12 June 2014 - The 10th Senior Officials Meeting for Culture and Arts (SOMCA) led by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), was successfully convened on from June 03 to 04in Makati City.
The 10th SOMCA Meeting finalized the draft Hue Declaration on Culture for ASEAN Community’s Sustainable Development, which was initially presented during the Sixth ASEAN Ministers for Culture and Arts (AMCA) Meeting and Ninth SOMCA and Related Meetings in Viet Nam from April 16 to 21.
The Declaration emphasizes the promotion of culture as a pillar of sustainable development, as well as proposes the integration of culture in development policies and strategies at the local, national, regional and international levels.
The 10th SOMCA highlighted the following:
1) The establishment of a Working Group that will contribute to ASEAN Community’s Post-2015 Vision for culture and arts;
2) The convening of SOMCA as a separate annual meeting to the Sub-Committee on Culture (SCC), wherein SOMCA and related meetings with Dialogue Partners will also be hosted by the current chair of SOMCA and AMCA;
3) The drafting of the ASEAN Secretariat of a working paper on possible cooperation with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); and
4) The submission of raw data on cultural sector following the agreed ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint Indicators by August 2014.
CCP President and Philippine delegation head (SOMCA leader) Dr. Raul Sunico expressed hope to address unresolved issues raised during the 6th AMCA Meeting and 9th SOMCA, so as to begin laying the groundwork for ASEAN integration in 2015 and ASEAN Community Post-2015 Vision.
Despite cultural diversity in ASEAN, the region will emerge as one community that is more resolute in its determination to promote culture and arts as a vital component of the society, according to Dr. Sunico.
Meanwhile, DFA-Office of ASEAN Affairs Executive Director Ma.Teresita Daza, on behalf of Assistant Secretary Luis Cruz, underscored the role of culture in building ASEAN identity, and in unifying ASEAN for community building. She also stressed the importance of formulating the ASEAN Awareness Campaign through the adoption and implementation of national and regional communication plans.
The ASEAN Secretariat and all ASEAN Member States were represented by their respective senior officials for culture and arts. ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Alicia Balawas was also present in the Meeting.
Led by Dr. Sunico, the Philippine delegation to the SOMCA Meeting includes NCCA OIC and Executive Director Ms. Adelina Suemith, DFA-Office of ASEAN Affairs Executive Director Daza; DFA-Office of ASEAN Affairs’ ASCC Division Director Ms. Leilani Feliciano; CCP Department Manager and Focal Person for ASEAN Affairs Ms. Lilian Barco and NCCA International Relations Office Head, Ms. Mary Anne Luis. END