EAST WEST CENTER ASSOCIATION 2016 THIRD QUARTER CHAPTER REPORTS COMPILED BY DR. JESSICA A. SHEETZ-NGUYEN VICE PRESIDENT FOR CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT
ASIA PACIFIC LEADERSHIP PROGRAM MILONI GANDHI On September 27, over 80 alumni and friends joined the APLP Global Pau Hana gatherings in Europe, Asia and Latin America with strong attendance in Silicon Valley (Bay area San Fransisco), New York City, Hong Kong, London, Honolulu, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Chennai, and Tokyo.
ASIAN STUDIES DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DONA M. CADY, PRESIDENT, ASDP ALUMNI CHAPTER
The Asian Studies Development Program announces their annual conference titled: Connections: Confluences and Contradictions. It will be held on March 2-4, 2017 in Portland, Oregon hosted by the Association of Regional Centers for Asian Studies (ARCAS) and Regional Center Portland Community College. Keynote Dr. Edward Slingerland, Professor of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia and a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences Stanford University, will speak on Trying Not to Try: Cooperation, Trust and the Paradox of Spontaneity. Before the conference, there is an optional field trip to Portland’s famous Lan Su Chinese Garden.
Conference paper proposals are due November 1st and the CFP and registration information is available at http://www.eastwestcenter.org/education/asian-studies-development-program/national- conference/2017-asdp-national-conference
We hope to see you there!
BALI AGUNG MUNINJAYA, BALI CHAPTER LEADER
The Bali chapter completed and sent a joint sister chapter project to EWCA member Claire Langham soon after she visited Bali last March! The sister chapter project was prepared by Bali chapter and reviewed by the Southern California chapter (Claire Langham). The project activity will promote English-language training program for youth living in the Bali village of Denpasar City.
Claire and her team reviewed the proposal. After revisions based on feedback, the Bali Chapter resubmitted the proposal to their “sister chapter” in Southern California.
We do hope that the sister chapter joint-project will revitalize our Bali chapter, which has faced difficulties in moving onward because of declining membership.
Thank you for your kind attention.
Salam BANGLADESH ABU A. M. EKRAMUL AHSAN, CHAPTER LEADER
The Bangladesh Chapter conducted meetings that included new recently returned alumni from the East-West Center upon completion of their programs.
During the reporting period, the Bangladesh Chapter continued with small scale community support project by helping the poor and needy people of the society through financial support to improve their respective livelihood status and sustainable income generating activities. This included:
Financial support to the poor students in the rural communities for their education. Improvement of health and hygiene conditions through disseminating lessons learned from Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions
The chapter has taken up some new and innovative activities keeping with the spirit of the Center in general and of the Alumni goals and objectives in particular.
The proposed activities, among others, include the following.
Creation of a chapter fund with member contributions. Chapter to sponsor poor underprivileged children to help them improve their nutritional status (through supply of nutritious food) Undertake awareness campaign through conducting workshops on critical social and economic issues. Organize periodic alumni get-together. The specific proposal is to organize an alumni get- together with US Ambassador to Bangladesh as the guest of honor and to speak on contemporary issues. Publication of monthly Chapter e-newsletter.
BRISBANE VIRTUAL AUSTRALIA CHAPTER REPORT DR. IRAPHNE CHILDS, CHAPTER LEADER
Contact Information of Contact Person: Name: Dr. Iraphne Childs Phone: (07) 3856 2827 (Home) 0419 756 936 (mob) Email: [email protected] Address: 226 Wilston Road, Newmarket, Queensland 4051 AUSTRALIA Chapter Website Coordinator:
Name: Iraphne Childs Email: [email protected] Web Address: http://ewcabrisbane.org/
Current Office Bearers:
President: Iraphne Childs Vice President: N/A Secretary: Edilyn Bajracharya Treasurer: Bhishna Bajracharya
The Brisbane Chapter would like to offer:
A warm welcome to Dr. Richard R. Vuylsteke, the next president of the East-West Center. Great to have an East-West Center alumnus with extensive experience throughout the Asia-Pacific region as President.
