ASEAN Heads of Diplomatic Missions under the ACB’s Humanitarian Initiative of Donation of 300 food packs for Instituto Doando Vida for distribution to 300 poor Brasilia families in commemoration of the ASEAN’s 54th Founding Anniversary
BRASILIA, 23 AUGUST 2021 - Philippine Embassy in Brasilia Charge d’ affaires, ad interim Ms. Leilani S. Feliciano joined all the ASEAN Heads of Diplomatic Missions in Brasilia under the ASEAN Committee in Brasilia (ACB) and assisted by the representatives from Brasilia’s Federal District Government's Office of International Affairs (EAI/GDF) and Brazil’s Ministry of External Relations in conducting a humanitarian initiative by delivering 300 food baskets to the Instituto Doando Vida por Rafa and Clara in Guara, Brasilia on 23 August 2021. The event aims to promote the solidarity of ASEAN with the people of the Host Country by helping the less fortunate. especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
To commemorate the 54th founding Anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Committee in Brasilia (ACB), led by ACB Chairman, Indonesian Ambassador Edi Yusup and all ASEAN Heads of Diplomatic Missions, decided to do a charitable deed or humanitarian initiative and made a donation of 300 food baskets to Brasilia’s Instituto Doando Vida por Rafa e Clara to be distributed to 300 poor families under the institute’s care. Instituto Doando Vida takes care of a total of 800 poor Brasilia-based families. The institute depends on generous financial contributions from individuals and organizations for subsistence.
With the support of the Brasilia Federal District Government's Office of International Affairs (EAI/GDF) Head, Ms. Renata Zuquim and Ambassador Robert Goidanovich, Director, Department of Southeast Asia, Indo-Pacific and Russia, Brazilian Ministry of External Relations (MRE), the seven ASEAN Heads of Diplomatic Missions from ASEAN delivered 300 food baskets to the Instituto Donando Vida por Rafa and Clara. The ceremony was held on 23 August 2021 at 10 am, at the institute's headquarters, in Guará. The baskets donated by diplomats were received by the founder of the Institute Donating Life by Rafa and Clara, Luciana Studart. The event was covered by the Brasilia media. Directress Studart expressed her warm appreciation and gratitude to the ASEAN Ambassadors for the generous donation stating that these food baskets will go a long way in helping the 300 poor Brasilia-based families.
The following ASEAN Ambassadors and Charge d´ affaires of the ASEAN Committee in Brasilia (ACB) who participated in this humanitarian initiative were H.E. MRS. PHAM THI KIM HOA, Ambassador of Viet Nam; 2) H.E. MR. EDI YUSUP- (ACB Chairperson), Ambassador of Indonesia; 3) H.E. MR. LIM JUAY JIN, Ambassador of Malaysia; 4) H.E. MR. MYO TIN, Ambassador of Myanmar; 5) Hon. MS. LEILANI S. FELICIANO, Charge d’affaires, a.i. of the Philippines; 6) H.E. MR. DESMOND NG, Ambassador of Singapore; and 7) H.E. MS. NITIVADEE MANITKUL, Ambassador of Thailand.
The initiative celebrates the 54th anniversary of Asean, a group currently represented in Brazil by the Embassies or Diplomatic Missions of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. ASEAN promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational and sociocultural integration between its members and other Asian countries.
The ASEAN Heads of Missions (Ambassadors and Charge d’ affaires, a.i.) were briefed by the Institute’s Founder and Directress Luciana Studart and her husband. Henrique Studart on the background and origin of the institute. Afterwards, they were led in a tour of the institute’s facilities which included two schoolrooms, garden, playground, daycare center for toddler age children, canteen and playhalls and appropriate toilet and bathing facilities, and a medical room where the children’s health and nutrition are checked periodically.
The donation ceremony then started with the Head of the EAI, Renata Zuquim’s speech. She stated that International cooperation is one of the most important acts in this moment of pandemic. “We need to take care of our children and these families who so much need support to move forward. For this reason, I congratulate ASEAN for the initiative and the Instituto Doando Vida, which carries out this incredible work on a daily basis,” she said. On the occasion, the Chairperson of the ASEAN Committee in Brasilia Edi Yusup, Indonesian Ambassador, recalled that the donation marks the 54th anniversary of the group. “Since its founding in 1967, ASEAN has not only been an active promoter of stability and development in the region, but has proven to be actively engaged in promoting solidarity among people and nations across the globe. Today's event reflects this engagement.” He conveyed words of support and goodwill to the poor and vulnerable families who were present at the handover ceremony.
In Brazil, as in many other countries over the world, ASEAN’s presence is manifested by the activities and goodwill projects carried out by embassies or diplomatic missions of its Member States which forms an ASEAN Committee in Third Countries. In Brasilia, the ASEAN Committee consists of 7 diplomatic missions or embassies present in the Brazilian soil (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, the Philippines and Singapore). END
