OVERVIEW
This meeting marked the beginning of a new phase in the development of the Culture360 portal, which was planned for launch at the 3rd ASEM Culture Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur in 2007.
The focus of this meeting, which gathered ministry and national cultural agency representatives from 10 Asian ASEM member countries, was on the Asian Mapping Exercise. This exercise saw the Asian ASEM countries collaborating towards the common goal of documenting the existing cultural resources in the region to promote their accessibility and visibility.
Joining the Asian participants were Culture360’s content partners from European and international organisations, such as the International Federation of Arts Councils and Cultural Agencies (IFACCA), Visiting Arts, and the European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA). Observers from several European embassies in Kuala Lumpur were also present at the meeting, which took place two days before a meeting of Deputy Heads of Mission of the EU embassies in Kuala Lumpur, where the ASEF was scheduled to present the Culture360 portal.
The meeting not only served as a platform for discussion but also yielded tangible results such as the implementation timeline for the Asian Mapping Exercise, which would serve as the basis for the ASEF’s partnerships with the Asian ASEM member governments. Also arising from the meeting were recommendations for the management of the portal beyond its launch in 2007, including its governance structure, visibility, and funding.
KEY ATTENDEES
Dato’ Wong Kam Hoong, Deputy Minister for Culture, Arts and Heritage, Malaysia,
Amb. Thierry Rommel, Head of the EC Delegation to Malaysia
Amb. Ong Keng Yong, Secretary General of the ASEAN Secretariat
Amb. Dato’ Ramanathan Vengadesanm, ASEF Governor for Malaysia
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Malaysia
Delegation of the European Commission to Malaysia
