COOPERATION IN CULTURE AND INFORMATION

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The ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (COCI) held its 28th Meeting in Chiang Rai. Thailand, from 16 to 20 August 1993. Several issues were discussed at that Meeting. One of them was ASC's request for COCI to take into consideration the desirability of expanding its programmes under the information sector to cover other priorities of ASEAN such as AFTA and political and security issues, and for COCI to begin to project the image of ASEAN outside the region.

Accordingly, COCI's Sub-Committee on Information agreed to formulate new projects in subsequent working group meetings (i.e. Working Group on Print and Interpersonal Media and Working Group on Radio/TV and Films/Video) which would take into account these priority concerns and issues.

COCI also discussed the matter of commercialization of COCI products and requested its Sub-Committees to identify completed products. After confirming that they did not have copyright problems, Member Countries could proceed with commercialization following the approved Guide- lines for the Reproduction and Commercial Dissemination of Marketable COCI Products. COCI also decided that in future, participating countries in COCI projects should be asked to secure relevant copyrights.

In accordance with ASC's concerns, COCI reiterated the measures to ensure greater financial management responsibility and full compliance by Member Countries with all the relevant rules governing the control, disbursement and accounting of the ASEAN Cultural Fund.

The 28th COCI Meeting also adopted the Global Thrusts and Priorities of COCI for the 3- Year Programme FY 1994-1997 arising from a Combined Meeting of the Culture and Information Working Groups held in Ball from 10 to 13 May 1993. Under this, six broad strategic thrusts have been identified, namely: promotion of the ASEAN image, development of source materials on culture for ASEAN studies, development of human resources, preservation and revitalization of cultural heritage, utilization of technology, and adoption of themes. The common themes which were adopted to maximize impact and ensure integration of projects are: environment, cultural heritage, women, children, drugs and AIDS, and social and economic integration.

ASEAN cooperation in the field of information was given a further boost by the Third Conference of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information held in Manila from 16 to 17 December 1993. The Ministerial Conference was preceded by a Senior Officials Meeting from 13 to 14 December 1993.

The Ministers recalled the vital role of information in promoting awareness of ASEAN, advancing its goals as well as enhancing its image within and outside the region. The Ministers also recognized the strategic role of information and mass media in contributing to the promotion of AFTA.

Realizing the need for a coordinated and effective approach, the Ministers adopted a frame- work for a plan of action in the field of information. The framework has set out the goals and objectives of ASEAN cooperation in information which included, among others, the effective and positive promotion and projection of the ASEAN image within and outside the region through a more intensified use of mass media.

Another important decision which the Ministers adopted was for the ASEAN Secretariat to prepare a proposal for a feasibility study on the establishment of an information and data bank centre at the ASEAN Secretariat to serve the information needs of Member Countries. This is now being attended to by the Secretariat.

Following the adoption by COCI of its Global Thrusts and Priorities, and by ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information of the draft Frame- work of plan of action on Information, the ASEAN Secretariat initiated actions towards the preparation of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Culture and Information. The Draft Plan will contain the orientation, objectives, programmes and activities to be pursued by COCI and its Working Groups for the programme cycle 1994-1997.

For FY 1.993-1994, COCI received ASC approval of a budget of US$2,554,081 from the ASEAN Cultural Fund for the Meetings of four Working Groups and the implementation of twenty-four projects as follows : eight projects under the Working Group on Literary and ASEAN Studies, four projects under the Working Group on Visual and Performing Arts, eight projects under the Working Group on Radio/TV and Films/ Video, and eight projects under the Working Group on Print and Interpersonal Media. COCI already completed several of the projects during the period under review.

Projects in Literary and ASEAN Studies included the Second Exploration of Historical and Cultural Sites of ASEAN which was implemented in Indonesia from 1 to 15 December 1993. There were 15 explorers and one journalist involved in this activity. Another project was the Exchange of ASEAN Archivists to promote better understanding of archival policies. procedures and practices among Member Countries. Malaysia conducted the first exchange programme from 10 to 17 October 1993, followed by Indonesia from 24 to 30 January 1994. Thailand and Brunei Darussalam will host the exchange programme in FY 94/95, and Singapore and the Philippines in FY 95/96. The project includes visits and attachment at the national and regional / provincial archives for three days as well as the holding of a seminar.

In the field of Visual and Performing Arts, the Third ASEAN Dance Festival was held in Manila from 20 to 27 March 1994 with the theme "ASEAN Legends: Interpretations of traditions". Twenty participants from each Member Country comprising dancers, musicians, and staff members were involved.

