Philippine PNA chief urges media to enhance unity, understanding among cultures

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Director of Philippine News Agency (PNA) Virginia Arcilla-Agtay, also the director of the Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office - News and Information Bureau, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Manila, the Philippines, on May 10, 2019. Media needs to promote unity and understanding among different cultures as it plays an important role "in linking culture and linking civilizations," the director of Philippine News Agency (PNA) has said. Agtay will attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC) to be held in Beijing from May 15 to 22. (Xinhua/Zheng Xin)

MANILA, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Media needs to promote unity and understanding among different cultures as it plays an important role "in linking culture and linking civilizations," the director of Philippine News Agency (PNA) has said.

Virginia Arcilla-Agtay, also the director of the Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office - News and Information Bureau, made the remarks during a recent interview with Xinhua.

Agtay will attend the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations (CDAC) to be held in Beijing from May 15 to 22.

Under the theme of "exchanges and mutual learning among Asian civilizations and a community with a shared future," the conference will focus on cultural diversity, exchanges and mutual learning.

More than 2,000 government officials and representatives of various circles from 47 Asian countries and other countries outside the region will attend the CDAC.

"This is a very timely conference amidst the different conflicts emerging in different parts of the world," said the PNA chief, adding it is also a very good opportunity to interact with each other.

As many media representatives will attend the conference, Agtay said she looks forward to sharing experiences and insights there.

The PNA, the official news agency of the Philippine government, has been sending its reporters to China to cover news stories and experience Chinese media practices.

With Philippines and China sharing long exchanges in history and culture, Agtay said it is also one way for the PNA to share stories about what's happening in China for the benefit of the two peoples.

"So it all goes back to the objective of fostering understanding of each other's culture," she said.