Fostering closer cultural ties in the regional community and celebrating arts festivals

HE Liu Yuzhu, Vice Minister of Ministry of Culture
HE Mdm Li Kang, Vice Governor of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Ms Elaine Tan, Executive Director of ASEAN Foundation
Excellencies, Delegates
Ladies and Gentlemen

1. A very good morning to all of you.

2. I am delighted to be here at this 9th China-ASEAN Cultural Forum, held in this beautiful green city of Nanning. Since its inception in 2006, this Forum has grown in its reach and significance. It is now an important part of the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) and related meetings. This year’s Cultural Forum is special to Singapore, as we are the “Country of Honour”.
   

3. And it is indeed an honour and privilege for me to address such a distinguished audience.
   

4. Let me begin by expressing appreciation to friends from China for graciously hosting this meeting, and for your warmth, generosity and hospitality to us all. 
   

Milestones of cultural cooperation

5. I shall begin by touching on our milestones of Cultural Cooperation. It has only been two years since Singapore hosted the first meeting of the ASEAN-China Ministers on Culture and Arts Meeting, or AMCA+China.

6. And arising from this inaugural meeting, we have continued building upon the vision of regional cooperation and exchange. As ASEAN city of culture in 2012 and 2013, Singapore had the privilege of organising events that showcased our rich Asian cultural diversity such as the 5th ASEAN Festival of the Arts. Our 4th Edition of the Singapore Biennale was also focused on Southeast Asia, with more than 90% of works by artists or collectives from ASEAN.

7. At the 6th AMCA meeting held in Hue, Vietnam, this year, we adopted our priorities for cooperation between ASEAN and China. These include joint production of cultural performances and cooperation in emerging industries. Indeed, we are forging closer ties as a regional community, with ongoing cultural exchanges as well as action plans adopted for areas such as heritage preservation, protection of intangible heritage, library cooperation, people-to-people exchange, research and training.

8. 2014 is a particularly special year for ASEAN and China.  This is because 2014 is the ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year. We have seen fruits of the ASEAN-China Centre, which opened in 2011. This has served as an effective platform to increase people-to-people contacts, mutual understanding, as well as active participation among the ASEAN and Chinese peoples through cultural and educational exchanges. We will also see numerous exhibitions, concerts, lectures, youth programmes and other exchanges held in China and various ASEAN countries. We look forward to this exciting calendar of activities as part of the Cultural Exchange Year.

9. And one of the highlights of this Cultural Exchange Year, is the Chinese-ASEAN Cultural Forum, that is being held right now in this beautiful museum.
   

Importance of arts festivals

10. Over these two days, this Forum will share about our practices behind organising successful arts festivals. This is important work that brings people, communities and nations together. It is commendable too, that we come together in the spirit of sharing our experiences, expertise and resources.

11. Arts festivals celebrate our cultures, traditions and aspirations. They bridge the diverse communities in our countries. They also help us to understand, appreciate and celebrate each other’s heritage. They speak of who we are and how we live.

12. Later today, my colleague from our National Arts Council will share more about the Singapore Arts Festival. This Festival was re-launched this year as the Singapore International Festival of Arts. The revamped festival rounds up people-centric activities. It is helmed by an artist who determines the festival’s vision and programming, and the festival seeks to inspire diverse audiences with great artistic experiences. One of the performances this year for instance, is ‘Disabled Theatre’, which transforms how we view people with learning disabilities, and appreciate their capacity, joy and freedom.

13. In Singapore, we strive to make the arts accessible to the public. To make arts an inclusive platform for all and not esoteric for a few. We want to let art infuse our lives. To enrich and transform how we see the world. For instance, the National Arts Council supports arts programmes for seniors and elderly to enjoy the arts and showcase their creative talents and abilities, through the Silver Arts initiative. We are also reaching out to the underserved communities such as people with special needs, and bringing the arts to the general public through commissioning and showcasing artworks in public spaces.
    

Growing together as a community

14. So as we continue to build upon past programmes, I hope we will continue our unfinished work in building an enduring sense of regional identity.

15. China and ASEAN have much to gain from strengthening our cultural exchange, just as what we are during now in this 2014 ASEAN-China Cultural Exchange Year. We can also enhance collaboration not just at a regional level, but also through exchanges between countries and partnerships between our festival platforms.

16. So in this regard, I would like to invite all of you, all our friends from China and ASEAN to share in Singapore’s arts offerings. I hope your artists will consider taking part in our many festivals, and your visitors will come and enjoy these events. Be charmed by the beauty of words at the Singapore Writers Festival. Come experience our theatres by the bay Esplanade’s Festivals that celebrate our multi cultural traditions. You can also contribute to the rich Southeast Asian narrative presented at the Singapore Biennale. These are just some of the many platforms and activities of our region, where we can jointly celebrate our rich heritage and cultures.

17. On this note, I wish this Forum every success and look forward to the many meaningful exchanges, and the enduring friendships to be made over these two days. Thank you for inviting Singapore, so we may also share and contribute to this meaningful forum.