The Second ASEAN Workshop, Exhibition and Symposium on Aesthetics was held in Manila from 8 to 21 October 1993 with the theme "Towards the Shaping of ASEAN Visual Arts". This project, which involved the participation of 30 artists, produced a publication containing the workshop and symposium proceedings and a catalogue of works featured in the exhibition for distribution.

The Third ASEAN Youth Music Workshop was held in Bandar Seri Begawan from 14 to 28 July 1993. Eighteen music tutors and 96 youth musicians from all Member Countries performed music repertoires at the event.

In the field of Radio/TV and Films/video, the project Seventh ASEAN Festival of Songs was held in Bandar Seri Begawan from I to 10 October 1993. This annual project promotes the cultural development of ASEAN through songs and social interaction among singers/composers and enhances mutual appreciation of the culture of each Member Country.

In the field of Print and Interpersonal Media, the project Third ASEAN Awards Ceremony for Culture, Communication and Literary Works was held in Bandar Seri Begawan from 8-10 October 1993. This activity is held every three years to give recognition to ASEAN artists and media professionals who have distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavour. It aims to promote higher artistic standards and excellence among artistes and media professionals in ASEAN in the fields of performing arts, visual arts, literary studies and communication. Twenty-four ASEAN nationals were chosen for the awards.

The Fifth ASEAN Exchange of Journalists Programme was held from 6 to 30 October 1993 in Brunei Darussalam. Also, a Study Tour of Australian Information Agencies was conducted in Australia from 12 to 25 September 1993 to broaden the scope of ASEAN information officers' expertise by tapping from Australian experience and resources in managing information.

The ASEAN Seminar on Compatibility of Informatics and Telecom Systems for News Agencies and Print Media was held in Jakarta from 15 to 17 November 1993. The Seminar aimed to bring problems of incompatibility of telecommunication and informatics systems into focus and recommended workable solutions. It was attended by a total of 42 participants comprising technical department heads, senior editors of ASEAN news agencies and daily print media organizations, and other experts.

The Workshop on Technical Cooperation on Press and Printing Technology of ASEAN Countries was held at Jakarta from 8 to 14 November 1993. It was aimed at stepping up cooperation and mutual understanding among press publishers and press printers associations and promoting technical cooperation in the field of press and printing technology. The workshop, supervised by one expert and seven instructors, was conducted in four phases namely orientation, tutorial and discussion, on-the-spot workshop, and study visits. Twenty- four participants were awarded certificates of participation.

The Training Programme for the ASEAN News Exchange (ANEX): A Comprehensive Approach was implemented in Manila from 25 January to 5 February 1994. It was aimed at developing a corps of professionally trained ANEX editors and journalists with skills in International coverage and reportage of ASEAN events from an ASEAN perspective. Activities included briefings on ASEAN; acquisition of skills; management, coordination and planning of materials for news exchange and dissemination through ANEX, and a three-day post-training evaluation of the project. Eighteen participants and six resource persons took part in the programme.

The ANEX Seminar / Workshop on Feature Writing was held in Jakarta from 3 to 13 November 1993. It consisted of lectures, panel discussions and practical exercises on feature writing. Twelve Journalists and six information officers from Member Countries were trained under the guidance of senior journalists and a consultant.

To provide effective funding support of COCI projects, the ASEAN Secretariat would ensure that the ASEAN Cultural Fund was administered in accordance with approved guidelines and that funds were remitted on time to Member Countries. For the period under review, the Secretariat remitted a total of US$2,480,623.56 to Member Countries for the implementation of projects. The Secretariat also continued to monitor compliance by Member Countries with the rules governing the control, disbursement and accounting of the ASEAN Cultural Fund and provided the necessary assistance to the ASEAN Audit Committee in this regard.

The ASEAN Secretariat also organized the 14th Meeting of the Advisory Group for the ASEAN Cultural Fund in Bali from 17 to 18 May 1994. The Advisory Group, as in the past, considered the reports of the Fund's professional investment managers and reviewed the status of investments made out of the Fund. The Advisory Group recommended the retention of the services of the existing Fund Managers, namely, the Overseas Union Bank and the Bumiputra Merchant Bankers Berhad, for the period of I June 1994 to 31 May 1995. The Advisory Group also set the range and level on currency mix holdings and limits on fixed- income securities.