Source: https://ewcablog.org/2018/11/17/quarterly-reports-from-ewca-alumni-chapters-2nd-quarter-2018/
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 20:39:47+00:00

Document:
The Asian Studies Development Program’s 24th National Conference Understanding Asia: Past and Present on March 1-3 in Washington, D.C. was a big success!
The conference honored the memory of esteemed Confucian scholar Henry Rosemont, Jr., pictured to the left. The annual meeting opened with an afternoon tour of the Freer Galleries followed by an evening reception at the Georgetown, Marriott.
Roberta Adams, Fay Beauchamp, Marthe Chandler, and Larry Butler are pictured in the image above.
MCC was awarded a multi-yearAsian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) grant to support Asian and Asian-American student success. In collaboration with ASDP, 10 MCC Faculty Fellows in Year 1-2 and 20 Faculty Ambassadors in Years 2-3 are participating in structured monthly faculty development seminars and multi-day workshops hosted in conjunction with local institutions. Faculties are creating modules on Asian/Cambodian themes that will be embedded into courses across the general education curriculum. Shelley Hawks, Roger Ames, Arn Chorn Pond, and Sreang Heng presented talks on their experiences and knowledge of this theme.
For the past five years, the USG Asia Council has organized faculty development workshops with regional focus covering China, India SE Asia, S. Korea, and Japan. The new series of workshops, including this year’s Islam in Asia: Faith, Ethnicity, and Conflict on March 23-24th, will have an interdisciplinary, trans-regional focus addressing timely topics like religion, gender issues, science, and technology.
As an ASDP-ARCAS Regional Center, PCC has a very robust schedule of Asian activities throughout the year including meetings with faculty and two lectures by Dr. Jeffery Dippmann.
PCC is also known for its student Asian Focus Award, which fosters a rich understanding and appreciation of the cultures of Asia.
The College of Liberal Arts hosted a three-day seminar focusing on Chinese language learning, history, and cultural studies led by Dr. Peter D. Hershock (ASDP Director) and Dr. Cindy Ning (Associate Director of the University of Hawaii’s Center for Chinese Studies and US director of its Confucius Institute). The U.S. Department of Education sponsors and funds the workshop under the Undergraduate International Studies of Foreign Languages grant. Faculty and students from Berea College in Kentucky, Kirkwood Community College in Iowa, Mount San Antonio College in California and the University of Central Oklahoma participated in the workshop.
EWCA Board: Karen Nunan has agreed to continue as a member of the East West Center Alumni Board for another 3-year term.
Chapter meeting: On April 27th we had our chapter meeting at the home of Iraphne and Ralph. We had planned to skype chat during the meeting with EWC President, Dr. Richard Vuylsteke but unfortunately, there was a technical hitch at the EWC end, and we were unable to link up with him on the night.
EWCA Alumni Conference in Seoul, August 2018.
Bhishna Bajracharya (our treasurer) will be our Chapter representative, and Karen Nunan may also go as a Board member.
Our Secretary, Edilyn Bajracharya and Bhishna will be presenting a joint paper at the conference. One of our newest members, Janani Ganapathi, will also be presenting a paper and John Beruldsen from Melbourne, who helped on the fund-raising desk at the last conference, will also be going.
Bhishna Bajracharya attended an urban planning conference at the Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB) in April and presented a paper on ‘Regional strategic growth-management approach to urban and peri-urban development in Southeast Queensland, Australia.’ It was also an opportunity to interact with many East West Center Alumni at the conference.
We have now finalized our support of two young Nepalese women through their secondary and tertiary studies. Suna Rai completed her studies and had secured employment in fashion design and manufacturing company in Katmandhu. Lasha Mandahar is in her final semester of nursing studies in Bangalore, India. She will spend another year in India for internship training before returning to Nepal as a qualified nurse. We have forwarded a graduation present of $400 to Lasha via NAFA (Nepal Australia Friendship Association) to assist her in the internship year.
Two Chapter members, Karen and Iraphne, continue as emergency volunteers based in Brisbane, ready to be deployed anywhere in Queensland if needed for disaster recovery assistance to local communities. Karen was deployed in March to North Queensland for flood recovery work and continues to volunteer in Queensland Red Cross headquarters in the logistics area. Iraphne and Karen both completed a Red Cross evacuation centre training course in late June.
