OzAsia Festival Creates Valued Cultural Exchange: Alexander Kitingan

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OzAsia Festival's Importance For Connections Between South Australia and Malaysia Broadens Engagement To Include Cultural Exchange. This Provides Another Platform For Further Friendship and Understanding Between Nations.


The OzAsia Festival conducted a Malaysia Engagement event hosted by the South Australian Department of State Development. The event was attended by Alexander Kitingan, Honorary Consul of Malaysia in South Australia and John Kweh, President of the Australia Malaysia Business Countil (SA).


Joseph Mitchell the Artistic Director for the OzAsia Festival said “It (OzAsia Festival) is a very strong initiative driven by the South Australian government and it is successful in terms of building that relationship between Malaysia and South Australia.”


“OzAsia Festival also signed the first ever MOU with Malaysia’s new Cultural Economic Development Unit in Kuala Lumpur in July this year.”


Alexander Kitingan said that “Our Malaysian cultural performers and artists should take every opportunity to explore into ways they can evolve and be a part of OzAsia Festival next year as it was mentioned Malaysia will be able to comprise of a large component of OzAsia in 2018. It would be great to see more performances from all over Malaysia even from Sabah and Sarawak, the Bornean states of Malaysia. In fact, tonight we were entertained by the beautiful sounds of the Sape performed by Alena Murang. To hear the sounds from Borneo here in Adelaide is something rare. We should have more. There will be more happening between Malaysia and South Australia.” Alexander Kitingan had met with Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith, South Australia’s minister of Investment and Trade in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah along with several members of the South Australian Trade Delegation to Malaysia in July this year. Kitingan said “It is encouraging that South Australia rekindles its connection with Sabah and Sarawak. I’ve communicated with the South Australia Department of State Development closely as the program for the visit was planned earlier this year. At every opportune time, the invitation was put forward to include those two states in the trade mission.” The Trade Mission included Kuala Lumpur, George Town, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.


OzAsia Festival 2017 launched its opening night last Friday. OzAsia will run from 21 September to 8 October 2017 and include a vast array of cultural performances from around Asia. Having had the opportunity to attend the Opening Night of OzAsia, Alexander Kitingan, Honorary Consul of Malaysia in South Australia noted the emphasis from both South Australian Governor and Premier that the state values its connections with Asia.


OzAsia Festival is running until the 8th October 2017 and includes Lucky Dumpling Market and the Lantern Walk. Alexander Kitingan can be reached at http://www.agency1alexander.com


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