The Chair of the Australia-ASEAN Council (AAC), Ms Christine Holgate, today announced the 16 recipients of the inaugural AAC grants.
"I am pleased to announce the first group of projects to be funded by the Australia-ASEAN Council", said Ms Holgate. "The AAC was launched only three months ago. We are off to a flying start in promoting greater collaboration and community links between Australia and the countries of South-East Asia. The successful applicants showed the purpose and passion we were seeking in this grants process."
The AAC has supported 16 grant proposals promoting collaboration in business, arts and culture, sport, education, and women in leadership. The AAC's grant projects will become an integral part of Australia's public and economic diplomacy strategy. These projects will showcase key elements of contemporary Australian and South-East Asian societies. The projects will also help build sustainable partnerships, and increase the knowledge and understanding of each other's cultures, values and traditions.
The members of the AAC Board thank all applicants for their interest. Applications for grant projects starting in the 2016-17 financial year will open in late February 2016.
The AAC was launched by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, in September this year. Further information on the AAC, including details of the grants outcomes, can be found at www.dfat.gov.au/aac
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