SINGAPORE, July 3 (Xinhua) -- A senior Singapore official said Tuesday the most significant role of museums today is to serve as important cultural gateways to foster peace and harmony.

    Speaking at the inaugural ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Museum Directors Symposium, Information, Communications and Arts Minister Lee Boon Yang said "Today, we live in a world facing the constant threat of international terrorism fueled by radical and fanatical religious ideologies. There is a greater need than ever before to forge closer and stronger cross-cultural respect and understanding."

    Lee noted that in a world of pervasive digital technology, museums must compete for attention and audience from locals and tourists, through innovative presentations of their collections and exciting curation to offer a memorable experience.

    Museums today have multiple roles, and successful museums are those that have met challenges head-on and transformed themselves into iconic cultural landmarks in cities around the world, the minister said.

    Unlike the previous museums which was simply to preserve, present and promote the history and culture of a country or regionand its people, today's museums are centers of experiential learning and important partners in education, and shape themselves to be cultural destinations, attracting millions of international tourists, as well as play an important role in enhancing cultural exchanges, he added.

    He cited Singapore's museums as important roles in fostering awareness of its history and cultural identity as well as promote racial and religious harmony.

    He also announced that Singapore's National Heritage Board willbe embarking on an Integrated ASEAN Programming for its museums over the next three years.

    And this symposium was the first of many joint ASEAN initiatives, aiming to explore the creation of an integrated museum network among ASEAN museums.