Forty-four ASEM governments and representatives from international organizations listen to the opening remarks of Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kim Jongdeok. The seventh Asia-Europe Culture Ministers’ Meeting commenced on June 23 at the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju.
The seventh Asia-Europe Culture Ministers’ Meeting officially kicked off on June 23 at the Asia Culture Center (ACC) in Gwangju. The opening ceremony was attended by ministers and vice ministers from all 44 Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) member governments and representatives from the EU and ASEAN. They all agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation on all forms of culture and to work toward the goal of a more creative economy.
Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn emphasizes the importance of bolstered cooperation in the international community on culture, during the opening ceremony of the seventh Asia-Europe Culture Ministers’ Meeting on June 23 in Gwangju.
During his opening remarks, Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said, “As we’re living in an era of a creative economy, where creative ideas can change the world, the world is taking a close look at the power of culture.”
Referring to “culture” as the foundation of creation, Prime Minister Hwang said, “The power of culture transcends borders and can greatly contribute to making the whole globe more beautiful. In this sense, cooperation on culture between Asia and Europe should be further bolstered.”
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kim Jongdeok said, during his remark, “In order to combine various cultures and to produce creative content, we need an innovative mindset, while being free from old paradigms of the past.”
“To this aim, I hope Asia and Europe can gather their wisdom and cooperate in order to open an era of partnership that would lead to an era of a creative economy,” said Minister Kim.
Representatives from participating governments and organizations will hold in-depth discussions in plenary and special sessions, and at a series of workshops. They’ll discuss the main theme of the meeting, “Culture and the Creative Economy,” and other related themes: “Future of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and the Creative Industries,” “Traditional Cultural Heritage and the Creative Economy” and “International Cooperation for Vitalizing the Creative Industries.” In the various meetings, they’ll share their culture- and creative industry-related policies put in place by their governments and share successful case studies from their creative industries.
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Jeon Han Korea.net Photographer, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
arete@korea.kr
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kim Jongdeok urges Asia and Europe to bolster cooperation on innovation, during the opening ceremony of the seventh Asia-Europe Culture Ministers’ Meeting on June 23 in Gwangju.
Participants in the seventh Asia-Europe Culture Ministers’ Meeting pose for a group photo on June 23 in Gwangju, holding traditional Korean fans that read ‘Culture and the Creative Economy’ in Korean.
(From the left) Piotr Gliński, deputy prime minister and minister for culture and national heritage in Poland, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kim Jongdeok, Thailand’s Minister of Culture Vira Rojpojchanarat, and Gwangju Mayor Yoon Jang-hyun pose for a photo after making commemorative hand prints to mark the opening of the meeting.
After the opening ceremony, representatives of some of the 44 ASEM governments attending the seventh Asia-Europe Culture Ministers’ Meeting look at some of the exhibits on display at the Asia Culture Center.
