28 August 2014 – Philippine Ambassador to the Czech Republic Victoriano M. Lecaros assumed on August 12 the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Committee in Prague (ACP) for the second half of the 2014, succeeding Malaysian Ambassador Nadzirah Osman.
The ACP, which is composed of the Embassies of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in Prague, intends to actively promote ASEAN awareness in the Czech Republic.
During the Philippine chairmanship, the ACP will be sponsoring activities to promote ASEAN-Czech relations, ASEAN culture, community-building, and business and trade in the Czech Republic.
“As chair of the ACP, my role is to promote ASEAN in the Czech Republic and highlight our progress as an organization for the past 47 years,” Ambassador Lecaros said.
He added that it is doubly important as the “Philippines play a significant role in ASEAN being one of its founding members.”
On August 27, the Philippine Embassy hosted an ASEAN Day reception in celebration of the 47th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN at the Museum of Music at Karmelitska, Prague 1. The reception showcased ASEAN cuisine from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
The Philippines was also tasked to coordinate the 3rd ASEAN Film Festival which will be held from September 09 to 13 at the Lucerna Theatre in Prague. First Secretary and Consul Juan E. Dayang, Jr. as chair of the ACP Working Group, said that “the Philippine contribution to the 3rd ASEAN Film Festival (AFF) is the introduction of a AFF logo which will be launched during the press conference a week prior to the opening of the AFF in September 2014 as well as a video clip”. The opening film for the film fest on September 09 is the animation film RPG Metanoia, by film director Luis Suarez. There will be four other films from each Embassy.
On September 26, the ACP, in cooperation with Prague 6 municipality, will sponsor the ASEAN Farmer’s Market to promote ASEAN products from the five Embassies in Prague.
On September 27, the ACP will hold the ASEAN Family Day at the residence of the Malaysian Ambassador to foster community spirit among Southeast Asians in the Czech Republic. Ambassador Lecaros noted that “this activity promotes ASEAN community building among citizens of ASEAN and likewise we promote healthy and successful family life of Philippine-Czech families by inviting them to participate in the ASEAN Family Day.” On October 17, the ASEAN Bowling Tournament will be organized by Thailand.
In November, ASEAN business will be promoted in Prague through the International Christmas Festival which is organized by the Diplomatic Spouses Association (DSA). There will be an ASEAN booth next to the Philippine booth this year.
Ambassador Lecaros, who served as Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam and Malaysia, is poised to promote ASEAN in the Czech Republic through various events during the Philippine chairmanship. Other activities that the ACP will work on this year includes the ASEAN Lecture at Masaryk University in Brno, meeting with the Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group for the Czech-Southeast Asian countries, informal cooperation with the Vysegrad Four countries of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, among others.
The ASEAN Committee in Prague was institutionalized in January 2013 by the five ASEAN Member Embassies in Prague through the authority granted by the ASEAN Heads of Government to establish the ACP. The ACP meets regularly to discuss issues of mutual interests and concerns and undertakes activities that promote greater knowledge of ASEAN in the Czech Republic. END