Hanoi raises flags to mark ASEAN founding anniversary   The ceremony (Source: VNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised a ceremony at its headquarters in Hanoi on August 8 to fly the ASEAN flag and the national flag of Vietnam to mark the bloc’s 47th founding anniversary (August 8) and the 19 th anniversary of the country’s ASEAN membership (July 28). Attending the event were senior ministry officials along with Venezuelan Ambassador to Vietnam Jorge Rondon Uzcategui – acting head of the diplomatic corps in Hanoi, and representatives of embassies of the ASEAN member countries. Since its establishment on August 8, 1967, ASEAN has been unceasingly expanding its cooperation and making efforts to build a common community rested on the three pillars of politics – security, economics, and culture – society. On the day, the bloc’s flag will be raised in all ASEAN member states as a way to express their solidarity and determination to build an ASEAN community by 2015. The ASEAN flag symbolises the m embers' unity and support for the bloc’s principles and endeavours. It represents a stable, peaceful, united and dynamic ASEAN. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA