ASEAN to hold textile exhibit here

JAKARTA: The ASEAN secretariat, in cooperation with the Japan Foundation, is holding an exhibition to promote textile products from its member countries.

The exhibition, which was opened on Monday, will last until Saturday at the ASEAN building here, the ASEAN secretariat said in a statement on Monday.

On Monday, a workshop was also held at the compound to allow textile collectors, makers, designers, researchers and managers from Indonesia and the region to share information and discuss various issues in the industry.

Speakers in the workshop include top Indonesian designers Iwan Tirta, Josephine Komara (Obin), Carmenita; and Richard Engelhardt of the UNESCO Asia Pacific office; Teruo Sakimoto of Tokyo University; Wastraprema (Textile Lovers of Indonesia); Thailand- based AHPADA (ASEAN Heritage Promotion and Development Association); Paothong Thongchua from Thammasart University and Pia Alisyahbana of the Femina publishing group.

The exhibition will feature the textile collection of Eiko Kusuma, a new Batik invention from Malaysia and textile products from Thailand as well as literature on textile. -- JP