Bangkok: The Ministry of Culture has launched an ambitious initiative titled "The Power of Art" to empower disabled youth. This collaborative effort, involving the Senate and the Art for All Foundation, aims to bring together artists from across ASEAN to enhance the potential of disabled youth, foster experience exchange, and inspire sustainable career paths through the medium of art.
According to Thai News Agency, the opening ceremony of the "The Power of Art" workshop was presided over by Ms. Rakchanok Kojaranon, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture. The event, which was held at the Parliament building, saw the participation of Mr. Chanarong Phornrungroj, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Creative Arts, representatives from the United Nations, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Religion, Morality, Ethics, Art and Culture. Executives from the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD), the president of the Art for AI Foundation, young people with and without disabilities, teachers, parents, volunteers, artists from ASEAN member countries, and representatives from various agencies and networks were also present.
The event featured a project video screening, demonstrations showcasing the potential of disabled youth, a Bai Sri Phuk Kwan ceremony, an exhibition of creative artworks, and hands-on activities by youth participants. Ms. Rakchanok highlighted that the "The Power of Art" workshop, scheduled from August 15-17, 2025, at the State House Building and Art for All Village in Bangkok, aims to utilize art as a tool for the development of disabled and disadvantaged youth.
The Deputy Permanent Secretary further elaborated that the event facilitated direct learning and experience exchange with artists from seven ASEAN member countries, including Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The international seminar, themed "The Dynamics of Art, Diversity, Potential, and Inspiration for a Sustainable Career Path," provided a platform for sharing knowledge. Creative activities included art teaching for disabled youth and collaborative art creation on canvas under the theme "Colors of ASEAN," employing mixed media techniques to enhance creativity and artistic potential.
Ms. Rakchanok expressed gratitude for the support from various sectors and emphasized the hope that this collaboration would create opportunities for disabled youth to realize their potential, develop creative skills, and achieve a sustainable quality of life. She noted that the Ministry of Culture has consistently prioritized this project, collaborating with the Arts for Humanity Foundation. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization continued to hold online international academic conferences, fostering experience exchange and producing art teaching materials to facilitate independent learning for disabled youth.