Condolences to our sister chapter in Nepal on the passing of their distinguished alumnus, Dr. Prabha Basnet, the first woman in Nepal to be awarded a Ph.D.
Queensland:
We will be holding our Chapter AGM meeting in late October.
Alumnus member Tim McInerny has finished his assignment in Nigeria as Humanitarian Affairs Officer, UN-OCHA and has returned to Australia.
International:
EWCA Board: Karen Nunan has been participating in deliberations of the East-West Center Alumni Board.
Visits to Indonesia: in August Bhishna Bajracharya visited Surabaya, Indonesia to present a paper at the workshop (July 21-23) on urban governance for sustainable development in Asia: access to services for social equity, organized by the East-West Center. After the workshop, Bhishna also participated in the HABITAT III Preparatory meeting which was working on the new urban agenda for the next 20 years.
Jakarta Population Conference: Terry Hull, a demographer and an affiliate member of our chapter in Canberra, attended a population conference in Jakarta, Indonesia
Disaster risk management joint activity: We have had initial contacts with our Nepal sister Chapter and with the Philippines Chapter, about a possible joint activity relating to knowledge exchange on disaster risk management.
Support for Nepalese students: We continue to support our two Nepalese students through their tertiary studies. Lasha Manandhar is in her third year of nursing studies in Mangalore, India and Sunu Rai will be completing her fashion design and manufacture course in Nepal in June 2017. Friends from the Nepal Australia Friendship Association who are currently in Nepal are assisting us with purchasing a sewing machine for Sunu as a graduation present.
Chapter members are encouraged to make contributions to the Center individually with financial contributions Chapter members are encouraged to contact the EWC Alumni Office to update contact information.
Most Affiliate members live in other cities in Australia and so dues are optional. They are asked to let us know when they are in town so we can try to offer some hospitality, and are kept informed of our activities so they can join in if they wish.
CHENNAI CHAPTER
DR. S. RAJAMANI, CHAPTER LEADER AND SECRETARY Asian International Union of Environment (AIUE) Commission, E-mail: [email protected]
June – September 2016 was a very active period for Chennai Chapter and organized many programs in co-operation with other organizations.
APLP Awardees held an interactive meeting with EWCA Chennai Chapter and Rotary Club of Ambattur on 9th August 2016 in Chennai.
Dr.Vasanthi Ranganathan, Open Grants Grantee, 87-91, Alumna EWCA Chennai Chapter and active Rotary member introduced the current year APLP awardee Mr.Phanikumar, 2015 awardee Ms.Devi Jessie Mary, and Dr.S.Rajamani, Secretary, EWCA Chennai Chapter to the participants of the interactive meeting organized jointly by EWCA Chennai Chapter and the Rotary Club of Ambattur.
Dr.Vasanthi Ranganathan explained the recent activities of EWCA Chennai Chapter including the hosting of four APLP awardees of 2015 who had visited Chennai. They organized social entrepreneurship programs for teachers, college students, and school students and watched cultural dances as performed by the Dandiya of the Ambattur Rotary Club. This year Mr.Phanikumar from Chennai, an excellent social activist, who has made important contributions to social action received the APLP award in Hawaii on 26th August 2016.
Ms.Gita Menon, President, Rotary Club of Ambattur welcomed the gathering and felicitated Mr.Phanikumar a Rotarian along with Dr.S.Rajamani, Secretary, EWCA Chennai Chapter. She was very happy to mention that Mr.Phanikumar has been associated with the Rotary Club of Ambattur for the past ten years.
Dr.S.Rajamani gave a brief lecture on the background of EWCA, Hawaii, its Alumni Chapters all over the world and the recent activities of EWCA Chennai Chapter in association with US Consulate General, Chennai and other organizations. Dr.S.Rajamani shared his thoughts on EWC and congratulated Mr.Phanikumar.
Ms.Devi Jessie Mary last year’s APLP awardee shared her experience as a participant and offered good wishes to Mr.Phanikumar for a successful program in Hawaii.
