Fourteenth Governing Board of the SAARC Cultural Centre Concludes in Colombo with Key Recommendations for Centre’s 2025 Program and Budget
The Governing Board (GB) of the SAARC Cultural Centre held its Fourteenth Meeting at the Cinnamon Grand, Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 22 to 23 October 2024. Representatives from the esteemed Governments of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka attended in person, while representatives from the Royal Government of Bhutan, the Republic of India, the Republic of Maldives, Nepal, and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan participated virtually.
Representing His Excellency, the Secretary General of SAARC, Director Irosha Cooray attended the meeting. The session was chaired by Mr. Md Mizanur, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Bangladesh.
During the meeting, the implementation of the Thirteenth Governing Board’s directives was thoroughly assessed, ensuring that the Centre’s activities were aligned with the objectives set in the previous year. Through comprehensive discussions, the Governing Board finalized the anticipated programs and budget for the upcoming year, focusing on enhancing the Centre’s role in promoting cultural exchange and cooperation among SAARC member states. Additionally, all administrative and financial matters related to the Centre, including the audit report, were carefully reviewed to ensure transparency and accountability in the Centre’s operations. The two days of productive deliberations concluded successfully, resulting in several constructive recommendations, which are set to be presented at the upcoming Programming Committee meeting in Kathmandu for further consideration and approval. These recommendations aim to strengthen the Centre’s initiatives and ensure the effective implementation of its programs in the year ahead.
SAARC Secretariat
23 October 2024