Coffee Connections: ASEAN and Australia Strengthen Ties Through Coffee
Australian Embassy Event Celebrates Coffee as a Cultural Bridge and Economic Catalyst
On November 26, 2024, the Australian Embassy in Vientiane hosted "Coffee Connections: ASEAN and Australia," an event designed to highlight the unifying role of coffee in fostering cultural and economic relationships between ASEAN countries and Australia. The event brought together key figures from the coffee industry, including café owners, baristas, and coffee enthusiasts, showcasing how coffee serves as a cultural bridge between the two regions.
Deputy Australian Ambassador to the Lao PDR, Ms. Benita Sommerville, along with the President of Aust Cham Lao Alistair Brown, and members of the Australia-Laos Friendship Association, attended the gathering. Ms. Sommerville emphasized coffee’s global unifying power, stating, "Coffee brings people together – to meet, to talk, to connect."
The event underscored the significant role of coffee in both Southeast Asia and Australia. With countries like Vietnam and Indonesia among the top coffee producers globally, and Laos' Bolaven Plateau contributing a major portion of the nation's coffee, coffee continues to offer valuable trade opportunities. The event also celebrated Australia’s love for coffee, particularly its vibrant café culture, exemplified in Melbourne, which serves as a global coffee hub.
Guests sampled a variety of specialty blends, including Vittoria Coffee from Australia and Village Blend from Old Quarter Coffee Merchants, a mix of beans from Laos, Indonesia, and Myanmar. These blends exemplified the rich flavors and connections between Southeast Asia and Australia. Old Quarter Coffee Merchants, known for its ethical sourcing, also supports community initiatives such as clean drinking water projects in Laos.
Reflecting on the 50 years of ASEAN-Australia dialogue relations, Ms. Sommerville expressed hopes for deeper links between coffee farming communities in Southeast Asia and coffee enthusiasts in Australia, reinforcing the shared vision for regional prosperity.
Deputy Australian Ambassador to the Lao PDR, Ms. Benita Sommerville, along with the President of Aust Cham Lao Alistair Brown, and members of the Australia-Laos Friendship Association, attended the gathering. Ms. Sommerville emphasized coffee’s global unifying power, stating, "Coffee brings people together – to meet, to talk, to connect."
The event underscored the significant role of coffee in both Southeast Asia and Australia. With countries like Vietnam and Indonesia among the top coffee producers globally, and Laos' Bolaven Plateau contributing a major portion of the nation's coffee, coffee continues to offer valuable trade opportunities. The event also celebrated Australia’s love for coffee, particularly its vibrant café culture, exemplified in Melbourne, which serves as a global coffee hub.
Guests sampled a variety of specialty blends, including Vittoria Coffee from Australia and Village Blend from Old Quarter Coffee Merchants, a mix of beans from Laos, Indonesia, and Myanmar. These blends exemplified the rich flavors and connections between Southeast Asia and Australia. Old Quarter Coffee Merchants, known for its ethical sourcing, also supports community initiatives such as clean drinking water projects in Laos.
Reflecting on the 50 years of ASEAN-Australia dialogue relations, Ms. Sommerville expressed hopes for deeper links between coffee farming communities in Southeast Asia and coffee enthusiasts in Australia, reinforcing the shared vision for regional prosperity.