The photographs taken during the program appear below:
From Left to Right – Ms.Devi Jessie Mary, Dr.S.Rajamani, Mr.Phanikumar, Rtn.Gita Menon, Rtn.Sarma and Rtn.Vasanthi Ranganathan
Group photo – Members of EWCA Chennai Chapter and Rotary Club of Ambattur
2016 EAST WEST CENTRE MEDIA CONFERENCE – SOUTH ASIA IN DELHI, 8-11 SEPTEMBER 2016.
The following Chennai chapter members participated in the 2016 East West Center Media Conference 1. Mr.P.M.Belliappa, President, EWCA Chennai Chapter 2. Dr.S.Rajamani, Secretary, EWCA Chennai Chapter 3. Dr.Vasanthi Ranganathan, EWCA Chennai Chapter 4. Dr. Syed Ali Mujtaba, EWCA Chennai Chapter
EWCA Chennai Chapter Members during South Asia Conference at New Delhi.
Dr.Vasanthi Ranganathan Consultant Learning and Development, Managing Trustee, T Ranganathan Educational Foundation (TREF), Chennai, India made a presentation on “Women Empowerment and Printed Media Influences.”
Dr. Syed Ali Mujtaba, Senior Journalist, Founder/Moderator: South Asia Contact Group, Chennai, India, served as a Moderator for the session titled “Media in the Age of Visual Communication.” The EWCA Chennai Chapter members had an interactive session with other EWCA participants during the conference.
FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN CHAPTER REPORT MUHAMMAD IBRAHIM, CHAPTER LEADER
Since returning from the 2016 Philippines Conference, chapter members are insisting that I plan a trip to the East-West Center in Hawaii. I have been spending most of my spare time to collect information from members and to submit visa applications. Now the job is complete, and the visa interview was set for 29 September 2016. If we receive visas or chapter will visit Hawaii during January 2017.
HAWAII CHAPTER PRESIDENT: CARL HEFNER, TREASURER: ETHEL WARD, SECRETARY: ANN AUMAN
On Saturday, Aug 20, 2016, our Hawaii Chapter hosted over 150 incoming East-West Center students and alumni at our annual CBI picnic in Kapiolani Park. Alumni prepare BBQ picnic style food for the students, along with members of the CBI committee & EWCPA. The Chapter also provided a talk on the history of Kapiolani Park, Diamond Head and the island of Oahu for the students. Each year this proves to be an excellent way to network with students who will be future alumni of the East-West Center. The Hawaii Chapter of EWCA executive board, EWC Alumni, Research Associates, EWC Staff along with Hawaii Chapter President Carl Hefner, and EWC President Charles E. Morrison greeted the students and looked forward each year to meeting and socializing with the students just before the start of their academic semester at UHM. Once again, a big success, this is one of the Hawaii Chapters Annual big events.
EWCA Hawaii Chapter board members held a sale of kitchen items for EWC incoming students during the month of August. This sale helps students adjust to dorm life, and gives them an opportunity to acquire kitchen items for preparing food in the dorms. This year was again helpful to the students and was coordinated by EWC Alumnus Itsuko Suzuki.
We are continuing the Professional Linkage Program (ProLink), providing EWC participants, an opportunity to "shadow" relevant Center alumni to get the first-hand experience of the everyday work environment and work culture. Each semester the ProLink Committee, made up of both alumni and participants, hosts a social for alumni and participants to meet "their match."
We also continue to hold regular monthly meetings in the President's Conference Room in Burn's Hall.
ISLAMABAD CHAPTER ARJUMAND FAISEL, CHAPTER LEADER
1. Climate Change and Art – A Practitioners’ Retreat in Swat
Ministry of Climate Change, Gallery 6 Islamabad and East-West Center Association-Islamabad Chapter joined hands to offer a unique art retreat titled “Climate Change and Art – A Practitioners’ Retreat in Swat” in last week of August. It included 12 participants with ages from 22 to 40 years: 6 painters, three photographers, one sculptor, one filmmaker and one writer. The budget for this activity, including exhibition, is Rs. one million (about $ 10,000).
