News – April 2007

Website Development

Please pardon our appearance as we make major changes to the design and content of SEAMEO-SPAFA’s website. Over the coming months, SEAMEO-SPAFA will be adding a lot of information and providing access to multiple resources.

2nd Edition of Guidelines for Managing the Integration of Culture into Development Programmes

The 2nd edition of Guidelines has been prepared to supplement the original publication of 2004. Whether viewed as promoting inclusiveness, integration, or advocating the adoption of community-driven approaches, the Guidelines are intended as ‘guide’, not a ‘blue-print’. The Guidelines have evolved from 10 workshops and 2 international conferences held from 2002-2005 that have involved the participation of over 800 persons. Presented in an easy-to use format, the Guidelines are now available for electronic download and will be of interest to anyone working in the field of culture and development. Click here…

News from Phrae

Phrae is a small and tranquil historic city dated more than 1,200 years old situated in the beautiful North of Thailand about 550 km. from Bangkok.

Since September 2006, SEAMEO-SPAFA, in collaboration with the Thai Fine Arts Department, has been working on an awareness-raising programme on local heritage preservation with a group of primary school children from the Huakuang Temple Municipality School in Phrae.

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Education ministers conclude SEAMEO-ASEAN back-to-back meetings and agree to forge stronger regional cooperation; SPAFA leads discussion on Southeast Asian Identity

Picture shows from left to right: 1. Mr. Dankert Vedeler - Deputy Director-General, Ministry of Education and Research , Norway   2. Mr. Dave Denine - Parliamentary Secretary, Department of Education, Province of Newfoundland and Labrador , Council of Ministers of Education, Canada 3. Mr. Victor da Conceicao - Vice Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture, Timor Leste 4. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thien Nhan - Minister of Education and Training , Vietnam 5. Mr. Jesli A. Lapus - Secretary, Department of Education, the Philippines 6. Dato Sri Hishammuddin bin Tun Hussein - Minister of Education, Malaysia 7. Pehin Dato Haji Abdul Rahman bin Taib - Minister of Education, Brunei Darussalam 8. Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam - Minister for Education, Singapore 9. H. E. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - President, Republic of Indonesia

10. Prof. Dr. Bambang Sudibyo - Minister of National Education, Indonesia 11. Prof. Dr. Somkot Mangnomek - Minister of Education, Lao People's Democratic Republic 12. Dr. Chan Nyein - Minister of Education, Myanmar 13. Prof. Dr. Wichit Srisa-an - Minister of Education, Thailand 14. Mr. Im Sethy - Secretary of State, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport , Cambodia 15. Ms. Susan Bennet - Branch Manager, International Cooperation Branch, Department of Education, Science and Training , Australia 16. Mr. Michael Connolly - Director, Counselor for Education-Southeast Asia , New Zealand High Commission 17. Dr. Edilberto C. de Jesus - Secretariat Director, SEAMEO 18. Dr. Damaso de Lario Ramirez - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of Spain, Indonesia

The Southeast Asian education ministers concluded their two annual conferences -- the 42 nd SEAMEO Council Conference (SEAMEC) and the 2 nd ASEAN Education Ministers Meeting (ASED) last month with new initiatives for a stronger regional cooperation on education. The ministers shared experiences in the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education, with Indonesia leading the discussions on ICT initiatives and an overview of the current state of education of Indonesia . SPAFA led the discussion on Promoting Southeast Asian Identity.

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Making Mangrove an Eco-Museum Workshop concludes in Chachoengsao

From 19-28 March 2007 SEAMEO-SPAFA held a regional workshop on “Making Mangrove an Eco-Museum” in Chachoengsao, Thailand. With the objectives of promoting the establishment of eco-museums in mangrove swamps; increasing interest and understanding among museum personnel; and supporting research and sustainable management; rational utilization and rehabilitation of mangrove environments; this activity was designated as a CollAsia 2010 Associate Activity as it had the participation of museum personnel from Southeast Asia.
The workshop was joined by 25 participants including museum professionals, environment and marine science experts, architects, artists, educators, as well as teachers and students from the school. Southeast Asian countries represented included Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

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Happy Songkran 2007!!!

The Thai New Year (Songkran) will be celebrated from 13-15 April. It is also celebrated in Laos and here it is called Songkan; in Myanmar where it is called Thingyan; in Cambodia; by the ethnic Dai in Yunnan, China; and in Sri Lanka.
SPAFA will be closed from 13 -16 April as the Songkran Festival is a national holiday and a major event in Thailand. We wish everyone who is celebrating a very happy new year!