ASEAN Ankara Committee (AAC) Inaugurates The "ASEAN Room" for ASEAN 50 at the National Library of Turkey
The traditional ASEAN handshake. From left: New Zealand Ambassador H.E. Jonathan Curr, Thai Ambassador H.E. Suvat Chirapant, Mr. Zulfi Tolman, President of the National Library of Turkey, Ambassador Ersin Ercin, Director General for Asia Pacific of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brunei Chargé d’ Affaires, Ms. Osfinita Tahir, Singaporean Ambassador H.E. Selverajah A, Philippine Ambassador H.E. Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez, Indonesian Ambassador H.E. Wardana, Malaysian Ambassador H.E. Abd. Razak Bin Abdul Wahab, Vietnamese Ambassador H.E. Tuan Pham Anh and Chinese Ambassador H.E. Yu Hongyang at the inauguration of the ASEAN Room during the ASEAN Awareness Week at the National Library of Turkey on 13 September 2017. (Photo credits: Mr. Francis Villamin)
18 September 2017 – The ASEAN Ankara Committee (AAC) in cooperation with the National Library of the Republic of Turkey inaugurated an ASEAN Room at the National Library of Turkey as part of the activities of the ASEAN Awareness Week on September 13.
Located on the first floor of the National Library, the ASEAN Room is strategically located in the passageway between two floors. Each AAC member country will have seven shelves to place their respective national books, especially for youth and children; posters; hats; films; toys; handicrafts; costumes and any other relevant memorabilia about the individual states to generate interest about the ASEAN countries. The ASEAN Room also has an entire shelf dedicated for ASEAN publications.
Ambassador Selverajah thanked the National Library for its generosity in dedicating a room to a permanent collection of publications and cultural items from the ASEAN region. He further added that “the opening of the ASEAN Room comes at a special time not only because ASEAN is celebrating its 50th anniversary, but also because ASEAN recently welcomed Turkey as its newest Sectoral Dialogue Partner. This Room signifies the growing and deepening linkages between ASEAN and Turkey.”
National Library President Mr. Toman in his speech was honored to host such a wonderful event. “We believe that this event will make way for future events. The ASEAN window will be able to reach to the people of Turkey now, mainly as Ankara is a city full of students. The room will further deepen our relations with ASEAN and strengthen them especially since Turkey became a Sectoral Dialogue Partner in 2017.”
The plaque of the ASEAN Room is with the text “This room is a joint effort of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ankara Committee and the National Library to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN and to further strengthen ASEAN-Turkey relations, September 13.” END
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Unveiling of the plaque of the ASEAN Room by Mr. Ersin Ercin, Director General for Asia Pacific of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Library President Mr. Zulfi Tolman, Singaporean Ambassador Mr. A Selverajah, and Ms. Osfinita Tahir, Chargé d’ Affaires of Brunei Darussalam at the National Library of Turkey during the ASEAN Awareness Week on 13 September 2017. (Photo credits: Mr. Francis Villamin)