( L-R ) Ms . Adelina Kamal -Director , Sustainable Development Directorate ( SDD ), ASEAN Secretariat .
Mr . Gerald Wee - Representative of Chair , ASEAN-COCI Sub-Committee on Culture ( SCC ), and Deputy Director , International Relations , National Heritage Board of Singapore .
Dr . AKP Mochtan - Deputy Seceretary General , ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs ,
Mr . Hilmar Farid - Chair , ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information ( COCI ), and Director General of Culture , Ministry of Education and Culture , Indonesia .
Culture and Arts Cooperation Dialogue
An Important Milestone in the Region ' s Culture Sector
Asia as a whole has an arts and culture tradition that span thousands of years , each one varied and fascinating due to the influences of next-door neighbors as well as foreign nations that passed by or settled on their shores . The members of ASEAN are proud of their culture and their arts , for these make them unique and provide each one with a distinct cultural identity .
The ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta hosted the ASEAN Culture and Arts Cooperation Dialogue on May 12-13 , 2016 . The affair , which was attended by different stakeholders from the private sector , cultural and educational institutions , N G O s and ASEAN D i alogue Partner Centers , became a very significant milestone in the culture sector of the region . It was the first time that such a dialogue saw a wide representation , with some 50 guests representing 26 culture and arts organizations in attendance .
His Excellency Dr . AKP Mochtan , the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN f o r C o mmunity and Corporate Affairs , delivered the welcome remarks . Mr . Hilmar F arid , C h air o f t h e ASEAN C o mmittee o n C u l t u re and
Information ( ASEAN-COCI ) opened the Dialogue , stressing that culture is vital in sustainable development and there could always be harmony in diversity . Both Mr . Farid and Dr . Mochtan support the premise that the Dialogue is about building partnerships as well as greater understanding among member states . They believe that culture and arts allow ASEAN people to explore not only their shared values and traditions but their own points of view as well .
The ASEAN Culture and Arts Cooperation Dialogue was held in conjunction with the launch of the ASEAN C o mmunity and t h e ASEAN Community Vision 2025 , which aims to consolidate the Community and foster a deeper feeling of togetherness .
The dialogue is planned to be the open platform for discussion among stakeholders on steps to ensure that there will be solidarity among all w h o s h are t h e Community ' s vision ; the importance of multi-sectoral engagements ; regional cooperation ; mutual respect and understanding for religions , and promotion of a culture of tolerance .
Dr . Mochtan likewise mentioned that the culture sector should not only support the creative industries but must also be prepared for threats presented by man-made and natural disasters . He highlighted the invaluable participation of ASEAN-COCI and its Sub- Committee on Culture that has been playing active roles in organizing relevant projects financed by the ASEAN Cultural Fund . One of these projects was the Festival of ASEAN Cultural Expressions held in Kuala Lumpur in 2015 in preparation for the launch of the ASEAN Community . It also spearheaded the Cultural Industry Program to Support Restoration Efforts for Sites Hit by Typhoon Haiyan and Earthquake in the Visayas Islands of the Philippines .
Dialogue participants were later treated to a Cultural Tour of the Old City of Jakarta ( Kota Tua Jakarta ) organized by the Ministry of Education and Culture , Indonesia , and represented by Mr . Farid , the Director-General of Culture .
32 | ASEAN Life • MAY 2016
Bpk Hilmar Farid ( L ) - Chair , ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information and Director General of Culture , Ministry of Education and Culture , Indonesia and Nellsen Young ( R )