In Commemoration of the 42^nd anniversary of the establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Embassies from the member countries of ASEAN in Romania, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, and with the cooperation of the National Village Museum proudly organize an exhibition entitled “Discovering ASEAN through Fabrics and Crafts” from 6 to 23 of August 2009. This event takes place at Gheorghe Focsa Hall, Village Museum, Sos. Kiseleff.

The exhibition has been officiated at 11 am on 6 August 2009 by the ASEAN Ambassadors and Director General of Village Museum at the Gheorghe Focsa Hall. Many Senior Officials, members of Diplomatic Corp and local dignitaries attended the event. This is also the first ever exhibition of this nature, jointly organized by the ASEAN Embassies in Romania.

Home to 500 million people with a cultural heritage that encompasses some of the world’s oldest civilizations, the ASEAN member countries posses an immense and colorful cultural diversity. Therefore, the exhibition provides opportunities for the visitors to encounter with the creative diversity of culture through fabrics and crafts from the region, which illustrate the immense richness of Southeast Asia, as part of the world's cultural heritage. Among the exhibit items to be on display include traditional costumes, ethnic textiles and local crafts made of fabric.

Founded on 8 August 1967, ASEAN member countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Laos Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The key objectives of ASEAN are (1) to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and (2) to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region. In 2007, the leaders signed the historic ASEAN Charter, representing ASEAN’s common vision and commitment to the development of an ASEAN Community by 2015, as a region of lasting peace, stability, sustained economic growth, shared prosperity and social progress. In line with the vision to be an outward-looking regional organization, ASEAN has developed links with 10 dialogue partners, including the European Union./.