‘Breaking Barriers’ to build communities
My congratulations to my good friend, PeopleAsia associate publisher and director Jose “Pepe” Rodriguez, for the successful launch of his book Breaking Barriers, Creating Communities (Southeast Asia and ASEAN: An Introduction) held at the Writers Bar of Raffles Hotel in Makati City.
Co-authored by veteran journalist Virgilio Galvez with a foreword from former President Fidel Ramos and published by Asian Union International Center and the Global Center of International Studies, the book provides an introduction to the dynamic region that is Southeast Asia and chronicles the “long march of history that the peoples of the region underwent and their transformation from tribes to kingdoms, from colonies to independent republics,” with the lessons of the past providing great insights that would help enable the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member-nations to achieve their dream to create one community working together to achieve prosperity for all.
The book is certainly opportune, coming on the heels of the regional group’s 50th founding anniversary celebration that the Philippines successfully hosted last year
“The history of Southeast Asia, and ASEAN in particular, has been a continuing saga on how people responded to events that shaped history: the rise of societies in the mainland and island regions; the encounter with the western powers, the revolts against empire; the struggles of independence and the emergence of nations; and the sporadic celebrations and failures as independent republics,” Pepe Rodriguez said in his welcome remarks during the launch.
As noted by President Duterte in his message for the book, understanding the evolution of ASEAN will enable everyone to appreciate the value of its mission and goals — and the book is certainly a powerful and informative tool that will “enlighten readers on the importance of building strong relations with our neighboring countries…and how unity and mutual respect can pave the way for dynamic partnerships among our nations.”
While other books have been written about ASEAN and Southeast Asia, what makes the book distinct is the fact that it helps provide the “historical context in trying to explain why ASEAN is what it is today and why it is poised, despite its perceived shortcomings, to become a major influencer in today’s world.”