President lays foundation of Asian textiles museum in Cambodia

via CAAI

Rakesh Mohan Chaturvedi

Siem Reap (Cambodia), Sept 16 (PTI) President Pratibha Patil laid the foundation stone of a museum dedicated to traditional Asian textiles here today as part of initiatives by India to reach out to member countries of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC).

Patil, who reached Siem Reap from Phnom Penh during the last leg of her on-going state visit to Cambodia, went directly from the airport to the site of the Museum to lay the foundation stone.

Siem Reap is famous for the Angor Wat temples.

Prime Minister A B Vajpayee had announced a financial grant of USD 1 million for setting up of the "Museum of Traditional Asian Textiles" during his visit to Cambodia in April 2002.

MGC comprises of six members -- India, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam -- and the grouping aims to work on cooperation in tourism, culture, education, and transportation linkage.

At a Mekong-Ganga Cooperation Ministerial meeting of 2007, all the MGC countries committed support to this project in terms of expertise, exhibits and artifacts.

Besides the exhibits and interactive facilities, the proposed museum will have a training centre and workshops for Cambodians, a fashion design and development centre using traditional ethnic designs, and a children activity and learning centre.

The Cambodian government has alloted one hectare of land in prime location in Siem Reap for this project.

Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has been designated by the Government of India as the nodal agency for implementing the project.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 2004 between ICCR and APSARA - Authority for Protection and Management of Angkor and the region of Siem Reap, which is the nodal body for the project on behalf of Cambodia.

Under this MoU, a project implementation and Supervisory Committee (PISC) has been constituted by the Cambodian government under the chairmanship of Cambodian Senior Minister Yim Nolla.

Indian embassy sources said Government of India has approved revised financial projections of USD 1,772,219 as the original estimates prepared in 2005 have escalated.

"An appropriate arrangement has to be worked out to administer as well as do policy planning for the museum after construction," Indian embassy sources said.

A board of governors consisting of representatives drawn from APSARA, Indian Mission here and from all MGC countries may be formed in future, sources said.