Most Affiliate members live outside of Brisbane in Australia and 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.
Chapter members are encouraged to contribute to the Center individually.
Chapter Meetings—The Chapter meetings were held a couple of times since the last reporting period. The months of May and June 2018 being the period of important religious significance (Ramadan and Eidul Fitr festival) many alumni went to their village homes to celebrate the festival with the families. The last chapter meeting was held in mid- June 2018 by teleconference as most of the members remained out of the station.
Outstanding Chapter Award—The Bangladesh Chapter received good news from EWCA that the Chapter has been selected as the recipient of the 2018 Outstanding Chapter Award in recognition of the Chapter’s significant contribution to the goals and programs of the EWCA. The Bangladesh Chapter expressed deep appreciation and thanked the EWCA for considering the Chapter for the award of Outstanding Chapter Award 2018. .It may be mentioned that the Bangladesh Chapter received the Outstanding Chapter Award in 2008 and felt proud of getting the award a second time. Thanks to the EWCA for being very supportive to the chapter activities which will encourage the alumni of Bangladesh Chapter to be more enthusiastic in attaining goals of the EWCA.
Visit School at Zinda Park–The activities of the Ogropothik Palli Samity (OPS), a rural social and community development organization cantered around the development of the school. The EWCA, Bangladesh Chapter members, made another visit to the Zinda Park to continue its support to the rural based a school organized by this nonprofit voluntary rural organization. Popularly known as the Zinda Park with the motive of social welfare and development of the livelihood of the local people. The EWCA, Bangladesh Chapter team, attended a cultural event of the school performed by the students of the school organized before Eid ul Fitre holidays.
Alumni Visit to Other Alumni in the neighboring country—The Chapter Leader of the Bangladesh Chapter, Dr. Abu Ekramul Ahsan and another alumna, Ms. Moushumi Das Purkayastha of the EWCA Bangladesh Chapter visited different places in India and made contacts with some available EWCA alumni in Kolkata, Delhi, and Mumbai.
Alumni Get-together—The EWCA Bangladesh Chapter plans to organize a small scale Alumni Reunion sometime in the later part of August 2018 after the alumni team return from the International Conference 2018.
This is the second quarter of 2018. Not many new alumni joined the new wechat group this quarter. The total number is still 155+.
On 22nd June, five alumni got together for a regular catch up. During that meeting, we shared what we are doing now and identified the similar areas that we are working with. Furthermore, we recalled the past when we studied in Hawaii and really appreciate the EWC gave us the opportunity to grow up.
We have not yet contacted with the Peking University and I am connecting with someone else to introduce to us.
On April 22, 2018 the Hawaii Chapter held its Annual Dinner and Fundraiser at the Pacific Club. A much anticipated event, the evening was attended by over 160 alumni and friends. We honored Pat Masters as the recipient of the Outstanding Service Award. The dinner was a great success, and is a wonderful way for old and new friends to socialize and help the chapter raise money for the EWC student travel awards.
The EWCA-Hawaii Chapter supported 6 EWC students to attend professional conferences and conduct field study with travel stipends, with money raised from our annual dinner fundraising.
We also continue to hold regular monthly meetings in 2018 in the President’s Conference Room in Burns Hall.
The Hong Kong liaison for the EWCA Alumni Chapter announced that members of the community were looking forward to welcoming President of the East-West Center Richard Vuylsteke back to Hong Kong for an informal dinner. For more news regarding Hong Kong Chapter activities, contact Mark Sheldon.
Our Mumbai Chapter members had our usual quarterly meeting on 14 May where we discussed the forthcoming EWC International Conference in August and other local and worldly issues. The most dramatic element was the tea and savouries.
The Mumbai Chapter reports that two more EWCA Alumni who usually join the meetings, Sharad Kale and DK Sankaran, could not make it that day, but those who could are pictured in the image below.
From left to right: Sarosh Bana, Shiv Kakodkar, Roger Pereira, Bishamber Makhija, and Sharad Upasani.
