"We need the media as a partner to increase awareness of ASEAN and encourage development of an ASEAN identity through interaction among the citizens of ASEAN member countries," ASEAN Foundation Executive Director Makarim Wibisono said here on Tuesday.
In line with ASEAN`s quest for a full-fledged community by 2015, he said, the ASEAN Foundation which strives for common prosperity among ASEAN member states was offering at least six programs during his term of office.
"I intend to hold a meeting of editors from various media in ASEAN and give ASEAN awards to those participating in the promotion of the ASEAN community," he said.
In the arts field, he said, the ASEAN Foundation also offered a program to translate Indonesian soap operas into the languages of each ASEAN member country or the other way around.
"In the education field, we aim to set up an ASEAN University in the business field to increase the value of trade or investment among ASEAN member states which is still lower compared to that with their trading partners such as China and Japan," he said.
The ASEAN Foundation also wanted to assist ASEAN member states prone to disasters in making disaster management programs coupled with the application of e-learning, he said.
"In the era of digital technology we need to provide information on ASEAN by making use of e-learning," he said.
He added however that to meet the target of the programs the ASEAN Foundation was facing funding difficulties.
"As a foundation relying on voluntary funding, we find it hard to ask member states to give contributions in fixed amounts because this runs counter to the characteristics of the foundation," he said.
ASEAN groups Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
