SINGAPORE: Senior Minister of State for Education and Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew will attend the 3rd Asia-Europe (ASEM) Culture Ministers' Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 21 to 24 April.

The theme of the meeting is "Cultural Diversity – Realising the Action Plan".

Singapore will co-chair a workshop with France on "Digitalisation of Culture – Challenges and Opportunities", and share the National Library Board's (NLB) digitalisation strategy.

NLB will highlight two projects to illustrate how digital technology can be instrumental in the promotion and preservation of heritage and culture.

The first is its digitalisation of all issues of Singapore's Straits Times since 1845, in partnership with Singapore Press Holdings.

The other is NLB's Online Repository of Artistic Works in partnership with arts and heritage agencies.

The ASEM Culture Ministers' Meeting first started as the Conference on Cultures and Civilisations, which was launched at the fourth Asia-Europe Meeting Summit in September 2000 by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.

It is co-sponsored by China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Spain and Poland, and it provides a platform for cultural ministers in Asia and Europe to discuss plans on deepening people-to-people exchanges and promoting a better understanding of the rich cultures of member countries.

Mr Lui will be accompanied by officials from NLB and the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts.


- CNA/so