The Mumbai Chapter wishes to acknowledge the passing of their most loved, regular and vital member, A. Seshan.
The Bali Chapter has only three active members, part of 15 registered by the EWCA Office in Hawaii. Unfortunately only two persons are active using WA.
We plan to cooperate our activity with other institutions such as the American consulate, and local university. Claire Langham visited Bali twice since the Manila conference. We met her in Bali but there has been no follow up action; we are part of a sister chapter program as decided during the last chapter leader meeting in Manila.
Last year, we arranged one day meeting in Bali in collaboration with Kalea Jakarta. At the meeting, we discussed our participation at the Seoul conference. Hope some of us may attend it.
The date and the place of the general assembly meeting for the year of 2018-2019.
The possibility of holding an open seminar for high school students in Kyoto or Osaka both to promote EWC activities, and to let them know how exciting it is for young people to study abroad.
A review of the administrative structure of the Kansai Chapter for the following two-year period (2018-2020).
The continued discussion of what kind of activities EWCA-Japan (Kansai) Chapter should promote in the future.
The Kansai Chapter is also planning a social gathering among board members after the second board meeting at nearby Doshisha University.
The EWCA Tokyo Chapter organized the Special Annual General Meeting on July 7, 2018 with 16 members and three non-members at 320 lecture room, Tokyo Campus of the University of Tsukuba.
The chapter abolished our rule that members lose status without paying the annual fee of 2000 yen over three consecutive years. Those who payed once in the past could get permanent status. New members will not need to pay annual dues for the time being. Those attending the meetings will pay only for the honorarium for the invited speaker (a non-member) and the meeting reception costs, etc.
Those who paid in advance could ask to have the fee returned, or they could donate the money to the Chapter.
Correspondence to our members will be maintained by e-mail without special request.
Mr. Goto migrated to the Hawaiian Islands as a member of the first immigrant group from Japan in 1885 at the age of 23. He opened and ran a general store. He was loved as a leader of his fellow Japanese people. However, a tragedy occurred on the evening of October 28, 1889. He was killed by a lynch mob who hung him from an electric pole. The police arrested the criminals, white supremacists and rivals in trade, who hated Goto. It is said that this act was meant to serve as a warning to Japanese immigrants who threatened white communities and businesses. This action was similar to black lynching in the American South in those days.
Dr. Kato was from the same town as Mr. Goto, Oiso, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan and he received a big shock when he learned about this tragedy. Haunted by the story, Dr. Kato set out to review the literature on the history of this event and to conduct a field study. He was joined by his wife, Taeko, a grantee of EWC. Dr. Kato presented this research achievement at several domestic and international conferences and published at this account of the challenges faced by Japanese immigrants in Hawaii in the OISO Municipal Museum Report, Vol.36, p.7, and Vol.38, p. 7-8. Two coauthors supported him in his research.
After the lecture the Chapter enjoyed networking with other attendees and EWC participants at a nearby Chinese restaurant.
No activity to be reported in this reporting period.
Chapter Leader Nirendra Dhoj Maske represented EWCA at the following important academic and civic events.
May 3, 2018: a Fulbright Lecture titled: “Air Quality: Where You Are: The Parodox of a Livable City” at Hotel Tibet, Lazimpat from 3.00 to 5.00 p.m. to celebrate Air Quality Awareness Week.
May 4, 2018: Seminar by Dr. Mart Stewart on “History and Future of Food” at Martin Chautari Seminar Hall at Thapathali Engineering College, 2.30 to 5.00 p.m.
May 9, 2018: Fulbright Lecture by Dane Carlson titled “Landscape Past, Landscape Future: Hybrid Landscapes of Nepal’s Tibetan Frontier” at the United States Educational Foundation auditorium, at 3.00 pm.
June 11, 2018: Reception to celebrate the Fifty- Seventh Annual Fulbright Day hosted by the Public Affairs Officer of the Embassy of the United States of America and Executive Director, U.S. Educational Foundation-Nepal, at Prama House, Chun Devi from 5.30- 7.00 pm.
Chapter Leader: Ramy Inocencio, Jr.
