Frankfurt am Main, 7 August 2026 – The ASEAN Consulates General in Frankfurt commemorated the 59th Founding Anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through a reception held at Villa Hanoi in Frankfurt.
The event brought together the Consulates General of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, as well as the Honorary Consulates of Singapore and Cambodia. The celebration also marked the first participation of State Secretary Karin Müller of the Hessian State Chancellery in an ASEAN anniversary celebration, reflecting the growing partnership between the State of Hesse and ASEAN.
In her welcome remarks, Consul General Marie Yvette Ivy Banzon Abalos, Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Frankfurt, highlighted ASEAN’s continued emergence as one of the world’s fastest-growing economic regions and underscored opportunities for deeper cooperation between the State of Hesse and ASEAN in the areas of trade, investment, innovation, education, and people-to-people exchanges. She further noted that, under the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairship, ASEAN is advancing peace, shared prosperity, and people-centered progress through regional unity, innovation, and resilience.
In her address, State Secretary Karin Müller reaffirmed the State of Hesse’s commitment to strengthening relations with ASEAN and expressed Hesse’s readiness to deepen cooperation with the region.
The reception showcased cultural performances and cuisines from the ASEAN Member States represented in Frankfurt, highlighting the region’s rich cultural diversity while providing an opportunity for networking and exchanges among representatives of the Government of Hesse, the diplomatic corps, the business community, academia, and friends of ASEAN.
