The first ever Asia Cultural Cooperation Forum, organized by the Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, opened in Hong Kong Monday morning.

The two-day forum opened with a ministers' meeting during which cultural leaders from Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China's Hong Kong, China's Taiwan and Guangdong Province in Chinese Mainland presented their policies on promoting cultural development and discussed issues of common interest on creative industries.

Major issues discussed include "Culture as Identity: Culture in Today's Globalised World" and "Creative Industries: Culture in the New Economy".

Speaking at the opening session, Hong Kong's Secretary for Home Affairs, Patrick Ho, who is also chairman of the ministers' meeting, noted that "Culture relates and unites. Culture gives us joy and meaning in life. It enlivens our cities, activates economies and creates jobs. It gives depth and breath to our public policies."

Ho said that creativity was often referred as the economic force of the 21st century and drove economic growth, adding that it is also the engine that propels human civilization to a new stage of development, or perhaps an awakening of modern humanity.

Singapore's Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, Lee Boon Yang, stated that coupled with Asia's vibrancy, vast wealth of culture and the immense pool of talent in the region, Asia could emerge as a significant creative force.

He emphasized the need to go beyond cultural exchanges between just artists but bring in exchanges between designers, producers, directors and other creative workers.

"We could eventually consider joint marketing of Asia as an 'Asian Creative Cluster'," Lee said.

Vice-Minister of Culture and Tourism of South Korea, Oh Jee-chul suggested the building of the Creative Asia Network.

"Organizing a Cultural Industries Festival where Asians share and celebrate their common cultural identity is an initiative worth consideration," he said.

The Forum includes a ministers' meeting, two sessions of open forum and a cultural performances-heritage tours.

The first session of the open forum, held Monday afternoon, featured the subjects of performing arts, and art, crafts and antiques. Another session of the open forum is planned for Tuesday morning, with subjects of publishing, film and video, and design.

During the open forum Monday afternoon, Willy Tsao, founder and artistic director of City Contemporary Dance Company of Hong Kong, reviewed their artistic creation in several decades' time which has closely linked with the history of Hong Kong. He noted after 1997 when Hong Kong returned to the motherland, talents from the Mainland have been attracted to work in Hong Kong while his company has also helped to set up several modern dance organizations in the Mainland.

Evelyn B Pantig, chairman of National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines, shared with the audience a seven-year-old Quezon City Performing Arts Development Project. The project has enabled street children, most of them from low-income families, access to artistic training on drama, music and dance.

According to Pantig, those children, during the training, were also taught good manners and philosophy of arts, which help to make their dreams come true.

Liu Thai Ker, chairman of National Arts Council of Singapore, noted at the open forum that artistic education plays an important part not only in nurturing future art talent, but also in cultivating audience.

He noted that cultural exchanges through MOUs with other countries and regions also have facilitated the arts development in Singapore.
  
(Xinhua News Agency September 30, 2003)