The New York Chapter of the EWCA was pleased to host EWC President Richard Vuylsteke and Gary Yoshida of the EWC Foundation at a dinner on May 9 on the occasion of Richard’s first visit to New York since becoming EWC President. It was a great evening. There were 23 people representing alumni from every decade of the East-West Center’s history – from the 1960s to the 2010s and people whose engagement with the Center represented every level of involvement – grantees who received graduate degrees from UH thanks to the EWC; staff members, including Doug Murray, who served as vice president back in the 1980s; a former chair of the EWC Board of Governors (Ko-Yung Tung); journalists who participated in the Jefferson Fellows and other journalism program; post-doc fellows; and, of course, Richard, a former grantee, staffer and now president! The Chapter also welcomed friends of the Center, including Charles Wu, who has been to almost all of our dinners over the past 20 years, and Oma Lee, who was Richard’s mentee when they were both in Hong Kong.
Members were tremendously impressed with Richard’s energy and enthusiasm for embracing the challenges facing the Center over the coming years and the fresh approach he is taking, especially with expansion of the student programs and look forward to future, and more frequent, visits with Richard.
The biggest challenge is ensuring that the East-West Center has the financial resources to continue fulfilling the mission denoted by its official name – Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange Between East and West. But Richard can’t do it all on his own. It’s up to all of us to help support the Center. Make an online donation by visiting the Center’s website — https://www.eastwestcenter.org/ and clicking the “Support EWC” link. In particular, consider contributing to the Wall of Honor, as Gary Yoshida suggested. Make a donation in honor of someone who’s already named or somebody else, including yourself.
Earlier in the day Richard and Gary visited the nearby office of Bloomberg, where EWCANY Chair Ramy Inocencio, Jr. works as an anchor for Bloomberg Television. Richard was interviewed by a colleague of Ramy’s from Bloomberg Radio.
The Okinawa Chapter held the regular meeting on April 29 at Naha. The meeting approved the ￥674,844 budget (25 active members) for the 2018 fiscal year.
The Chapter voted to support a young member, planning to present his/her research paper at the 2018 Seoul Conference with a $100.00 stipend.
The Chapter leader introduced two young members, Mr. Hiroaki Hara who was selected as the 2018 Obuchi Degree Fellow and, Ms. Kikuko Nakada as the APLP trainee.
The Chapter elected Mr. Junichi Tsutsumi as the vice president of the Okinawa Chapter and Ms. Akino Oshiro as the treasurer. Both are recipients of EWC Awards.
The University of the Ryukyus awarded Mr. Hasuto Taira and Mr. Zenko Shimabukuro with the Japan national decoration for their education services.
The Okinawa Prefecture awarded Mr. Kanko Teruya with the national decoration for his administrative services in sightseeing industry.
Mr. Choko Takayma, the adviser for the Okinawa Chapter, was recommended for the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize candidate for his contribution in building up the Cornerstone of Peace by the Okinawa Citizens ‘groups.
Mr. Hiroaki Hara, the 2018 Obuchi Degree Fellow at EWC (extreme right), was encouraged by the members of the Okinawa Chapter with a dinner party.
In addition to regular EWC Alumni participants, this chapter has several associated members who take part in the chapter activities. Recently we planned and completed the following activities.
Seven EWCA Faisalabad members went to the University of Agriculture at Faisalabad (UAF) to visit a hydroponic green house facility, where the “Arid Agriculture” department of the UAF is growing green peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes on a large scale and very successfully without soil.
The tour members were astonished to see a new development in this field. At the end of the tour, the EWCA members had lunch together at a nearby roadside restaurant, which included a large box of hydroponically grown tomatoes!
EWCA Faisalabad members also explored the archeological site and museum at Taxila, which is famous as a site where the religious leader Buddha lived and preached about three thousand years ago. The area consists of the ruins of three villages, a museum, an ancient university, a massive stupa, and several small stupas. The Taxila took two days to visit the site.
The Faisalabad Chapter is also associated with Rawalpindi-Islamabad Lion’s Club and visited the northern hilly area of Pakistan between 25-30 June 2018. On this seven-day tour, the group passed through three mountain ranges consisting of the Himalaya, Karakorum, and Hindukush Mountains. The final destination for the tour was the top of the Khunjerab Pass top where Pakistan-China border meet.
