ASEAN Connects Cultures, Builds the Future – Unity in Diversity

(To Quoc) - Within the framework of ASEAN cultural cooperation and between ASEAN and dialogue countries, the 11th ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts Meeting (AMCA-11) and related conferences with dialogue countries China, Japan, and South Korea took place from October 23 to 25, 2024 in Melaka City, Malaysia. Timor-Leste attended as an observer. The Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong attended the event.

Before AMCA-11, the 20th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Culture and Arts (SOMCA 20) and related conferences with dialogue countries were held to review the situation of ASEAN cooperation and between ASEAN and dialogue countries; discuss contents, projects and prepare documents to submit to AMCA-11. The delegation of Vietnamese senior officials was represented by Ms. Tran Hai Van, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation.

Conference Scene

At the Opening Ceremony of AMCA-11 and related conferences, Malaysian Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Dato Sri Tiong King Sing delivered a speech using AI technology, emphasizing the pivotal role of culture and arts in promoting sustainable and inclusive development, to strengthen solidarity in ASEAN. The Minister affirmed that towards realizing the ASEAN Vision 2045, Malaysia, as the chair of AMCA for the period 2024-2026, has identified three priority areas including (1) Youth: focusing on the future of ASEAN through cross-border cultural and exchange initiatives, (2) Creative Economy: emphasizing contributions to GDP, employment, revenue of cultural and creative industries, intellectual property and the preservation of cultural assets, (3) Digital Transformation: leveraging digital tools and platforms to enhance cultural preservation and innovation.

With the theme "Connecting Cultures, Building the Future: Unity in Diversity", ASEAN Ministers in charge of culture and arts and representatives of dialogue countries reviewed the process of cultural cooperation and discussed the role of culture and arts in the joint efforts to build the ASEAN Community. With the awareness that culture can play a connecting role, promote mutual understanding and contribute to social and economic development, ASEAN member countries wish to enhance the integration of culture into development policies to contribute to the realization of the ASEAN common vision after 2025. The conference also discussed the exploitation of the potential for preserving and promoting cultural values ​​in the new era, through a sustainable policy framework to develop ASEAN's creative economy, based on the Siem Reap Declaration on Promoting a Creative and Adaptive ASEAN Community for the Development of Cultural and Creative Industries; promote cultural enterprises, based on the Vang Vieng Declaration on Promoting Small and Medium Cultural Enterprises in line with Green Growth for Sustainable Development; as well as review the ASEAN Strategic Plan on Culture and Arts 2016-2025 and develop a work plan for the next phase.

Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong speaks at the Conference

Speaking at the Conference, Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong affirmed that Vietnam strongly supports UNESCO's efforts to make culture a separate development goal in the United Nations Agenda after 2030. The Deputy Minister highly appreciated the theme of Malaysia's term as chair of AMCA, affirming the key role of culture and arts in promoting sustainable development and strengthening ASEAN solidarity under a common roof, together towards One Vision, One Identity, making ASEAN a cultural community united in diversity. In that spirit, the Vietnamese delegation called on ASEAN countries to cooperate in implementing a number of tasks, including integrating culture into joint response efforts at the national and regional levels, orienting the development of digital culture in the context of digital society and digital economy becoming inevitable trends, and focusing on developing a number of cultural industries in which ASEAN member countries have strengths such as cuisine, handicrafts, music, cultural tourism, etc., forming and connecting creative spaces in cities and urban areas of member countries.

In cooperation with dialogue partners, ASEAN member states welcomed the efforts of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea in implementing the ASEAN+3 Work Plan on Cooperation in the Field of Culture and Arts 2022-2025 in the following areas: (1) Cultural Exchange, (2) Creative and Cultural Industries (3), Cultural Heritage Management (4), Human Resource Development and (5) Strengthening Cooperation among Cultural Organizations in the Region. For China, ASEAN countries agreed to continue cooperation in the fields of cultural heritage and traditional textile development. For Japan, ASEAN countries highly appreciated Japan's support and proposed to launch the next phase of the ASEAN Cultural Heritage Digital Archive (ACHDA) project to introduce ASEAN's rich cultural heritage through 3D interactive experiences. For the Republic of Korea, ASEAN countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of cultural heritage, and welcomed updates on the ASEAN-Korea Music Festival (AKMF), which was successfully held in Busan, the Republic of Korea and Jakarta, Indonesia, and will be held in Vientiane, Laos in November 2024.

Delegates representing countries at the Conference

Attending and speaking at the Conference, ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn highly appreciated the cooperation in the field of culture and arts within ASEAN, between ASEAN and dialogue countries and the cooperation established with new partners such as the UK in promoting the development of ASEAN's creative economy, and Italy in preserving and promoting cultural heritage. The Secretary General also acknowledged the efforts of a number of countries in developing creative industries, including Vietnam.

The ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts Meeting adopted the reports SOMCA 19, SOMCA 20 and AMCA 11 and agreed to transfer the title of ASEAN City of Culture for the period 2024-2026 to Melaka city, Malaysia.

During the Summit, as the host country, Malaysia hosted a number of side events such as the ASEAN Arts Festival 2024, the ASEAN Heritage Youth Workshop and the Handicraft Exhibition in Melaka city./.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/asean-ket-noi-van-hoa-xay-dung-tuong-lai-thong-nhat-trong-da-dang-20241025180725337.htm