(KPL) The Eleventh ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts (AMCA) Meeting, along with AMCA Meetings with Dialogue Partners, including ASEAN Plus Three (China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea), took place from October 21-26 in Melaka, Malaysia. Timor-Leste attended as an observer.

Themed “Bridging Cultures, Building Futures: Unity in Diversity,” the meeting highlighted the role of culture and the arts in fostering sustainable development and strengthening ASEAN unity. Chaired by Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mr. Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, the gathering included ministers, deputy ministers, and senior culture and arts officials from ASEAN member states, Timor-Leste, and representatives from ASEAN Plus Three countries.

Lao PDR officially handed over the AMCA chairmanship to Malaysia after its 2022-2024 term, during which it promoted post-COVID-19 cultural resilience under the slogan, “Promoting the Role of ASEAN Culture and Arts for Sustainable Development.” Malaysia will lead AMCA until 2026. The ministers recognized ASEAN’s cultural richness and the unique identity that Lao culture contributes to ASEAN’s unity and socio-economic development.

Key topics discussed included progress on the 2016-2025 ASEAN Culture and Arts Strategic Plan, aiming to enhance ASEAN cultural integration beyond 2025. Ms. Dalany Phommavongsa, Lao Deputy Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism, reported on Lao PDR's chairmanship achievements, including support for the Vang Vieng Declaration, which promotes small and medium-sized cultural products alongside green growth and sustainable development.

She emphasized that ASEAN’s cultural sector is vital for fostering economic growth, sustainable development, and intra-ASEAN cooperation, celebrating the region’s diverse yet unified cultural identity. She also noted that the Vang Vieng Declaration, endorsed at the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits, sets a policy framework for supporting cultural entrepreneurship and sustainable growth in the arts sector.

KPL