

The seminar brought together diplomats, academics, students and civil society representatives to examine the TAC’s history, current relevance and future role in promoting peace and cooperation in ASEAN ahead of its 50th anniversary in 2026. Bait Al Amanah organised the event in partnership with the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (ASEAN-IPR) and with support from the Australian High Commission, providing a platform for active discussion on ASEAN’s peacebuilding and conflict prevention mechanisms.

The seminar reinforced the TAC’s continuing relevance in upholding ASEAN’s principles of dialogue, consultation, and mutual trust, and emphasised the need to bridge the gap between ASEAN institutions and citizens. Participants exchanged ideas on how youth and civil society can contribute to regional peace, demonstrating the potential for technology-enabled collaboration to strengthen traditional diplomatic efforts.

INITIATE.MY highlighted the role of youth in regional peace efforts in its Peace Lab programme, emphasising that young people—the largest demographic on social media—can actively advance peace and security. We encouraged youth to use technology responsibly for peacebuilding and peacekeeping, harnessing digital tools to foster dialogue, understanding and conflict resolution.

Through the seminar, INITIATE.MY enhanced our understanding of ASEAN’s peace frameworks, refined our approaches to youth-focused programmes and strengthened our commitment to multi-stakeholder engagement in supporting people-centered peacebuilding across Southeast Asia.