(KPL) The Lao government launched the logo, theme and website for its ASEAN Chairmanship 2016 in Vientiane last Friday.The theme of ASEAN 2016 is “Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community”.  It also launched its website: www.asean2016.gov.la.

The ASEAN 2016 logo features 10 connected circles, comprising an eye and joined hands around the ASEAN Emblem symbolising the bond of the ASEAN Community. The eye represents the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.The joined hands reflect harmony, solidarity, close partnerships as well as the aspiration of the ASEAN member states to further strengthen and prosper the ASEAN community through the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 in accordance with the theme “Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community”.

The different colours used in the logo are red (boldness and dynamic), yellow (prosperity), blue (peace and stability), green (growth and harmony) and orange (warmth and happiness). The colours, apart from representing the colours of the national flags of the ASEAN member states, also demonstrate the diversity in ASEAN. “Laos 2016” indicates that the Lao PDR will chair ASEAN in 2016.

ASEAN will announce the establishment of the ASEAN Community on the 31st of December 2015. ASEAN is now developing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and its attendant documents which will be adopted by the ASEAN leaders at the 27th ASEAN Summit to be held on 18-22 November 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The year 2016 is the first year not only for the ASEAN community, but also for the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

Therefore, the Lao PDR’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2016 will be a period for ASEAN to focus its efforts on further strengthening the ASEAN community by implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, among others. As such, the Lao PDR has come up with the theme “Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community” as the theme for its ASEAN chairmanship in 2016.

KPL