(VOVworld)- Culture is one of ASEAN’s three main pillars in achieving the target of establishing an ASEAN Community by 2015. So far, nearly 90% of the targets to build an ASEAN Cultural-Social community have been achieved. The success of the 6th Conference of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts held in Hue recently demonstrates the bloc’s determination to move toward a common community with a shared vision and identity.
Since it was founded 47 years ago, ASEAN has developed rapidly based on three main pillars: politics-security, economics, and culture-society, the third one playing the key role in building a sustainable ASEAN community.
Over the past few years, major targets relating to the ASEAN Cultural and Social Community have been achieved through such activities as building an ASEAN Cultural City, an ASEAN Youth Camp, and a network of ASEAN ancient cities.
Unique, diverse traditional culture
Located in a strategic position in Asia, ASEAN, whose total population totals 600 million people, boasts numerous natural and cultural heritages. At the recent conference in Hue of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts, ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh said ASEAN owns 21 out of the 33 world cultural heritage sites - a great advantage for the bloc. Economically, the diversity of the unique traditional cultures of ASEAN member countries are a key factor in their tourism development.
Despite the recent global economic crisis, ASEAN remains attractive to tourists. Tourism has made a large contribution to the socio-economic development of each member country, generating jobs, reducing poverty, and narrowing the development gap between countries, thus creating momentum for sustainable economic growth in the region. This achievement is attributable to the close links within ASEAN, as reflected in the “10 nations, 1 destination” strategy developed in 2010 to promote a common community by 2015. Ramon Jimenez, Vice Head of the Philippine’s Tourism Office, says: “In ASEAN, we always stick together. We are not competitors, we support each other. What one country lacks, the other country gives. So, it’s a very good relationship. 10 countries are working together. This Southeast Asia area will be the number one area as far as tourism arrivals concern”.
However, ASEAN needs a development strategy, a clear orientation that will enable the cultural diversity of each member country to contribute to their shared development. Each ASEAN citizen should be aware of the cultural identity and values not only of their own country, but also of the other ASEAN countries.
Building a cultural strategy for the ASEAN Community
That’s why the theme of the 6th Conference of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts - “Improving culture’s role in the ASEAN community’s sustainable development”- has attracted increasing attention from ASEAN Ministers of Culture as the 2015 deadline draws near. In addition to discussing cultural cooperation within ASEAN and the role of culture and arts, the recent conference promoted the role of culture in the lives of the 10 ASEAN countries as the ultimate goal in building an ASEAN Community with One Vision, One Identity.
ASEAN dialogue countries play an indispensable role in building an ASEAN Community. At this conference, ASEAN enhanced its cooperation with dialogue countries Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea. Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh said:“ASEAN always promotes close cooperation with its dialogue countries, particularly China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. We are working with Japan on a new policy on Asian cultural exchanges and a project called “Towards Asia” in which we have set up an Asian Centre under the Japanese Fund for Cultural Exchanges to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation between ASEAN and Japan”.
It’s difficult to build a common community in Southeast Asia due to its differences of languages, cultures, religions, and development level. But with strong determination and the detailed road map ASEAN is following, an ASEAN Community united in its diversity for common development and prosperity will take shape in the near future.