In this quarter, our chapter encouraged artist Sadaf Naeem as she prepared to leave for Hawaii. Naeem received a scholarship from the University of Hawaii. The Chapter discussed with her possibilities and options for meeting the remaining funds. Also provided her guidance to apply for EWC Student Affiliate Program and information about life at EWC, especially in its hostels. We gave all the necessary details, including types of clothing and other items and contacts of other past female EWC Student Affiliates. On receiving final confirmation of her selection and visa papers, the Gallery 6 Facebook page congratulated Sadaf Naeem on her award. To date, the posting has reached over 6500 individuals. The purpose of the event was to create awareness and interest about the opportunities that the EWC and UH can provide to the artist community in Pakistan.
Sadaf Nasim at her easel, 2018.
Two vital events convened in Karachi, Pakistan during the second quarter of 2018. The first was a photo exhibition sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Journalism to honor two esteemed members of the Karachi Press Club, Athar Kahn, and Naeem Sahoutara.
In April, President of the EWCAA Karachi Chapter, Kamal Siddiqi, hosted a lunch for office bearers and members on April 4, 2018, at a local club. The Chapter addressed, among other things, a plan to work towards updating the membership list so that a new drive can be launched in July to contact new and old members of the association. Kamal Siddiqi also informed those present that after the membership drive, elections would be scheduled so that a new body of members could take over the affairs of the EWCAA Karachi chapter.
Secretary Ghazala Fasih informed that the chapter had given its nomination for the “Courageous Journalism Award. The Karachi Chapter discussed other issues including the nomination for distinguished alumni, the participation in the media summit in Singapore, and alumni summit in Seoul. Kamal Siddiqi, Aziz Husain, Amir Latif, Sabiha Essa, Secretary Ghazala Fasih and Hira Siddiqui attended the meeting.
Since the last report, there has been a dramatic change in the political situation in Korea. North Korea and the US summit meeting, which was unlikely to be feasible, has taken place. There is a big change in the political situation of Korea and its neighboring countries. We all have a belief that this atmosphere will gradually mature in a better direction. It is a delightful change ahead of the 2018 EWC Conference in Seoul.
In the meantime, we are doing a final check on various tasks from food served at the conference, media release to detail revisions in conference program and panel assignments. Through Chapter Leader Won Nyon Kim’s effort and participation of many alumni, donation subscriptions are progressing steadily. Myung Seok Park’s big-hearted donation is very encouraging. Gwang Doo Kim , Woo Taek Chung and Dong Soo Kim are also generous supporters of sponsorship to name but a few.
We were fortunate to be able to invite Suk Hyun Hong to 2018 Seoul Conference. Mr. Hong is the president of Joong Ang Holdings. He has published a book titled Peace Making in Korean Peninsula and is leading a group of the same name. As former Korean Ambassador to the US and representative journalist, his keynote speech will be an opportunity to have valuable perspective on contemporary society and civilization on the watershed.
It is now less than two months before the conference. Seoul Chapter and EWC are doing their best to make the 2018 Conference in Seoul meaningful and happy experience for all the participants.
From left to right: Ted Lee, Chief Coordinator of 2018 EWCA Conference; Won Nyon Kim, EWCA Korea Chapter Leader; Edward Shultz, EWCA President; Suk Hyun Hong, President of Joong Ang Holdings; Richard Vuylsteke, President of East West Center; Yoon Hyung Kim, Vice Chairman of Korea Forum for Progress; Photo taken 12 April 2018.
On 2 May 2018, the Singapore chapter received the pleasant news that Siva Gopal Thaiyalan had been selected as a recipient of the 2018 21st Century Outstanding Service Award from the East West Center Association. This award recognises East-West Center alumni whose initial involvement in an EWC program since 2000 has provided outstanding service to the community. Siva has served and taken a very active role in some community service initiatives both in and outside Singapore. He is currently studying for his doctoral degree at the University of Wellington in New Zealand. Congratulations have been conveyed to the happy family!
