1. The ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts (AMCA) held their third meeting on 12 January 2008 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. The meeting was attended by Honourable Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa, Hon. Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Major General (Rtd.) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Mohd bin Mohd Daud, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Brunei Darussalam; H.E. Mr Samraing Kamsan, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Cambodia; H.E. Mr Hari Untoro Dradjat, Director General for History and Archaeology, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Indonesia; H.E. Mr Mounkeo Oraboun, Minister of Information and Culture, Lao PDR; H.E. Dr. Rais Yatim, Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Malaysia; H.E. Major General Khin Aung Myint, Minister of Culture, Myanmar; Hon. Vilma I. Labrador, Acting Chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and Under Secretary, Department of Education, the Philippines; H.E. Dr. Lee Boon Yang, Minister of Information, Communications and the Arts, Singapore; H.E. Dr. Somsuda Leyavanija, Inspector General, Ministry of Culture, Thailand; H.E. Mr. Tran Chien Thang, Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam; and, H.E. Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN.
2. The Meeting was officially opened by His Excellency Major-General Khin Aung Myint, the Minister of Culture, Myanmar. In his opening address, Major-General Khin Aung Myint noted the 21st Century was considered as the century of culture. He said it was most timely that AMCA meets to promote a deeper understanding of the region’s civilization, arts and cultures. He hoped that the Meeting would contribute towards the emergence of an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community by 2015. He noted that the roadmap for the community called for the preservation and promotion of the region’s cultural heritage and cultural identity.
3. The Ministers noted the signing of the ASEAN Charter, which would be an important enabler towards the building of an ASEAN community and specifically the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.
4. In support of this, the Ministers agreed to enhance ASEAN cooperation in the areas of culture and arts focusing on human resources development; the protection, preservation and promotion of ASEAN cultural heritage; and, the development of small and medium-sized cultural enterprises. Towards this end, the Ministers endorsed the Work Plans of the Working Groups set up by ASEAN Senior Officials Responsible for Culture and Arts (SOMCA). The Working Groups had looked into three areas – human resources development in the cultural context, networking on ASEAN cultural heritage; and, small and medium-sized cultural enterprises and industry. The Ministers agreed that funding for cultural cooperation activities be streamlined and broadened. They further agreed that the ASEAN Secretariat should draw up plans and mechanisms to facilitate these efforts.
5. The Ministers resolved to enhance the cultural profile of ASEAN among ASEAN Member States and internationally with the following proposed programmes:
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ASEAN Cultural Week initiative
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ASEAN Cultural City/Capital Project
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the Best of ASEAN performances at the ASEAN Secretariat, Jakarta
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to promote an ASEAN Identity from the cultural perspective
6. The Ministers tasked SOMCA to look into the details of these potential projects in their next meeting.
7. Attending the 3rd AMCA Meeting was the new Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, who officially took office on 7 January 2008. This was his first ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in his capacity as Secretary-General of ASEAN. Dr Surin also attended the 3rd AMCA Plus 3 Meeting, which comprises ASEAN Member States, and China, Japan and Republic of Korea.
8. At the 3rd AMCA Plus 3 Meeting, the Ministers noted the steady progress achieved in the ASEAN Plus 3 collaboration in cultural related areas. They also noted the Second Joint Statement on East Asia Cooperation and the ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan adopted during the 11th ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Singapore in November 2007 which would pave the way to further enhance cultural cooperation among the ASEAN Plus Three Countries. The Ministers supported China’s proposal to expedite the drafting of an implementation plan for cultural cooperation between ASEAN and China. The Ministers welcomed the prospect of a Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and the Republic of Korea to formalize cultural cooperation. The Ministers also welcomed Japan’s initiatives on cultural cooperation with ASEAN, including the proposed ASEAN Plus 3 Computer Graphics Art Gallery.
9. Held in conjunction with the third AMCA Meeting was the Third ASEAN Festival of Arts. The ASEAN Festival of Arts is aimed at promoting the ASEAN common identity and its visibility as well as celebrating cultural diversity in ASEAN. For this event, the theme was “Asian Puppetry Heritage”. Seventy-one puppeteers from nine ASEAN Member States staged a colourful display to the AMCA.
10. The next AMCA and AMCA Plus Three Meeting is scheduled to be held in 2010 in the Philippines.