The purpose of this retreat was to enable and facilitate the development of products (such as paintings, photographs, documentary, visual short stories) which would attract media and individuals for spreading/creating awareness about factors leading to climate change and its resultant negative impacts.
Selected participants had origins from various areas of Pakistan, three from Lahore (Abid Khan, Ahsan Jawaid, Ali Ijaz), two from Chakwal (Raja Najmul Hasan and Zainul Abedin) and one each from Rawalpindi (Saram Maqbool), Gilgit-Baltistan (Ayub Wali), Hangu (Shaheer), Shahdadpur (Irfan Gul Dahri), Quetta (S.M. Khayyam), Malakand (Junaid Baber) and Karachi (Ayesha Tahir). They were led by Dr. Arjumand Faisel, Chapter Leader in Islamabad, who actively provided technical guidance throughout the retreat. The participants were lodged at a hotel managed by Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, and they practiced under ideal weather conditions with temperatures ranging from 28 C in day to 13 C during night
The artists and photographers captured beautiful landscapes depicting biodiversity, natural environmental serenity, vulnerability to disasters (like riverside settlements being washed away by floods), degradation of land, birds that are moving away, deforestation, disasters caused by flash floods and many other subjects related to climate change. A few short visual stories on factors affecting climate change and effect/damages to the environment because of climate change were also produced by interviewing local people. Locals narrated stories of massive deforestation, changing the pattern of snowfall, effects on growing of fruits (especially apples), increasing floods and their devastating effects on housing areas and agricultural lands, etc. A documentary on the entire retreat was also produced. Syed Abu Akif, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Climate Change also visited the participants for two days over the weekend to see the progress of the work, while two Ministry staff members remained with the participants for managerial support.
These “products” will be exhibited at Gallery 6 in early October 2016. Participants have committed to actively use social media to spread messages about the Climate Change among their community, families, and individuals. They plan to engage media (press, radio and TV channels) during the exhibition days. East-West Center Association – Islamabad Chapter will play its due role to inform the international audience about this unique event to reflect Pakistan’s awareness and interest in the issues of Climate Change.
At the time of departure from the retreat, Irfan Gul Dahri, the senior most participant summarized the gathering in this way.
Thank you, organizers, for being such wonderful hosts. This trip was great in many ways: be it making new friends or getting insights of the ones that I already knew. I am taking back much positive energy and intend to play my role as far as I can (in raising awareness of issues related to climate change). Thank you all for this inspiration”. Ayub Wali, the sculptor in the group wrote on his Facebook page "Thank you Gallery 6, East - West Center Association, and Ministry of Climate Change for the amazing experience to explore our own land and point out the root cause of climate change through our own experience!
The Islamabad Chapter would like to express their appreciation to the American Embassy in advance of an international conference that will convene in Islamabad in November. On behalf of EWCA-IC, Arjumand requested them to show the film at the Conference, which is a 5-minute clip that will show the outcome of art retreat.
Please watch this exciting clip! Climate Change in Islamabad
2. Raising of Funds for House of Light School.
EWCA-IC has been focusing its activities for the students of House of Light School (HOLS) and the underprivileged community people of that area, living 25 km. away from Islamabad in rural areas. The Chapter raised about Rs. 250,000 (US $ 2,500) so far and is expected to raise Rs. 100,000 more by the end of this quarter.
KANSAI, JAPAN YUMIKO OKAMOTO, PRESIDENT AND CHAPTER LEADER
EWCA-Japan (Kansai) Chapter (hereinafter called Kansai Chapter) was engaged in the following four activities after the 2016 general meeting was held at Doshisha University, Kyoto on June 4, 2016. In the first order of business, the Kansai Chapter elected Yumiko Okamoto to serve as President and Chapter Leader.
