DHAKA: Ministers of 20 countries arrived here Tuesday to participate in the international conference on ‘Cultural Diversity Ministerial Forum of the Asia Pacific Region 2012’.
Confirming the matter, government’s Cultural Affairs Ministry source said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to inaugurate the international conference at Bangabandhu International Conference Center at 10:00am Wednesday.
The visiting ministers will stay at the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel during their visit, said sources.
The Cultural Affairs Ministry of Bangladesh and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have jointly organized the conference.
A three-member delegation led by the cultural affairs ministers of different countries will attend the conference separately.
Besides, a seven-member correspondent team of UNESCO led by its Director General Miz Irani Bokobhor will attend in the conference.
The Bangladesh government provided air tickets to each one representative of 20 countries in Asia-Pacific region.
Earlier, the government invited 43 countries of Asia-Pacific region to participate in the three-day conference. However, some 31 countries have confirmed to attain the conference, said Cultural Affairs Ministry source.
The 20 countries are Afghanistan, Bhutan, Iran, Kiribati, Kazakhstan, Lao people Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Korea, Palau, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, Samoa, Solomon, Islands, Marshal Islands, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Indonesia and Myanmar.
A total of six seminars on ‘preserving and flourishing cultural diversity of Asia Pacific region’ will be held during the conference.
On 20 October 2005, the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.
The Convention, a product of years of intensive negotiation, was sponsored by both Canada and France. The Government of Quebec enthusiastically supported Canada’s efforts. 148 countries voted in favour of the convention.
Bangladesh voted for it in 2007.
BDST: 1732 HRS, MAY 08, 2012
Edited by: Maria Salam, Asst Output Editor, M. Mahbub Alam, Asst Output Editor
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