Senior officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)have gathered at the 11th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Cultureand Arts (SOMCA) in Indonesia to determine policies and strategiesto promote arts and culture in the region.
Participants also discussed celebrating the formation of the ASEANCommunity by the end of 2015, as well as ways for culture and arts tocontribute to building a people-centred community.
Deputy Head of the Department of International Relations under theMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Le Ngoc Dinh said the event,which ran from May 12-14, is important as the ASEAN charts its post-2015development future.
He added that the culture andarts sector needs to facilitate intercultural dialogues among ASEANnations and highlight the role of culture in promoting sustainabledevelopment in the bloc.
A series of meetings withpartners from China , Japan , and the Republic of Korea (RoK)were held to discuss common goals and mechanisms of culture and artcooperation.
The SOMCA Plus 3 Meeting was alsoconvened to promote the centrality of culture and art in advancingmutual respect and meaningful partnerships throughout the region.
Other functions with UNESCO and the ASEAN Centres in China, Japan, and the RoK were held to explore partnership opportunities.-VNA