PHL Ambassador Leads ASEAN Delegation in Southeast Asian Conference at York University
Philippine Ambassador to Canada Petronila P. Garcia delivering her presentation. From left: Joshua Brown, Professor Paul Evans, Indonesian Ambassador Teuku Faizasyah, Professor Stephanie Martel and Director General Ian Burchett
30 October 2017 TORONTO – Philippine Ambassador to Canada Petronila P. Garcia was a panelist at a roundtable discussion entitled “Canada and ASEAN 50: Common Fears and Common Hopes,” which kick started the 33rd Biennial Conference of the Canadian Council for Southeast Asian Studies (CCSEAS) which opened at the Keele Campus of the York University in Toronto on October 26.
Other panelists included:1) H.E. Teuku Faizasyah, Ambassador of Indonesia to Canada, 2) Mr. Ian Burchett, Director General of Southeast Asia, Global Affairs Canada; 3) Mr. Joshua Brown of the Canada-ASEAN Business Council; 4) Ms. Stephanie Martel, Post-doctoral Fellow of the University of British Columbia and 5) Mr. Paul Evans, Professor of the University of British Columbia and roundtable moderator.
The Conference was hosted by CCSEAS on the occasion of the 150 years of Canada’s Confederation, 50 years of ASEAN and 40 years of ASEAN-Canada dialogue partnership.
In her presentation, Ambassador Garcia welcomed the forum as an opportunity to discuss common grounds of interest between ASEAN and Canada. She mentioned that as Chair of ASEAN 2017, the Philippines will promote positive change in the ASEAN community and lead the community toward further growth in the region. The Ambassador highlighted the thematic priorities of ASEAN namely: 1) people-oriented, people-centred ASEAN; 2) peace and stability in the region; 3) maritime security and cooperation; 4) inclusive, innovation-led growth; 5) ASEAN’s resiliency and 6) ASEAN as a model of regionalism and a global player.
In line with the theme, Ambassador Garcia noted the fear factor as one that reacts to an international order that is falling apart and acknowledged the hope factor as a dimension for ASEAN to adapt to change and sustain positive development.
The roundtable discussion was followed by a cultural performance and conference reception. Dr. Ricardo D. Trimillos, ethnic Filipino and Professor Emeritus of the Ethnomusicology of the University of Hawaii presented a paper on Places and Spaces for Dancing and Musicking Filipinicity: Imagining Barangay, Crew, Ethnie and Nation.
The Conference which will end on October 28 will cover other topics, namely: migration and development, climate vulnerabilities, land grabbing and extractive industries, maritime issues and alternative economies. END
For more information, visit www.torontopcg.dfa.gov.ph/ www.philcongen-toronto.com or https://www.facebook.com/PHinToronto
Ambassador Garcia leads ASEAN rice mixing ceremony with Indonesian Ambassador Faizasyah, DG Ian Burchett and representatives from Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia.