On 10 August 2015, the ASEAN Committee in Lima (ACL) in collaboration with Inca Garcilaso Cultural Center of Ministry of External Relations (MER) of Peru has organized the 48th ASEAN Day celebration at the center. This is the first event organized by ACL members in Inca Garcilaso Cultural Center of MER, Peru under the Chairmanship of Malaysia.
The event began with welcoming remarks by the current Chairman of ACL, H.E. Datuk Ayauf Bachi and followed by the Minister of External Relations of Peru, H.E. Ana Maria Sachez, with the presence of Ambassadors from Indonesia and Thailand as well as the Honorary Consul of Singapore.
The event was attended approximately by 150 guests consisting of government officials, congressman, diplomats, academicians and local business communities. The celebration of the 48th ASEAN Day has marked a milestone in ACL’s efforts to promote ASEAN in Peru and Latin America, where it beheld the presence of Foreign Minister of Peru, H.E. Ana Maria Sanchez, as guest of honor to officiate the event. This manifests the importance of Peru and other Latin America countries attached by ASEAN and its Member States. The event was also attended by the Secretary General of Ministry of External Relations of Peru, Ambassador Thierry Roca Rey Deladier.
Overall, this event has reached its objective in enlightening the leaders and senior officials, academicians and business communities of Peru on ASEAN’s current development, its progress in establishing ASEAN Community 2015 and its post 2015 vision as well as ASEAN’s efforts to enhance its role regionally and globally. The Chairman of ACL also took the opportunity to highlight the commitment and overarching spirit of Malaysia as Chairman in creating a truly people oriented and people centered ASEAN in all areas, through its theme, Thinking Globally, Ten to One for the ASEAN Day celebration, this year.
During the welcoming speech, the Chairman of ACL had highlighted that ASEAN is working to strengthen its cooperation with Peru through Pacific Alliance which could benefit both sides in areas of mutual interest. In general, the Chairman of ACL encourages the continuous engagement of ASEAN with the Pacific Alliance. H.E. Datuk Ayauf Bachi also expressed his confidence that their presence in Lima, Peru would elevate the cooperation with Peru to greater heights in the future. He then further highlighted that ASEAN’s trade with Peru has been continuously expanding from year to year and in the first quarter of 2015 ASEAN’s accumulated exports to Peru amounted USD 362.70 million and imports USD 52.4 million. Later, during the welcoming speech, the ACL Chair also briefly outlined details about the establishment and background history of ASEAN.
After the welcoming remarks by the Chairman of ACL, H.E. Ana Maria Sanchez, the Minister of External Relations of Peru delivered her remarks. She emphasized the importance of Peru in engaging with ASEAN and its Member States. The Foreign Minister of Peru also highlighted in her speech that Peru is committed to increase the intensity of cooperation with ASEAN through ACL Member Embassies in Lima, taking the advantage of ASEAN’s huge market of 600 million people.
The event also had attracted quite a wide media coverage where the well-known local dailies El Peruano, El Comercio (in local supplement), Online News Agency– Andina and in famous local magazines among diplomatic corps, namely, Justo Media and Oriental Magazine had published articles on the event, which a copy is attached for reference. Mission took the opportunity to promote ASEAN under Malaysia’s Chairmanship and Malaysia in specific by exhibiting brochures, pamphlets, books and postcards at the country booth. Malaysia served onde-onde and karipap and received good commentaries from the guests. In addition to this, ACL Member States also presented some dances and music, which added colors and verve to the event. During the cultural performance, Mission presented tarian zapin entitled Ya Ladan. Overall, the event reached its objective to promote ASEAN Day event and to expose information about current progress of ASEAN to the government officials, academicians, congressmen, diplomats and businessmen.