ASEAN looks to increase cultural ties

ASEAN member countries have agreed to intensify cooperation in culture and arts in forming the ASEAN Community by 2015.
ASEAN member countries have agreed to intensify cooperation in culture and arts in forming the ASEAN Community by 2015.

Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Hoang Tuan Anhtold the media that culture is considered a pillar of the region’ssustainable development. He attended the sixth meeting of the ASEANMinisters Responsible for Culture and the Arts (AMCA) and relatedmeetings with dialogue partners, including the Republic of Korea (RoK),Japan and China (AMCA+3), which took part in the central city of Hue onApril 20.

Anh, who is also the AMCA Chairman, further saidmember states have acknowledged their cultural accomplishments on thepath of realising the regional Cultural – Social Community Plan ofAction, citing cultural city projects, music performances and youthvolunteer schemes as examples.

At the plenary session,ministers hailed new initiatives that encourage youngsters and culturalactivists to engage more in artistic activities.

During therelated meetings, China pledged to put the 2014-2018 ASEAN – Chinacooperation action plan into practice, especially during their culturalexchange year 2014.

Japan presented a new ASEAN culturalexchange policy, which centres on a project to make Asia moreinteractive through fusion and harmony. Meanwhile, the RoK will workclosely with the bloc in preserving and developing cultural values,enhancing capacity for training courses and crafting art products.

Recognising the importance of the ASEAN – China, ASEAN – RoK andASEAN – Japan Centres, which are tasked with promoting bilateralcultural exchange and tourism, ministers asked the Senior OfficialMeeting for Culture and Arts participants to join efforts in identifyingpromising areas for collaboration.

The next AMCA meeting and related talks with dialogue partners will be held in Brunei in 2016.-VNA

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