During the 46th SEAMEO High Officials Meeting, the first iteration of the Friends of SEAMEO Gallery programme (FoSG) emerged as a testament to the collaborative spirit that defines SEAMEO. Positioned in the foyer of the meeting hall, FoSG served as a dynamic exhibition showcasing the activities, achievements, and future plans of organisations considered integral friends of SEAMEO. At the heart of SEAMEO lies the ethos of collaboration, extending beyond its eleven Member Countries to include Associate Member Countries, Affiliate Members, Partners, and a broader community collectively known as friends of SEAMEO. FoSG brought together seven organisations keen on contributing to the region’s educational landscape.

These included Galaxy Kids, dedicated to leveraging AI for children’s literacy; the Korea Education and Research Information Service (KERIS), focusing on ICT in education, with a unique programme on the use of offline digital tool in Timor-Leste; the Korea Institute of Educational Facility Safety (KOIES), offering a mutual aid programme for insuring educational facilities; Kyungwoon University, a higher education institution emphasising international student attraction; Nisai Group, specialising in education administration; Texthelp / TheKnowledge Lab Singapore, known for its assistive technology for literacy; and the University of Tsukuba, a SEAMEO-affiliated Japanese higher education institution.

The opening ceremony of the 46th SEAMEO High Officials Meeting featured a compelling short video titled “Voice of SEAMEO Friends,” spotlighting each participating organisation. Further enhancing the interactive nature of FoSG, three rounds of guided tours were conducted. The first, attended by the Minister of Education, Thailand, H.E. Pol Gen Permpoon Chidchob, and Permanent Secretaries from Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand, provided a unique opportunity for dignitaries to engage with the organisations. The second and third were conducted for the high officials.

For the participating organisations, FoSG was a platform to showcase their initiatives and network with influential figures. Mr Jerry Yiu of Galaxy Kids expressed, “It was a fantastic opportunity to network with so many important people and showcase Galaxy Kids,” while Mr Min Kim of KERIS expressed his pleasure in joining FoSG. The gallery not only celebrated the collaborative excellence within SEAMEO’s extended network but also laid the foundation for future editions, promising even greater synergy among the SEAMEO’s friends.