In a landmark event held at Sunway Resort, Selangor, Malaysia the event entitled, “ASEAN Youth Digital Forum (AYDF) 2023” unfolded with a compelling theme: "Building a Resilient ASEAN Digital Economy: Youth Entrepreneurs and Intellectual Property Rights." The conference, organized by the ASEAN Youth Organization (AYO) in collaboration with global partners including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO), Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO), and the Selangor Youth Community (SAY), witnessed a convergence of minds from across ASEAN member states.
The AYDF 2023 aimed to empower youth entrepreneurs, startups, and academics by fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange, and policy development. Open to delegates from various sectors, including government officials, NGOs, and industry leaders, the event facilitated discussions on challenges and opportunities in the digital economy, youth entrepreneurship, and intellectual property rights.
The Ateneo Intellectual Property Office (AIPO), represented by Mr Steve Chaves, had the honor to speak during the forum and as well as provide one-on-one consultation and mentorship to participating delegates of the event. The talk of Mr Chaves had a particular focus on shedding light on the 10-year IPR Action Plan for ASEAN, with progress currently standing at 16-18% completion, set to conclude in 2025. Challenges were identified, including diverse legal frameworks among participating countries and as well as the budgeting challenges related to completing the ASEAN IPR action plans.
This 2-day forum featured a session highlighting "Digital Economy in Contemporary ASEAN", one-on-one consultations, business networking, and as well as a writeshop, exploring ASEAN initiatives for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and their role in social work and development.
Hearing from representatives of The Ambit (Ms Lyantoinette Chua), UNICEF (Mr Margianta Surahman Juhanda Dinata), Gateway Law Corporation (Atty Mitchell Chua & Atty Gregory Marimuthu), The Moropreneur Inc (Mr Selahuddin Yu Hashim), Google (Ms Chennie Yoon), WIPO (Mr Ye Min Than), and S&O IP Cambodia (Atty Sereyratha Chan) among others, the AYDF 2023 also emphasized the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly in preventing its misuse affecting vulnerable groups. The forum concluded with a commitment to translating insights into action, with youth-led projects across ASEAN member states proposing projects for 2024, to be funded by WIPO and JPO.
Looking ahead, the AIPO sees potential collaboration and partnership opportunities with the various projects proposed for 2024. The exposure of Filipino startups to international initiatives is anticipated to fuel innovation, while linkages with international groups advocating for Intellectual Property Rights for economic and social development promise a transformative impact.
As the curtains close on AYDF 2023, the ASEAN is poised for a digital transformation driven by the energy, ideas, and collaborations fostered at this groundbreaking event. The journey toward a resilient ASEAN digital economy, led by its dynamic youth, has only just begun.
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