Mr. Vira Rojpochanarat, Minister of Culture, and Mr. Borvornvate Rungrujee, Director General of Fine Arts Department, host the press conference on The 16th Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians (CONSAL XVI 2015) today (June 4, 2014) at 10:30 a.m. in Dok Mai Sod Meeting Room, National Library. The event aims to celebrate the 60th anniversary of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on April 2, 2015.
Mr. Vira, on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, revealed that National Library under Fine Arts Department, together with Office of National Library under the royal patronage, set up a congress to celebrate the auspicious occasion of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s 60th anniversary on April 2, 2015. This congress not only aims to broaden the view of libraries in ASEAN, but also projects the collaboration among ASEAN libraries to ensure sustainable development. The princess will graciously preside over the opening ceremony on June 11, 2015, at 9 a.m. at BITEC Bangna.
Mr. Borvornvate further explained that this congress would present the academic articles under the topic of “ASEAN Aspirations: Libraries for Sustainable Advancement”, with eight small topics, namely Information Technology to Enhance ASEAN Knowledge, ASEAN Libraries Cooperation: Resource Sharing and Library Exchange Program, Corporate Social Responsibility: CSR, Library Education and Training, Role of Library Consolidation towards Library Development,Library in ASEAN Reading Society, Conservation and Preservation and Ethics and Standards
The event will also provide special lecture from highly qualified lecturers and academic presentation by the delegates of 10 ASEAN countries, which will provide comprehensive information on ASEAN libraries.
In the congress, “HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and Library” exhibition by The National Library, Fine Arts Department, displays her biography, her writing about ASEAN countries, and her support for libraries. It also gathers annotated bibliography of her work in Thai and English, exhibits the carved palm leaves, e-books and VDO presentation on touch screen. On June 13, 2015, the participants will take a full-day or half-day field trip in Bangkok and other provinces to learn Thai wisdom and culture. The destinations include Bang Pa In Palace and Ayutthaya Elephant Palace & Royal Kraal in Ayudhya province, Damnernsaduak Floating Market in Ratchaburi province, Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakornpathom province, Ampawa Floating Market and King Rama II Memorial Park in Samut Songkram province, Bangrak, Yaowarat, cruise along Chaopraya River, Chulalongkorn Library, Royal Palace, Giant Swing and National Library.
More than 800 people from 10 member countries, namely Brunei Darussalum, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and associate member like Timor-Leste, along with the management, librarians and information specialists of Thai Library Association, National Library, public libraries, and libraries in educational institutes, IT academicians and related parties, accepted the invitation to the 16th Congress of Southeast Asian Librarians (CONSAL XVI 2015). The interested public can register in front of the event on June 10, 2015, at BITEC Bangna. (The register fee for Thai visitors costs 3,500 baht.) This will help sustainably develop the libraries in Thailand and ASEAN countries.