(1) New board members for the period from June 2016 to May 2018 were decided as follows:
President: Yumiko Okamoto Vice-President: Takashi Mita Administrative Officers: Yumiko Okamoto, Nobukazu Tanii, Fred Anderson Information Manager: Takashi Mita Public Relations: Hideaki Sakata, Hiromi Monobe Okayama Liaison Officer: Fumiteru Nitta Board Members: Megumi Hara
(2) New board members invited two former chapter leaders (Mr. Ashida and Professor Furuhashi) to serve as advisors to Kansai Chapter during the same period. Both of them readily agreed to it.
(3) New board members have been preparing between August and September for the seminar to be held on October 8, 2016, in Okayama city. This seminar is the first Kansai Chapter seminar to be held outside of Osaka or Kyoto. Professor Nitta and Professor Monobe are mainly in charge. The following is a flyer of the event. It was advertised widely on FACEBOOK.
(4) The meetings of the board of directors will be held at least twice between June 2016 and May 2017. The 1st meeting will be held on October 8, 2016, in Okayama city. Board members will get together after the seminar and reflect on it. The second meeting will be held at Doshisha University on October 24, 2016. Board members will start to discuss and plan the general meeting of 2017.
KARACHI CHAPTER GHAZALA FASIH, SECRETARY
The Karachi Chapter enthusiastically participated in the International Media Conference held at New Delhi. All members were duly informed of the event.
The chapter met twice in the quarter. The first meeting was held for governing body members on August 27 in which the members discussed the possible visit for the Media Conference in Delhi. President Kamal Siddiqi informed about the members who were going to India to attend the conference. Secretary Ghazala Fasih informed of the visa problems that most of the applicants were facing. The members were told the efforts being made by the EWC colleagues, particularly Ms Susan Kreifels, in helping with the visa process.
Logistics were discussed, and members were informed that representatives from other chapters were also going to Delhi. These participants were in touch with their Karachi colleagues and with the Indian High Commission.
KARACHI ATTENDS MEDIA CONFERENCE NEW DELHI 2016:
Five members from Karachi Chapter attended the conference. These were President Kamal Siddiqi, Secretary Ghazala Fasih, members Sabeha Essa, Yasir Qazi and Maleeha Siddiqui. This was the highest representation from any chapter in Karachi.
Kamal Siddiqi, Ghazala Fasih and Maleeha Siddiqui were part of panels and gave their presentations.
The highlight of the conference for the Pakistani delegation was the separate meeting keynote speaker and Nobel laureate Kailash Sathyarty. Mr Sathyarty spent a separate half hour with the Pakistani participants and exchanged ideas and information about child labour issues in Pakistan.
President Kamal Siddiqi also attended the alumni session also held at the same venue on the third day of the conference.
At the conclusion of the conference, a South Asia journalist dialogue was held. Kamal Siddiqi and Maleeha Siddiqui were invited to attend the session in which proposals for cooperation between journalists in South Asia were discussed.
Kamal Siddiqi offered Karachi chapter’s cooperation for mutual study tours/visits. Sri Lankan journalists have shown interest in attending courses at Karachi’s Center for Excellence in Journalism in Karachi. The EWCAA Karachi Chapter has offered accommodation to these participants as part of its initiative to contribute to society. The meeting ended with vote of thanks for EWCA’s countless support.
The second meeting was held after the Media Conference in a general body meeting on September 24. Members reported the proceedings of the conference and the activities of the members there. Satisfaction was expressed over the arrangements made for members and by the EWC in Delhi. Mention again was made of Susan Kriefels for her help in facilitating members in their travel and arrangements. The president and secretary informed of the experience of the participants at the conference in Delhi. Satisfaction was expressed over the activities at the conference.
LAO CHAPTER CHANTHAVONG, CHAPTER LEADER
With the success of planting Hawaii Rainbow-Shower Trees at Chao Anou Park in Vientiane Capital that I report to you earlier, now the Lao Chapter is glad to inform you that Lao EWC Alumni is working on the project of Vientiane Beautification by further planting more Hawaii Rainbow-Shower Trees along the bank of Mekong river in front the city of Vientiane Capital in cooperation with the Agricultural Department of the Hatdokkeo Research Division. The plantings will be layered with the existing Hawaii Rainbow- Shower trees at Chao Anou Park. By using the layering techniques, we expect to be able to get about 1,000 young Hawaii Rainbow-Shower trees.
