Izah Azahari
ASEAN member countries shared concrete ways to mobilise culture and arts for post-pandemic recovery during the 10th ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts (AMCA) Meeting and related meetings with dialogue partners which took place via video conference yesterday.
This included strengthening support for the development of creative industries (CCI), harnessing and promoting local skills, traditions and crafts as a source of sustainable practices and using new technologies to protect and conserve ASEAN cultural heritage.
The meeting saw the presentation of the ‘ASEAN City of Culture’ recognition from Cambodia’s Siem to Laos’ Vientiane for the period of 2022-2024. Vientiane is the seventh city to receive the recognition.
The ASEAN City of Culture symbolises the ASEAN Culture of Prevention, promoting a culture of peace and understanding.
During the celebration of the ASEAN City of Culture, Laos will organise several cultural activities.
The meeting also saw ASEAN member countries affirm their commitment to the Siem Reap Declaration to promote a creative and adaptive ASEAN community, adopted by the AMCA on July 7.
The declaration sought to strengthen the ASEAN Creative Economy (ACE).
The meeting welcomed the ministerial statement on cultural property proposed in September, which encouraged the strengthening of cross-sector coordination and information sharing among ASEAN member countries and also interested parties from abroad.
ASEAN member countries take note of developments in the establishment of the expert panel and ad-hoc working group on the feasibility study of the ASEAN Cultural Heritage List (ACHL).
This also includes proposed initiatives for the development of the ASEAN Cultural Heritage list in line with the ASEAN Declaration on Cultural Heritage (2000) and the Vientiane Declaration on Reinforcing Cultural Heritage Cooperation in ASEAN (2016).
The meeting welcomed progress in the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Culture and the Arts (2016-2025). Under the cooperation with Plus Three Dialogue Partners, the ministers took note of the progress of the implementation of the ‘ASEAN Plus Three Culture and Arts Cooperation Work Plan 2022-2025’, especially in the field of cultural exchange, cultural heritage management, and development of human resources.
Appreciation was also expressed for China, Japan and South Korea’s in cooperation in arts and culture.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Nazmi bin Haji Mohamad attended the meeting.
