VIENTIANE, Laos – As ASEAN is approaching its 50th anniversary next year, the 51st Meeting of the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (ASEAN-COCI) endorsed various projects to raise ASEAN awareness and foster community-building. Several projects are especially dedicated to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN. The meeting was held on 8-10 November in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
“The ASEAN-COCI is one of the oldest institutions of ASEAN. I highly value contributions and efforts of the ASEAN-COCI in developing and implementing a series of important projects on culture and information,” said Savankhone Razmountry, Deputy Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Lao PDR, which holds the ASEAN-COCI Chairmanship.
The ASEAN-COCI continues to broaden appreciation of the culture in the region. Among the endorsed projects to be implemented in 2017 are the ASEAN Youth Ensemble and the ASEAN Song Contest 2017, which will gather music enthusiasts especially among the youth. It will also promote collaboration among ASEAN’s media to disseminate information about the benefits of ASEAN integration.
The projects ASEAN Online Content Producers Workshop and ASEAN Digital Radio Broadcasting will facilitate the development of capabilities of information professionals to effectively develop and communicate ASEAN stories using a variety of platforms. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of ASEAN, the ASEAN-COCI will carry out events such as the Best of ASEAN Performing Arts 2017.
It will support national-level celebratory activities by providing seed fund for ASEAN Member States to mount events that would involve the public. It will also develop a documentary entitled “ASEAN@50 Historic Milestones” to commemorate the evolution of ASEAN over the past five decades.
The 51st ASEAN-COCI Meeting was organised by the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Lao PDR. More information about the initiatives of the ASEAN COCI can be found on http://cultureandinformation.asean.org/.
ASEAN lines up projects for community-building, 50th anniversary
