ZAMBOANGA
CITY, Aug. 3 -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will launch
its first-ever Asean Media Forum (AMF) on Friday in Manila as part of the
commemorative activities celebrating the regional block’s 50th anniversary.
In a
statement, the Asean secretariat based in Jakarta, said the AMF aims at
“providing a platform for Asean to convey key messages of its goals,
achievements and challenges to top media leaders, while at the same time, allow
for engagement, discussion and debate on topical and timely international,
issues which affect the region.”
“Over
21 media leaders from 10 member states have so far, agreed to join the forum,”
the statement reads.
During
the launching, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, former Asean Secretary-General and ex-Thai
Foreign Minister, will deliver a special luncheon speech on “ASEAN – the next
50 years.”
This
is to be followed by a panel discussion on “how should Asean balance itself
among the major powers.”
The
highlight of the forum will be a “Conversation with the Asean chair” hosted by
Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano.
“Media
plays a very important role in ASEAN’s community building efforts. This forum
is being launched in the hope that Asean can forge a regular platform of
communication with the region’s media, enabling them to gain a deeper
understanding of Asean, and thus empowering these media leaders to better
explain Asean’s objectives, initiatives, achievements and challenges to our
people,” said AKP Mochtan, the Deputy Secretary-General of Asean for Community
and Corporate Affairs.
The
Asean Secretariat and the Deutsche Gessellschaft fur Internationale
Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) are jointly organizing the event, in consultation with the
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs. (DWTW/PNA)
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