We set the budget for this project at about US$ 3,500.00 for layering, nursery, transplanting, monitoring and caring for the new plants. Lao EWC Alumni pledged to make a contribution to the project. I am sure that we will get the money as planned and the project will be started soon.
MUMBAI SAROSH BANA, CHAPTER LEADER
The Mumbai Chapter meeting could not be held independently. Instead the leader, Sarosh Bana clubbed or joined it with the meeting of an affiliated group.
A former senior bureaucrat, Venkat Chary, gave a talk on the Iyengars of Tamil Nadu, as part of a series of talks on the different community groups making up India's varied society.
The function went off very well. NEPAL NIRENDRA DHOJ MASKE, PRESIDENT EWCA AND CHAPTER LEADER
Fulbright Welcome Reception Invitation:
EWCA President Nirendra Dhoj Maske attended a reception hosted by Mr. Tristram Perry, Chairperson of the U.S. Educational Foundation(USEF-Nepal)the Fulbright Commission, Nepal, welcoming the 2016-2017 U.S. Fulbright Student Researcher on Friday, August 5, 2016, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Fulbright Commission Auditorium in Gyaneshwor
The EWCA Nepal Chapter mourned the passing in June 2016, of Dr.Prabha Basnet and sent condolences on 7 August 2016. Dr. Basnet held prestigious positions in the Nepal Government, made a great contribution to education, most particularly to Nepalese women.
The Nepal Chapter accepted and appreciated with gratitude the condolence message sent from the EWCA Brisbane Chapter members through the EWCA Brisbane Chapter President Dr. Iraphne Childs via email from Dr. Rajendra B. Shrestha.
Mr. Kiran R. Joshi, the Chapter General Secretary, and Liason Officer made the following remarks: remarked the following:
Dr. Prabha Basnet Didi was not a grantee but a participant in EWC program in 1975. She was a very learned and nice, a loving and friendly lady who was a family friend. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, which was considered to be the first Ph.D. received by a Nepali woman. She was there for a couple of months during Dashain & Tihar Festival time, and she put on Bhai Tika to us Grantees there. Lately, she was suffering from breathing problem, was dependent on Oxygen and was unable to come to our Executive Committee Meetings. We miss her very much. May her soul rest in peace. Regards Kiran R Joshi
SELECTION OF NEW PRESIDENT:
The East-West Center Board of Governor's announcement of the selection of EWC alumnus Dr. Richard. The Nepal Chapter members enthusiastically welcomed R. Vuylsteke to be the next President of the Center.It is anticipated that Dr. Vuylsteke will begin his term early in 2017. Dr. Charles Morrison has kindly agreed to stay on as President until then.Special thanks to East- West Center Association President Ned Shultz, who served as an advisor to the presidential search committee.
Nirendra Dhoj Maske attended the opening reception at the 2016 East-West Center International Media Conference hosted by Richard R. Verma, Ambassador of the United States of America, hosted a reception on Thursday, 8 September 2016 at Roosevelt House, Gate 2, U.S. Embassy. Also, present at the reception was the U. S. Ambassador to Nepal, and Nirendra was happy to meet her and interact. There were about eight journalists and media persons from Nepal participating in the Conference.
Nirendra Maske participated in the, September 8- 11, New Delhi, on the theme "South Asia – Looking East" held at the India Habitat Center, Lodi Road, New Delhi, India., in conjunction with the Alumni Gathering followed by a reception on Sunday in Tamarind Hall at the Habitat World at India Habitat Center, Lodi Road, NewDelhi.
The Conference was a great success. There were 350 registered participants from at least41 nations- the most diverse network. I found the Conference professionally and personally rewarding.
On 19 September 2016, Nirendra Maske attended at Fulbright talk given in conjunction with the this very interesting talk program and interacted.
