16 September 2015 – The Heads of Missions of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Committee in Wellington (ACW), New Zealand, namely Indonesian Ambassador Jose Antonio Morato Tavares, Malaysian High Commissioner Dato’ Lim Kim Eng, Philippine Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez, Singapore High Commisioner Bernard Baker, Thai Ambassador Maris Sangiampongsa, and Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Viet Dung, jointly organized a reception to mark the 48th Anniversary of the Establishment of ASEAN or ASEAN Day, as well as the 40th Anniversary of ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue Partnership last August 11 at the Royal Thai Embassy. The non-resident Ambassador of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to New Zealand based in Australia Phomma Khammanichanh, also attended the reception.
The ASEAN Ambassadors played host to some 200 guests from the diplomatic corps, host government officials, Members of Parliament, captains of industry, think tanks, academic leaders, and friends of ASEAN. Minister for Trade and Minister for Climate Change Issues Tim Groser represented New Zealand as the evening’s Guest of Honour. The event was held to celebrate and further raise awareness of the ASEAN’s theme, “One Vision, One Identity, One Community” towards the establishment of a people-centred ASEAN Community by the end of 2015.
The reception commenced with the singing of the ASEAN Anthem, “The ASEAN Way,” by the Wellington Filipino Community Choir. The current Chair of the ACW, Ambassador Nguyen Viet Dung, highlighted the importance of relations between ASEAN and New Zealand. Ambassador Dung also introduced ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh, who spoke via a recorded video. Secretary General Minh provided the latest developments in ASEAN and the progress ASEAN is making towards creating the ASEAN Community. This was followed by a Welcome Statement by Thai Chargé d'Affaires Puttaporn Ewtoksan. High Commisioner Dato’ Lim Kim Eng also delivered a speech on ASEAN’s progress towards becoming an Economic Community by the end of 2015 and Malaysia’s hosting of the ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings last April 28.
The Guest of Honour Tim Groser focused his remarks on the 40th Anniversary of New Zealand’s relations with ASEAN as a dialogue partner. Minister Groser stated that the ASEAN region is now one of New Zealand’s most significant sources of tourists, students and migrants and that today in New Zealand there is a vibrant community of around 80,000 people of South East Asian origin, including 40,000 Filipinos who have made New Zealand their home. He reiterated New Zealand’s commitment to lift New Zealand’s engagement in areas of mutual strength and value such as leadership, education and training, agriculture and trade.
The guests were presented with a medley of cultural performances from ASEAN Member States. A sumptuous spread of ASEAN traditional and authentic delicacies contributed by each ASEAN Diplomatic Mission was also prepared for guests to savour and enjoy. END