"We dare to dream, we care to share. Together for ASEAN. We dare to dream, we care to share. For it's the way of ASEAN." Still unfamiliar with the lyrics of the song? The lyrics are the official hymn or song of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), entitled "The ASEAN Way".

"The ASEAN Way" is composed by a musician from Thailand, Payom Valaiphatchra, and arranged by Kittikhun Sodpraset. The ASEAN anthem was not chosen randomly; "The ASEAN Way" was selected through a long process. The ASEAN song selection occurred from October 2007 to November 2008 in Thailand.

The selection of the ASEAN hymn was attended by the best musicians from 10 ASEAN member countries, with a total of 99 songs listed in the ASEAN Anthem Copyright Selection. Then, it was curated back into the 10 best songs, which were assessed directly by the jury.

The judging process was also considered very special because the jury consisted of 13 musicians and composers, representatives from ten ASEAN member countries, and representatives from China, Japan, and Australia appointed directly by the ASEAN Secretariat General.

"The ASEAN Way" was chosen since it represented the spirit of the ASEAN Charter. The ASEAN Charter reaffirms the principles contained in all agreements, declarations, and agreements that promote countries in the region.

Another reason for choosing "The ASEAN Way" as the ASEAN hymn is because it fulfills the criteria of an anthem, which can be sung solemnly full of pride, and the lyric is not long, so it is easy to remember. It represents the ASEAN slogan, "One Vision, One Identity, One Community".

With the long selection process, on 20 November 2008, "The ASEAN Way" was officially chosen as the ASEAN hymn. "The ASEAN Way" was first sung in an official event in the hall of the ASEAN Secretariat building in Jakarta on 15 December 2008.

Photo: Dok.ASEAN2023