Youths To Benefit From Australia-Malaysia Cultural Exchange

MELBOURNE, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Foreign Minister Senator Bob Carr on Sunday announced a joint Australia-Malaysia cultural exchange programme for young Australians and Malaysians to travel to each other's countries and develop a stronger understanding of the other's cultures and faiths. Carr said the exchange programme would be supported jointly by the Australian and Malaysian governments, as part of a regional campaign to promote better cultural understanding. "Under the exchange programme, six young leaders from the Australian Muslim community will travel to Malaysia to meet with national and community groups," he said in a statement issued from Canberra. Carr had earlier held talks with Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. He said, six young Malay community leaders would also travel to Australia for a similar exchange in Australian values and national culture. "This programme is based on a successful model Australia has run with Indonesia and Thailand. It's important to bring communities together to encourage an overlap of cultures." he added. Carr said his talks with Anifah had also covered Australian-Malaysian relations in education, defence and trade, including the Free Trade Agreement signed between the two countries in May, this year. The Australian foreign minister and Anifah had also discussed the Malaysia-Australia Arrangement on Transfer and Resettlement. "Malaysia remains an important partner in combating people smuggling. In particular, Australia values Malaysia's willingness to embrace distinctive and innovative solutions to counter people smuggling that are of regional, as well as bilateral significance. "Malaysia is well-placed to take a leading role in further regional endeavours to combat people smuggling", he added. -- BERNAMA