ASEAN Committee in Rome Celebrates ASEAN Day 2018

The ASEAN Committee in Rome Ambassadors during the celebration of the ASEAN Day at the Malaysian Embassy in Rome on 08 August 2018. (From left) Indonesian Ambassador Esti Andayani, Malaysian Ambassador Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino, Myanmar Ambassador Myint Naung, Philippine Ambassador to Italy Domingo Nolasco, Thai Ambassador Tana Weskosith, and Viet Nam Embassy representative Do Hai Long. (Rome PE photo)

ROME 13 August 2018 – Ambassador to Italy Domingo P. Nolasco joined other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ambassadors in Rome in celebrating ASEAN Day, in a ceremony held at the Malaysian Embassy in Rome.

Malaysian Ambassador Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino, current chair of the ASEAN Committee in Rome (ACR), hosted the celebration.

Ambassador Castelino underscored that from its establishment 51 years ago, ASEAN has become one of the fast-growing economies in the region with a huge market and consumer base of more than 620 million people and an economy of €2.25 trillion.

The Malaysian Ambassador noted the keen interest of the Italian government to strengthen relations with the ASEAN and its member states.

Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Southeast Asia and Pacific Division Head Valentina Muiesan said that Italy’s engagements with ASEAN countries have been growing in the last years, citing the increasing numbers of political consultations, visits, and exchanges between Italy and ASEAN member states.

Other ACR members such as Indonesian Ambassador Esti Andayani, Myanmar Ambassador Myint Naung, and Thai Ambassador Tana Weskosith were present during the celebration.

ASEAN was founded on 08 August 1967 in Bangkok by the original five states of the organization, including the Philippines. END

The ASEAN Committee in Rome Ambassadors leas the ceremonial cutting of the cake during the celebration of the ASEAN Day at the Malaysian Embassy in Rome on 08 August 2018. (Rome PE photo)

For more information, visit www.romepe.dfa.gov.ph / https://www.facebook.com/PHinItaly/.