Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Ambassador to New Zealand, Agus Sriyono, has ended his chairmanship of the ASEAN Committee in Wellington.

The chairmanship is to be passed on to the Philippine`s Ambassador to New Zealand, Virginia Benavidez, in an official ceremony held in Wellington on Thursday.

"Ambassador Agus has been serving as the ACW chairman for the last six months, since June 19, 2011," according to the Indonesian embassy`s political spokesperson, Fahmi Prayoga, in an email received here Thursday.

While serving as ACW Chairman, Agus has performed a variety of

Activities to implement ASEAN programs, such as organizing programs, including the ASEAN Film Festival in 2011, the ASEAN economic and trade discussions at the University of Victoria, ASEAN seminars, and cooperation with the Society of South-East Communities NGOs to promote ASEAN in New Zealand.

"The ASEAN Film Festival and the ASEAN seminar are the first major activities undertaken by ACW," he added.

A number of ASEAN`s chief representatives in Wellington agreed that these activities should be continued and become an annual event.

Observers agreed that these activities are considered important in introducing ASEAN to the New Zealand public.

While holding the leadership of the new ACW Chair, the community organization will sponsor the festival at Northshore Events Centre,Auckland, on May 19, 2012.

(SYS/A050/O001)

Editor: Suryanto
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