"Mekong-Japan Symposium on Ancient Capitals"

June 17, 2010
Japanese

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will host “Mekong-Japan Symposium on Ancient Capitals” in Nara City, Japan, on June 22 (Tue).
People who are engaged in the protection of ancient capitals and cultural heritages in Japan and the five Mekong region countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam) will attend the Symposium as panelists. They will reaffirm the importance of the protection of cultural heritages and will discuss ways to utilize the cultural heritages as tourism resources and assets for further economic development in Japan and the Mekong region countries. Mr. Osamu Fujimura, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Shogo Arai, Governor of Nara Prefecture, as well as 50 youths related to the protection of cultural heritages and tourism development in the Mekong region countries, who are visiting Japan under the “Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS)”Program, will also attend the symposium.

The panelists will include the following:

Cambodia:   Mr. Sou Phirin, Governor of Siem Reap Province
Laos:          Mr. Sombath Yialiher, Mayor of Vientiane Capital
Myanmar:    Mr. Kyaw Oo Lwin, Director-General, Department of Archaeology, National Museum, and Library
Thailand:     Mr. Withaya Pewpong, Governor of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province
Viet Nam:    Prof. Nguyen Van Son, Director of the Center for Preservation of Co Loa Citadel
Japan:        Prof.Kunikazu Ueno, Professor Emeritus of Nara Women’s University
                 Prof. Yoshifumi Muneta, Associate Professor of Kyoto Prefectural University
                Prof. Eiichi Kato, Professor, Dept of Tourism, School of Tourism, Tokai University
                 Mr. Takanobu Hirono, Director General, Culture and Tourism Bureau, Nara Prefectural Government
This Symposium on Ancient Capitals was proposed by Japan at the Meeting between the Heads of Government of Japan and the Mekong Region Countries held in Tokyo in November 2009 and its holding was agreed by the leaders attending the Meeting. It is mentioned in the “Mekong-Japan Action Plan 63” adopted at the Meeting.

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