ASEAN Fair TO Strengthen Brotherhood Of Member Countries

Nusa Dua (Antara Bali) - The ASEAN Fair 2011 opened by President Susilo Bamgang Yudhoyono here earlier on Monday was organized at Indonesia's initiative  to strengthen fraternity among  the ten member countries of ASEAN, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pengestu said.

"As the current Chair of ASEAN in 2011, Indonesia  initiated the ASEAN Fair as a forum to jointly display creative economic and cultural products of ASEAN," Minister Mari Pangestu told the press here on Sunday.

She hoped that the month-long event could be organized annually in ASEAN, after Indonesia was no longer the organization's chair.

The ASEAN Fair reflected Indonesia's special attention to the fraternal  ties among the peoples of  ASEAN , she said.

"The theme of the ASEAN Fair this time was 'Hello ASEAN' as a symbol of warm greeting from Indonesia as the host to all fellow members coming to Bali," Mari Pangestu, who is concurrently the chairperson of the fair's organizing committee, said.(**)