42nd ASEAN DAY RECEPTION, HIGH COMMISSION OF MALAYSIA, PRETORIA, 19 AUGUST 2009

A reception to commemorate the 42^nd ASEAN Day was held at the High Commission of Malaysia in Pretoria, South Africa on 19 August 2009.

ASEAN Ambassadors/High Commissioners played hosts to guests of about 120 comprising Ambassadors/High Commissioners/Charge d’ Affaires of Asian countries and Dialogue partners. The home based staff of ASEAN missions and a number of media personnel also attended the reception.

The programme started off with the singing of the ASEAN song, followed by remarks by H.E. Kennedy Jawan, High Commissioner of Malaysia in his capacity as the Chairman of the ASEAN Pretoria Committee and ended with a reception where each ASEAN mission provided delicacies for the occasion.

In his remark, H.E. Kennedy Jawan amongst others, highlighted ASEAN Day’s theme for this year’s celebration which is “Green ASEAN”. He stated that the theme was appropriately chosen to reflect ASEAN’s commitment to implement the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community 2009-2015’s blueprint adopted at the 14^th ASEAN Summit last February. He also mentioned the entering into force of the ASEAN Charter last December and the commitment by member states to appoint their respective Permanent Representatives to ASEAN.