Singapore hosted this year‘s East West Center Media Conference, 24-26 June 2018. The conference offered a professional networking meeting for American, Asian, and Pacific Islander journalists to discuss the key issues in the region and common challenges and trends in the media.
Karen Knudsen, Chair of the EWC Board of Governors Richard Turbin, Rai Saint Chu, and Alice Seng at EWC Media Conference, Singapore, June 2018.
Glenn van Zutphen and Susan Kreifels at East West Center Media Conference.
The media conference held at the Singapore Management University, was a smashing success thanks to the outstanding organiser Susan Kreifels.
EWCA Chapter Leader Alice Seng and EWC President Richard Vuylsteke at EWC Media Conference, Singapore, June 2018.
Chapter leader Alice Seng, and alumni Basskaran Nair and Vijay Munusamy participated in the conference and met up with EWC friends from the 70s, including EWC President Richard Vuylsteke and Mike Anderson.
EWC Alumni Mike Anderson and Alice Seng at EWC Media Conference, Singapore, June 2018.
Our chapter met on May 5, 2018, with special guests, including our new EWC President Richard Vuylsteke and EWC Development Officer Gary Yoshida at the lovely home of Inge Kendall Maranto in LaVerne, California. We enjoyed a large gathering of over 25. We were very happy to share with the group that our chapter member, a physician who responds to disaster areas worldwide. Dr. Mona Khanna will be honored with the EWC – EWCA 21st Century Outstanding Service Award at the EWC International Conference in Seoul, Korea this August 2018. Also, our chapter received recognition for our 2017-chapter donations for EWC Scholarship and is gathering more contributions this year.
Under the fastidious planning and meticulous arrangement of Mr. Frank L. Hung, President of EWCA Taiwan Chapter, fifteen EWC alumni and family members joined and enjoyed a memorable cultural and educational tour to The Wufeng Lin Family Garden of the Gong Bao Di Park, as well as the Gaomei Wetland Habitat in central Taiwan on July 6, 2018. The distinctively organized tour was culturally rewarding and educationally significant due to the historical background of the unique historical Lin Family Garden. The subsequent guided tour to and observation of the Gaomei Wetland Habitat has prompted the EWC alumni to seriously consider proposing an ecosystem protection scheme to appeal to the government for an updated action plan for improvement. The one-day tour was concluded with a visit to Wufeng Farmers’ Association Winery, with complementary wine-tastings, emulating the style of Napa Valley wineries.
Constructed in 1828, the traditional Wufeng Lin Family Garden and Park inherited the architecture style of the Southern China where the ancestors of the Lin family came from. Due to the ubiquitous reputation and widespread contribution of EWC alumni in Taiwan, the EWCA visitors were offered complementary admission. Mr. Derek Lin, General Manager, personally served as a docent, guiding us to all historical buildings and establishments with detailed narration. Prior to serving as the general manager and CEO of the Wufeng Lin Family Garden and Park, Mr. Derek Lin had managed his multinational corporation in Thailand for thirty years.
EWCA Taiwan Chapter members visited the Wufeng Lin Family Garden of the Gong Bao Di Park in central Taiwan on July 6, 2018.
In a specially organized briefing for the visiting EWCA members, Derek Lin attributed the history of Wufeng Lin Family Garden and Park as “The Time Machine” enabling its visitors to visualize where the ancestors of the Taiwan people came from.
The guided tour to the Gaomei Wetland Habitat enabled the EWCA members to respond with grave concern about the existing governmental policies of environmental protections. A creative and practical model to be used for predicting the fate of the devastating Gaomei wetland habitats and elsewhere in Taiwan was immediately surfaced for proposing a pragmatic action plan to the government, focusing on ecological protection in a sustainable manner.
EWCA Taiwan Chapter members visited the Gaomei Wetland Habitat in central Taiwan on July 6, 2018.
With the enthusiastic feedback of the participating members of the EWCA Taiwan Chapter in the events of fieldwork nature, President Frank L. Hung promised to organize more culturally and educationally oriented tours in the foreseeable future.
The Gaomei Wetland Habitat and the adjacent wind farm.
The devastated Gaomei Wetland Habitat and the adjacent wind farm.

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