On 8 August 2025, the Embassy of Malaysia - alongside the Embassies of Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam in The Hague - celebrated ASEAN Day, which was marked with a series of cultural performances and traditional cuisine prepared by each Embassy’s very own staff. The event was made even more memorable with the presence of the other ASEAN Ambassadors coming all the way from Brussels, as well as the Ambassador of Timor-Leste based in London; representatives from the Dutch Government and international organisations; and members of the media.
In his welcoming remarks, H.E. Dato’ Roseli Abdul, Ambassador of Malaysia and the ASEAN Committee in The Hague (ACTH) Chair, highlighted the immense progress achieved by ASEAN and its Member States over the decades as well as called on ASEAN to redouble its efforts to build a resilient, innovative and people-centred ASEAN Community. This echoes this year’s ASEAN Day theme of “Towards an Inclusive and Sustainable ASEAN Future”.
Mrs. Gerrie Willems, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, reflected upon the close relationship between ASEAN and the Netherlands, especially in areas of common interests. She expressed confidence that both sides will continue to explore new opportunities and identify complementary synergies, based on mutual respect and shared values for a better future.
All in all, this event was considered a great success for the Embassy of Malaysia in The Hague, as the host, based on the positive feedback received from the guests. As usual, the classical Malaysian dishes of nasi lemak and teh tarik - as well as the specially-made serawa durian - were definitely among the crowd’s favourites!
