The Director General of Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR) attended the 31st Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF) Board of Governors’ Meeting held in Riga, Latvia from 29th till 30th May 2014 and had a working visit to Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia on 2nd June 2014.
ASEF is an institute established under the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM). As ASEF continues its work in mutual understanding of Asia-Europe ties through intellectual, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, the meeting was set to discuss various issues especially with regards to synergies between ASEF’s activities with ASEM process. During this meeting, the Governor from Malaysia, Dato’ Hussin Nayan, was elected as the Asian Member of the Finance and Audit Committee.
This meeting was attended by 62 Governors and Note takers from both Asia and Europe member countries. Apart from the meeting, the contributions from member countries and some of ASED project portfolios were also discussed. The State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia and the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia both hosted a reception and a dinner for the attending Governors and Note takers. There was also a cultural tour on 31st May 2014 around Riga.
To also fulfil the invitation from Tallinn University of Technology (TUT), a working visit to Tallinn, Estonia was also organised. During this meeting, the prospect of people-to- people exchanges was discussed and the Malaysian delegates were shown around the campus and university’s facilities. In conjunction with the visit to TUT, meetings with the Estonian School of Diplomacy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia was also arranged. H.E Andres Unga, the Ambassador of Estonia to Australia was also present to welcome the Malaysian delegates.
Reported by: Ms Siti Nooraznie Abdul Rahim
Academic Studies, Research & Publication Division
