ASEAN Centre in MGIMO-University the MFA of Russia

Центр АСЕАН при МГИМО

Philippine Congressmen Visit the ASEAN Centre

Philippine Congressmen Visit the ASEAN Centre

30.10.2013

The ASEAN Centre was visited by a delegation of businessmen and representatives of socio-political organisations from the Philippines, who were in Russia as part of the Rossotrudnichestvo programme "Generation Next".

Under the auspices of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Cultural Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), MGIMO has already hosted delegations of young representatives from political, social, academic and business circles in South Africa, China, India, Brazil, Japan, Canada, the US and the CIS countries in September this year.

This time, the ASEAN Centre"s guests were two Members of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Philippines, J.M.T.Ridon and A.Vargas; Mayor of the Municipality of Liloan V.F.D.Frasco; L.Tolentino of the Department of Foreign Affairs" Office of European Affairs; and R.Perez, Legislative Staff Officer of Senator Legarda. They were welcomed by Director of the ASEAN Centre Victor Sumsky; Associate Professor of the Department of Asian and African Studies Ekaterina Koldunova; Amerigo Tatel and Lenin Magallona, Philippine businessmen living and working in Russia; and students from MGIMO and the Institute of Asian and African Studies who were studying the countries of Southeast Asia.

During the meeting, the prospects for economic cooperation between Russia and the Philippines were discussed, as was the issue of how barriers to such cooperation could be overcome. The issue of cooperation in culture and education also received special attention. A practical outcome of this meeting was an agreement to organise an event showcasing contemporary Philippine cinema at the ASEAN Centre.

Ekaterina KOLDUNOVA,
Deputy Dean of the School of Political Affairs
Associate Professor of the Department of Asian and African Studies