Note) The Korean version of this article is a translation of an original press release written in English. As we translated it back to English, we mostly adopted the original English sentences.

Figure 1. ASEAN Founding Documents Added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register (ⓒ National Library Board of Singapore)

Singapore, in partnership with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, has successfully inscribed historic records chronicling the founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) into UNESCO’s Memory of the World (MoW) International Register.

On 17 April 2025, archival records documenting the birth of ASEAN were officially added to the MoW International Register, which recognizes documentary heritage of global significance and outstanding universal value. The nomination was jointly submitted by the National Archives of Singapore (NAS), the National Archives of Malaysia, the National Archives of Indonesia, and the Thai Film Archives, with the support of members from the Southeast Asian Regional Branch of the International Council on Archives (SARBICA). In 2025, a total of 74 new entries were added to the Register, including the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols.

The inscribed collection spans 1967 to 1976 and presents a chronological record of ASEAN’s formation by its five founding members: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The submission includes 33 items in total—16 textual documents, one photograph, one film, three audio files, and 12 oral history interviews. These materials include the 1967 ASEAN Declaration, as well as personal testimonies and media that capture key moments in ASEAN’s early history.

The collection highlights ASEAN’s foundational mission to foster cultural development, mutual trust, and active cooperation among Southeast Asian countries. It also illustrates how newly independent nations played a proactive role in shaping a peaceful and stable regional order.

(Source)

https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/about-us/press-room-and-publications/media-releases/2025/ASEAN