The Heads of Mission of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Committee in Wellington (ACW), New Zealand, namely H.E. Jose Antonio Morato Tavares, Ambassador of Indonesia, H.E. Dato’ Lim Kim Eng, High Commissioner of Malaysia, H.E. Bernard Baker, High Commissioner of Singapore, H.E. Maris Sangiampongsa, Ambassador of Thailand, H.E. Nguyen Viet Dung, Ambassador of Viet Nam, and Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. Arlene Gonzales-Macaisa of the Republic of the Philippines, jointly organized the ASEAN Film Festival 2015 which was held at the Te Papa Museum of New Zealand on 31 October to 01 November 2015. The Film Festival is part of the year-long celebration for the 40th Anniversary of ASEAN-New Zealand Dialogue Partnership.

A special reception was held to highlight the opening of the ASEAN Film Festival 2015 on the first day of the Festival. Mr. Ray Ahipene-Mercer, Councillor of Wellington City Council, and Dr. Arapata Hakiwai, Te Papa’s Kaihautu (Maori Leader) were the special guests for the occasion. The ASEAN Heads of Mission played host to some 100 guests from the diplomatic corps, host government officials, business, think tanks, academic leaders, and friends of ASEAN.

The ASEAN Heads of Mission also awarded the winners of the ASEAN Essay Writing Competition which was launched by the ACW in July 2015 as one of the projects for the year-long celebration of the 40th Anniversary of ASEAN-NEW ZEALAND relations. The contest was open to students enrolled in Years 10-13 in New Zealand colleges for the School Year 2015 – 2016. The students were asked to write on ASEAN­related issues under the theme “ASEAN and New Zealand Partnership: The Way Forward”. Mr. Andrew McNaughton from Wellington College, Ms. Edie Benie from the Otago Girls’ High School in Dunedin, and Mr. Marc Christopher Sumadi from Awatapu College in Palmerston North won the First, Second, and Third prices for the contest respectively.

Traditional and authentic ASEAN delicacies contributed by each ASEAN Diplomatic Mission were enjoyed by guests during the reception. The ASEAN Heads of Mission invited guests to experience ASEAN culture by viewing the 6 ASEAN films especially chosen for the public’s viewing pleasure during the Festival.