Ambassador Buensuceso (9^th from left, front row) joins participants in the 3^rd Seminar on ROK-ASEAN Socio-Cultural Partnership in Busan, Korea

Amb. Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to ASEAN, served as moderator and discussant at the recent 3^rd Seminar on ROK-ASEAN Socio Cultural Partnership in Busan, Korea, in the second session entitled “2017: the Year of ASEAN-ROK Cultural Exchange celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of ASEAN.”

Ambassador Buensuceso was invited by the ROK Mission to ASEAN in her capacity as incoming chair of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to ASEAN (CPR).

During the seminar, Ambassador Buensuceso highlighted the significance of the Philippine chairmanship of ASEAN in 2017, which also coincides with the 50^th anniversary of ASEAN and the Year of ASEAN-ROK Cultural Exchanges. To mark these milestones, she proposed that the following initiatives be done in ROK: lighting of an iconic landmark during the period 1-8 August 2017, and an ASEAN Street Festival featuring street food and street dancing.

Ambassador Buensuceso also encouraged ROK to explore other commemorative activities in cooperation with the ASEAN Committee Seoul and the ASEAN-Korea Centre.

Ambassador Buensuceso emphasized that the ROK-initiated ASEAN Culture House, which will be inaugurated in Busan in 2017, will play an important role as a platform to promote and strengthen ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations.

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