PRESS RELEASE

ASC-136-2017

PHL CONSULATE GENERAL HOSTS TURNOVER CEREMONY OF THE OFFICERS OF THE ASEAN WOMEN CIRCLE OF LOS ANGELES (AWCLA)

Officers of ASEAN Women Circle of Los Angeles (AWCLA) (L-R) Mme. Eveline Evie Soekarno, Indonesia, Mme. Marja Hout, Cambodia, Mme. Catherine Cruz, Philippines, Mme Zalina Md. Daud,

Malaysia, Mme. Khin Myo Thwe, Myanmar and Mme. Cholatip Kambhu Sangrat, Thailand

Los Angeles, 21 December 2017 –The Philippine Consulate General hosted the Turn Over Ceremony of the Officers of the ASEAN Women Circle of Los Angeles on 21 December 2017 at the Consul General’s Official Residence. The program included the Welcome Remarks by Mme. Catherine Amon Cruz who is the incoming Vice President; Introduction of the new President of AWCLA Mme. Khin Myo Thwe of Myanmar; Acceptance Remarks of Mme. Thwe, which included the Presentation of the Vice President and the Executive Committee Members and a Speech from the Outgoing President, Mme. Zalina Md Daud of Malaysia. AWCLA was first established on 08 May 199, drawing inspiration from the ideals of ASEAN friendship and unity. It is a social-cultural association of women from ASEAN member countries aiming to promote mutual understanding, cooperation and awareness among ASEAN women, its members and the general public. With the establishment of the Consulate General of the Union of Myanmar in Los Angeles in 2015, the Patron from the said country joined AWCLA on same year. The wife of the Honorary Consul General of the Kingdom of Cambodia also joined AWCLA in 2015 as an Associate Member. Currently, AWCLA is headed by five (5) Patrons plus one (1) Associate Member, making a total of six leaders from the original number of four (4) Lady-Officers when it was established in 1991. The following wives comprised Patrons of AWCLA, under its new leadership:

Mme. Khin Myo Thwe - President (Myanmar)

Mme. Catherine Amon Cruz - Vice President (Philippines)

Mme. Eveline Soekarno - Indonesia

Mme. Zalina Md. Daud - Malaysia

Mme. Cholatip (Yui) Kambhu Sangrat - Thailand

Mme. Marja Hout - Associate Member (Cambodia)

Patrons rotate annually the Presidency in alphabetical order of the name of the ASEAN member State. Following this order, the Vice Presidency is assumed by the Patron of the country next to the country holding the Presidency. She will then automatically assume the Presidency in the event the incumbent President is unable to finish her term. This process will be followed in subsequent rotations. During the turn-over ceremony, the ASEAN Patrons renewed their commitment to undertake activities to promote ASEAN awareness in Southern California. The event was also graced by the Consuls General of ASEAN countries represented in Los Angeles, namely: Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia, Simon Soekarno; Consul General of Malaysia, Saifful Ridzuwan; Consul General of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Aung Soe Win; Consul General of the Kingdom of Thailand, Tanee Sangrat and Honorary Consul General of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Kim Chha Hout. END.

Mme. Catherine A. Cruz delivers Welcome Remarks

Mme. Khin Myo Thwe delivers her Acceptance Speech as the new AWCLA President.

Mme. Zalina Md. Dud delivers her speech as the Outgoing AWCLA President.

(L-R) Mme. Khin Myo Thwe, Mme. Zalina Md. Daud and Mme. Catherine A. Cruz.

AWCLA Patrons (Seated) with AWCLA Executive Committee Members.

AWCLA Patrons with their Spouses, (L-R) Consul General Saifful Ridzuwan Raja, Malaysia; Consul Gneeral Tanee Sangrat, Thailand; Consul General Aung Soe Win, Myanmar; Consul General Adelio Cruz,Philippines; Honorary Consul General Kim Chha

Hout, Cambodia and Consul General Simon Soekarno, Indonesia.