FEALAC Day, commemorating the 10th year of establishment
Forum of East Asia - Latin America Cooperation
Caraka Loka Building
Jakarta, December 9, 2009

PRESS RELEASE

In order to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Forum of East Asia - Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), the Government of the Republic of Indonesia will organized an event entitled FEALAC Day will on December 9, 2009. This event is a one-day exhibition and bazaar and followed by twenty one diplomatic representation partner countries.

Minister of Foreign Affairs R.M. Marty Natalegawa is scheduled to open the event, which displaying traditional costumes, national food and beverages, and handicrafts of FEALAC partner countries. Exhibition and Bazaar will be officially opened at 10:00 am and is open to the public at 11:00 am to 16:00 pm.

Indonesia as an initiator of this activity is one of the partner of Asia-15 countries (10 ASEAN countries, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand) and 18 Latin America countries (Argentina, Bolivia , Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela). For Indonesia, this forum is a means to explore the potential to increased cooperation between Asian countries and Latin America in political, economic, and social.

FEALAC was founded in 1999 on by the countries of East Asia and Latin America as a counterweight and a complement of existing cooperation, the APEC, ARF and ASEM. This organization consists of 33 member states with a total population of more than 2.3 billion. Indonesia Trade Balance with the FEALAC partner countries in a few years lately has increased significantly, ie by 45% from U.S. $ 116 trillion in 2007 to U.S. $ 168 trillion in 2008.

FEALAC Day is designed and aimed to broaden networking as well as to enhance cooperation between FEALAC partner countries. In addition, it will be designed as a proper channel to disseminate knowledge and awareness regarding FEALAC to general public.