23 Oct
The 9th Meeting of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Culture and Arts was jointly held by Cambodia, rotating chair and the Secretary-General of ASEAN via videoconferencing yesterday morning.
Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture Thura U Aung Ko, Deputy Minister U Kyi Min, Permanent Secretary U Tun Ohn, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community high-level official Dr Khin Kyi Pyar, rector of National University of Arts and Culture in Mandalay and officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture joined the videoconference from the respective offices in Nay Pyi Taw.
During the meeting, the host country Cambodia made a speech under the topic of COVID-19 impacts on culture and arts.
Union Minister Thura U Aung Ko said that the COVID-19 pandemic currently affects the lives and properties of millions of people around the world and so the country is creating entertainment programmes to help people living at home during the COVID-19 period to reduce stress and is also providing cash assistance to the artists.
It also beefs up security measures for ancient heritages by cooperating with the relevant officials of regions and states, conducts online courses culture and arts and offers online exhibition and library.
It will actively cooperate in economic, social, cultural development and other cultural issues like other member countries and it conducts educating programmes for the people as preventive measures regarding COVID-19 pandemic, said the Union Minister, adding that currently, nobody knows when this pandemic will end and so all should support each other in accordance with the principles of ASEAN.
The meeting discussed work plans to be implemented in 2021 according to the culture and arts activities in ASEAN countries and reviewed the work plans of former meetings.
Rector Daw Khin Kyi Pyar and officials from the National University of Arts and Culture in Mandalay under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture joined the videoconferencing of Senior Officials Committee for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community held on the morning of 21 October.
MNA Translated by Khine Thazin Han