The Fulbright and the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies (ANHS), Kathmandu, organized a Talk Program: “Tibetan Music in Nepal” presented by Mr. Mason Brown at the Fulbright Commission Auditorium, Gyaneshwor. The theme of the presentation is described as follows:
Besides being home to a large population of exile Tibetans, Nepal also has many Himalayan areas that have been culturally Tibetan for centuries. This mix of indigenous and refugee Tibetans has led to a rich tapestry of Tibetan music in Nepal: the liturgical music of monastic orchestras; the colorful drama of Lhamo opera; the vibrant, modern sounds of Tibetan pop music; and the rustic folk songs and dances of rural villages. This presentation will provide an introduction to this music in Nepal and discuss their interrelationships and some of their prominent practitioners.
Mason Brown is a Ph.D. candidate in ethnomusicology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is currently doing dissertation fieldwork on Tibetan folk music in Himalayan areas of Nepal and its intergenerational transmission to youth in Kathmandu
Nirendra wishes to thank his friend and colleague Mr. Kiran Raj Joshi Ji, our General Secretary, who has been instrumental in the preparation of this report. His cooperation and partnership have always made a difference!
Festive Seasonal Greetings!
NEW YORK CHAPTER WILLIAM ARMBRUSTER, CHAPTER LEADER The New York has not had any events this summer, but we are planning an event for Friday, Oct. 21. Ramy Inocencio, an APLP alum, has graciously agreed to host people at his apartment in Manhattan for drinks, starting at 6 pm. After that, we will have dinner at a local restaurant, still to be determined. Ramy, an anchor for Bloomberg Television, attended the EWC Media Conference in New Delhi last week and will report on that.
OKINAWA KYOSHI NAKACHI, SECRETARY
1. Obuchi Program Orientations
The NPO Okinawa Language Center held the Obuchi Program Orientations in three Universities of Okinawa in June and July. More than seventy students participated in the Obuchi Program orientations. This year two former EWC students were invited. They were Mr.Toshimitsu Matayoshi, a journalist from the Okinawa local newspaper and Mr. Kazufumi Taira, a current doctoral candidate in Education at the University of Hawaii. They talked their experiences and introduced study opportunities for Okinawan students at the East-West Center. Ms. Rika Inamine, this year’s Obuchi Scholar as a guest speaker, joined the event and greeted the participants from the University of the Ryukyus.
2. Orientation with Dean Hammond from EWC
The orientation and informal talk session for the general audience were held in Naha on 3 September 2016. This was the biggest event for supporting the Obuchi program applicants this year. Dean Mary Hammond, the Department of Education of the EWC explained the roles and programs of EWC. Professor Keiko Yamazato, the former president of the EWCA Okinawa Chapter, Ms. Maiko Namihira, the 9th generation of APLP, and Ms. Wakaha Ishihara, the UH and the EWC graduate of 2014, added their comments by talking about their experiences in their programs; and they encouraged all participants to get involved. The NPO Okinawa Language Center in Naha, Okinawa sponsored the program.
3. Okinawa members (Takayama, Yamazato, Tatsumi, Shibuya and Nakachi) still continue to study the possibilities of opening an organization in Okinawa like the EWC in Hawaii. They will have an additional meeting on the APC at Tokyo in November with members from Tokyo.
4. Mr. Nakachi, president of the EWCA Okinawa Chapter, sent an inquiry to the EWCA Taiwan chapter to see whether members of the Taiwan chapter would be interested in offering joint programs between Taiwan and Okinawa. However, there have been not yet any responses from Taiwan Chapter.
SINGAPORE ALICE SENG SEOK HOON
During this period the Singapore chapter managed to contact key person from the Malaysian chapter based in Kuala Lumpur Dr. Gan Siowck Lee to discuss some possible sister projects between Singapore and Malaysia. There will be a future visit to be arranged later between the chapter members either in Spore or Kuala Lumpur. There is one potential sister project. The Singapore chapter has an ongoing cross-cultural service learning program with youths from the Metro YMCA. The youths need some leadership and cross-cultural training which the two senior chapter alumni can provide. The details are being worked out. During the next quarter, the two chapters hope to meet to spell out the aims and specific objectives of the joint project. SOUTHERN CA CHAPTER CLAIRE LANGHAM, CHAPTER PRESIDENT
On Saturday, July 9, 2016, the Southern California Chapter enjoyed a large gathering of 24 active and new EWCA Southern California Chapter participants at the lovely home of Dr. Inge Kendall Maranto. On the spacious patio in her beautiful garden, we renewed friendships and shared interests.
