The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has hosted the 17th Senior Officials Meeting on Culture and Arts (SOMCA) and Related Meetings with Dialogue Partners.

The meetings took place on Oct. 20 via a videoconference under the chairmanship of H.E. Ms. Pen Monimakara, Secretary of State and SOMCA Chair.

Senior officials from ASEAN member states and ASEAN dialogue partners from China, South Korea and Japan also joined the virtual meetings.

In her welcoming speech, H.E. Mrs. Phoeurng Sackona, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts and Chair of AMCA (ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts), underlined the importance of the gathering to strengthen the cooperation and partnership within and beyond the ASEAN Community toward 2025.

The meetings also serve as a forum to share timely information, knowledge and experience to address the impacts of COVID-19 especially on culture and arts.

According to a press release of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, the 17th SOMCA and Related Meetings with Dialogue Partners focused mainly on the promotion of work progress of ASEAN cooperation on culture and arts, building of harmonisation among ASEAN member states and enhancement of the oneness spirit for ASEAN cultural heritage conservation and development.

The meetings touched on cultural awareness building, people-to-people exchange, ASEAN cultural dissemination promotion, and new innovations for sustainable development in the area.

They also discussed the work progress of ASEAN cooperation on culture and arts such as ASEAN strategic plan for culture and arts 2016-2025, ASEAN cultural action enhancement during the crisis of COVID-19, Siem Reap as ASEAN cultural city 2020-2022 and ASEAN cultural heritage list.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press