JAKARTA, May 16 — About 50 participants representing 26 culture and arts organisations discussed cooperation opportunities to advance the culture sector of the ASEAN region at the ASEAN Culture and Arts Cooperation held on 12-13 May 2016 at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.
“This is an important milestone for the culture sector in ASEAN as never before has ASEAN convened such a wide representation of stakeholders who work for the development of culture and arts in the region,” said H.E. Dr. AKP Mochtan, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community and Corporate Affairs. “We fully recognise the role of all the stakeholders in the culture and arts sector in the region and we hope that through this forum we could take the first steps of engagement with all of you,” he added.
The dialogue was a platform for conversation, brainstorming and stocktaking between ASEAN and stakeholders comprising of non-government, inter-government, foundations, youth organisations, arts festival organisers, the academe, etc.
The Chair of the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (ASEAN-COCI), Mr. Hilmar Farid stressed that “Through this Dialogue, we could enhance mutual understanding and solidarity among our people.”
The Dialogue showed that stakeholders in the culture and arts sector have strong expertise and a wide array of resources that may be interlinked with each other.
The participants raised partnership ideas such as mapping the culture stakeholders in the region, developing a network of networks among heritage professionals and other fields, supporting the creative cultural industries, strengthening ASEAN branding, cooperation in art and culture festivals, further pursuing policy fore, and sharing of success stories, which are aligned with the draft ASEAN Strategic Plan for Culture and Arts 2016-2025. (ASEAN)