Following our catered lunch we celebrated the life of Vijay Trehan, one of our active EWCA So CA chapter members who had served as our chapter treasurer for many years and who, along with his wife Sushma, hosted annual chapter holiday parties at their home in Mission Viejo.
A framed photo collage “In Memory of Vijay Trehan” in celebration of his life and his outstanding participation in our chapter was given to his widow Sushma Trehan. We shared our memories of Vijay and read the more formal tribute message delivered at his memorial service in Santa Ana, CA on May 21, 2016.
Then we discussed a proposed EWCA So CA and EWCA Bali “sister” chapters’ project, initiated by the EWCA chapter leaders meeting in January 2016 in Manila, conceptualized when I, as a chapter leader, met with the chapter leader Mr. Muninjaya in Bali and another EWC Bali alumni Mr. Nyoman Suwidjana on Feb. 29th.
The week before our July 9th EWCA So CA gathering, I received a written proposal from Nyoman Suwidjana and forwarded the email with attachments to active chapter participants. At our July 9th meeting, I summarized this proposal for our chapter to provide some funding to an existing after school English language program in Bali. Our chapter members posed relevant inquiries, proposed revenue generation as well as volunteer involvement suggestions.
SEOUL, KOREA WON NYON KIM, CHAPTER LEADER
The Seoul EWCA Chapter held two official meetings for the 2018 EWC/EWCA International Conference in Seoul since the previous quarterly report! One was working-level meeting on the 28th of July. Even though it was scorching hot and high season for get-away, more than ten members spared no efforts to share ideas. All of them were enthusiastic about the 2018 conference, and every one of them stated opinions, made comments, and offered suggestions to make the big event of 2018 a success!
The talks of the day converged on the necessity of organizing committee members, though tentatively and deciding on which of the ideas are fit for discussion at the Skype meeting in August.
Moreover, there was Skype meeting on the 24th of August between EWC committee members and Korean members! Some participated from his work, and some, in the case of Dr. Lee, from Mongolia! There were discussions on previously raised agenda---Intercultural encounters, Multiculturalism connecting the world, Sustainable Peace, Learning from each other on the issue of economic and social development, and Re-creating an Intercultural Asia-Pacific Community---and reviews of those ideas. Moreover, also there were talks about estimated conference expenses and logistic problems such as providing tour and finding affordable hotels for the conference participants.
There were after-Skype meeting on that day with those who surprised us with unannounced visiting. Dr. Jeong Taik Lee, current president of APEC Study Association of Korea, was one of them. His many experiences in organizing international conferences are expected to be of great value.
TOKYO, JAPAN KAZUHIKO TAKEMOTO, PRESIDENT
In this quarter, five new members joined our chapter. We held a welcoming party for them on August 4th at of Bank of Japan's recreational facility in Toriizaka, near Roppongi thanks to the kind arrangement of our distinguished alumnus Yutaka Harada.
LUNCHEON MEETING IN TOKYO
Mr. Koichiro (Ko) Fujii(16) and Ms. Noe (Noelle) Takahashi(14)
Standing: Kazuko Tonoike(78), Michiko Yamashita(76), Yasutaka Yano(63), Yutaka Harada(78), Chie Hasimoto(06), Hitomi Yokote(09)
Seated: Chimaki Sakai(92), Taku Jindo(12), Naomi Tonooka(84), Misato Matsuda(15), Shigeo Tonoike(73)
Three of the five new chapter members learned about the chapter at the reception for Jefferson Fellows held last May (this year) in Tokyo. This is good news in itself, but it also shows that there is some room for improvement in our efforts in recruiting new (as well as old) members.