ASEAN – Bandar Seri Begawan: SOMCA+3 – Support of Asean dialogue partners sought for UNESCO nomination
ASEAN is seeking the advice and assistance from its Plus Three dialogue partners of China, Japan and Korea to nominate the region’s intangible cultural heritage for the upcoming UNESCO Convention, said Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila binti Dato Paduka Haji Abdul Jalil, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in her opening remarks yesterday morning, at the 13th Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Culture and the Arts Plus Three (SOMCA+3).
Datin Paduka Dr Hajah Norlila, who is the Chairperson of the 13th SOMCA+3, said, “We have discussed at our SOMCA meeting yesterday, on looking at the possibility of nominating our intangible cultural heritage under the UNESCO Convention. We would like to seek help from our dialogue partners through their expertise, especially in the Category 2 centres for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, to assist and give guidance on materialising this noble idea.”
On the importance of the region’s Plus Three dialogue partners, she said, “We acknowledge our Plus Three dialogue partners in developing activities to promote and achieve the Asean Vision of 2025.
“We are also aware that the present work plan on enhancing the Asean Plus Three Cooperation in culture will end in 2018, and I wish to gear this meeting to see the possible revision, if not an extension, of five years for the purpose of enhancing our cooperation in the field of culture and arts in line with the Asean Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan of 2018-2022, which acts as the principal guide to enhance the Asean Plus Three Cooperation in achieving our long-term goals of an East Asian community.”
The Deputy Chair of SOMCA+3, Mari Kajiwara, Director of Office for International Cultural Exchange under the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan, said, “There are so many fields of cooperation between Asean and China, Japan and Korea, including culture and arts. This year is the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Asean Plus Three framework, therefore this is a very good timing to enhance cooperation. I am happy to be here to have the discussions to further enhance cooperation.”
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Xiao Jianghuo, the Counsellor of the Bureau of External Cultural Relations from the People’s Republic of China, said,”Since its launching in 1997, the 10+3 cooperation has produced abundant fruits and enjoyed a rising profile. The Ministry of Culture of China always attaches great importance to the cultural exchange and cooperation under the framework of 10+3, and is committed to promote our cooperation programmes. The 10+3 cultural cooperation is more than a platform for dialogue. It plays an increasingly important role in developing and improving the East Asian cultural exchange and cooperation mechanism. The Ministry of Culture of China will work together with its counterparts in Asean member countries, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) to initiate new programmes, set new goals and continue to give more vitality to 10+3 cultural exchanges.”
Seung Hoon Ham, the Director-General of the Asean Culture House under the Korea Foundation, said, “At the Asean summit in the Republic of Korea, the South Korean president, Moon Jae-in, brought his future vision of Asean and RoK in strengthening cooperation through a people-centred community as the key direction of his policy. What our president meant by a people-centred community is that we need to be friends first to share our bright future.
“Cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges are among the best practices to raise a level of understanding between Asean with Korea, China and Japan. In line with this, various cultural exchange programmes were held in the region, including 66 cultural and arts programmes, while tourists have been called upon to contribute for the building of mutual understanding between both regions.”
Seung also highlighted the opening of the Asean Culture House (ACH) on September 1 this year, during which numerous events were organised. The Head of the Brunei Darussalam delegation attending the meeting was Mohd Abdoh bin Haji Damit, the Acting Director of Culture and Arts.
COURTESY:
BORNEO BULLETIN | |
James Kon |
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