ASEAN Theme
The ASEAN Story. Your Animation.
2027 Theme
In 2027, Singapore chairs ASEAN — coinciding with the bloc’s 60th anniversary. N.E.mation! 2027 asks you to find a human story within this historic moment. Choose one of five pillars, connect it to Total Defence, and let your animation do the rest.
Singapore's ASEAN Chairmanship 2027
60 Years of Building Together
Singapore has been part of ASEAN since its founding in 1967. The region is woven into ordinary Singaporean life in ways that are easy to miss until you start looking — the food you eat, the products you use, the stories your family carries.
In 2027, Singapore will lead ASEAN’s 60th anniversary as Chair. Your animation is an invitation to explore what that connection really means — and what it takes to protect it.
60
Years of ASEAN
11
Member Countries
700M
People in the Region
6
Total Defence Pillars
5 Pillars. 5 Ways In.
Choose Your Story
Each pillar is a different entry point into the same big idea. Read all five, then choose the one that sparks something in you.
There is no wrong choice — only the story you feel ready to tell.
01
Our Roots and Reach
What Singapore owes to its neighbours, and what it carries forward
Singapore has been part of ASEAN since 1967 — sixty years of being neighbours, trading partners, cultural cousins and sometimes competitors.
The region is woven into everyday Singaporean life: the food you eat, the products you use, the family stories that cross borders.
Your Guiding Question
"What does Singapore carry from its neighbours, and what do we carry forward for them?"
- A grandmother who remembers when the border felt different
- A hawker dish with roots in three countries
- A Singaporean student studying in the region and discovering something unexpected
Social
Economic
Psychological Defence
02
Small Nation, Loud World
How Singapore earns its place at the table
Small countries face a simple problem: the world does not automatically listen to them.
Singapore’s answer has always been to be useful, to be principled and to build relationships that make others want us in the room. ASEAN is one of the key ways Singapore makes that choice count.
Your Guiding Question
"What does it take for a small nation to be heard, respected and trusted in a world that rewards size and power?"
- A young negotiator trying to hold a room together when larger players dominate
- A character who has to decide what they will and will not compromise to stay at the table
- The cost of staying principled when it would be easier not to
Psychological
Economic
Digital Defence
03
What Borders Cannot Divide
What ordinary people share across the lines on the map
Diplomacy happens between governments. Connection happens between people. Millions across Southeast Asia share languages, cuisines, religions, family ties and lived experiences that predate any modern border.
ASEAN is not just a political framework — it is eleven countries full of people who have more in common than any headline suggests.
Your Guiding Question
"What do ordinary people in Southeast Asia share that no border can divide, and what happens when that connection is tested?"
- A friendship across borders that faces an unexpected strain
- A family split between two nations trying to stay close
- Discovering a tradition you thought was uniquely Singaporean is shared across the whole region
Social defence
Civil Defence
04
Building Our Future
Building Our Future
ASEAN turns sixty in 2027 — sixty years of building something together, not always perfectly, but persistently.
The next sixty years will be shaped by decisions being made right now, and by the generation in school today. Technology, AI, climate, trade — the questions facing the region in 2087 are already taking shape.
Your Guiding Question
"What kind of future is Singapore helping to build in the region, and what does it take to protect that future from what could unravel it?"
- A story set in the future — what went right or wrong with today’s choices
- A young person discovering how their generation’s decisions will echo across the region
- A hopeful or warning story about what ASEAN could become
digital
Economic
Psychological Defence
05
Strength in Unity
How the region stands together when danger does not stop at borders
Some dangers do not stop at the border. A typhoon does not check which country it is entering. A criminal syndicate does not limit itself to one jurisdiction.
A cyberattack does not target only one flag. These are problems the region has to solve together, or not at all. ASEAN chose cooperation — and that choice has to be made again and again.
Your Guiding Question
"What does it look like when countries choose to stand together, and what is at stake when that unity is tested?"
- A joint operation between two ASEAN nations to bring down a transnational syndicate
- A Singaporean relief team deployed to help a neighbouring country after a disaster
- A regional cybersecurity team racing to respond to a coordinated attack
- Two individuals from different countries who have to learn to trust each other before they can act
military
civil
Digital Defence
Your Total Defence Element
select your Choice
Whatever pillar you choose, your animation must include at least one element of Total Defence. Pick the one that fits your story naturally.
Military Defence
Protecting Singapore through a strong SAF
Civil Defence
Keeping communities safe and prepared during crises
Economic Defence
Keeping Singapore’s economy resilient under pressure
Social Defence
Building a cohesive, united society across communities
Psychological Defence
Keeping the will and resolve of Singaporeans strong
Digital Defence
Staying safe and responsible in a connected digital world