E X T E R N A L A F FA I R S | 37

Karen Knudsenis the directorof the Office ofExternal Affairs.

The Office of External Affairs

connects the resources and

research of the East-West Center

with the local, national, and

international community

through news media and

public information

services; briefings for

visiting officials; and

public affairs,

community relations,

and public programs.

This office also

comprises the Arts

Program, the EWC

Alumni Office, and EWC

program representatives in the

Asia Pacific region.

NEWS AND INFORMATION

The News and Information sectionserves as a liaison between the Centerand journalists worldwide. Mediacoverage of the East-West Centercontinued to reach new audiences in2006, enhancing the Center’s capacityto inform policymakers and thegeneral public on issues of importanceto the region. The Center and its staffwere cited by media sources in morethan 1,900 reports and op-eds, withover 745 hits in international mediaand 1,155 in U.S. coverage. These arti-cles appeared in 182 international, 201national, and 30 local (Hawai‘i) mediaoutlets. Wire services also ran storiesconcerning the Center and its staffreaching thousands of additional out-lets.

■ John Lewis is theMedia Relations Specialist.

■ Floren Elman-Singh is thePublic Information Specialist.

In 2006, the Center dramaticallyincreased its visibility worldwidewith a 63 percent surge in mediacoverage as compared with theprevious year, thus enabling theCenter’s research and regionalinsights to reach a wider audience.The Arts Program also expandedits outreach to the localcommunities in Hawai‘i witha record number of students

participating in its educationalactivities and presentations.

Supporting the local community,this year the East-West Center continuedto assist with initiatives of AlohaUnited Way and Hawai‘i Public Radio,and participated in charitable food andclothing drives for the Hawai‘i FoodBank and Child and Family Services.

East-WestCenter staff andstudents supportHawai‘i PublicRadio’s on-airtelethon as acommunity outreachactivity.

Visiting leaders,scholars, and journalists

regularly deliver publicpresentations at the EWC including:

(Top to bottom clockwise) Senior Journalists Seminarparticipants George Thomas (India), Muhammad Ayub (Pakistan)

and Najwa Shihab (Indonesia); the former deputy prime minister of Malaysia,Anwar Ibrahim; and the former prime minister of Bhutan, Lyonpo Jigmi Thinley.

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Public Programs

Integral to its educational outreacheffort, the East-West Center organizes

community forums and specialevents designed to increaseknowledge about issues affectingthe Asia Pacific region. Publicforums are held in collaborationwith institutions and organizationssuch as the Pacific and AsianAffairs Council, Japan-AmericaSociety of Hawai‘i, Pacific ForumCSIS, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority,

the University of Hawai‘i, Society ofProfessional Journalists, and variousethnic Chambers of Commerce. In2006, the East-West Center cospon-sored 22 highly visible public pro-grams including presentations by theIndian ambassador to the U.S.; theformer prime minister of Bhutan; theformer deputy prime minister ofMalaysia; the Australian ambassador tothe U.S.; and the vice chair of theNational Assembly of Vietnam’sForeign Affairs Committee.

Briefings

The EWC provided analysis ofregional issues to more than 150government officials, diplomats,journalists, and military officersthrough briefings and individualmeetings with Center staff. Briefingswere held for U.S. ambassadors to thePhilippines; Australia; Mongolia;Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islandsand Vanuatu; Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru,Tonga and Tuvalu; ambassadors to theUnited States representing India andAustralia; and numerous public affairsofficers and other embassy officials.Serving the local community, theEWC President, together withspecialists from the Research Program,delivered the annual Asia PacificOutlook briefing for Hawai‘i’s statelegislators.

2006 Publications:

EWC Annual Report 2005

Specialists on the Asia Pacific Region:East-West Center Media Guide2006-07

EWC Association fact sheet: anoverview of the activities, membership,student services, and fundraisingprovided by the alumni of theEast-West Center

EWC Observer: quarterly publicationfeaturing EWC news and events,recent publications, and EWCFoundation activities

Insights: a new forum for EWCstaff, seminar participants, visitingfellows, speakers, and degree fellowsto share thoughtful and reflectiveobservations on issues beyond theheadlines.

East-West Wire: emailed toapproximately 2,000 journalistsand other professionals worldwidefeaturing timely, topical reportscovering East-West Center news,commentary, analysis, and publicationson important regional issues

Coming Up: bi-monthly advisory onconferences, seminars, and new EWCpublications

The East-West Center conducts briefingsfor government officials, journalists,diplomats and others. Dennis Richardson,Australia’s ambassador to the U.S. (lowerleft), with Australian Consul General inHonolulu John Quinn (center), attend adiscussion at the EWC.

E X T E R N A L A F FA I R S | 39

PROGRAM REPRESENTATIVES

The East-West Center currently hasMemorandums of Understanding withorganizations in 10 countries orgeographic areas in the Asia Pacificregion including Hong Kong, India,

Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Nepal,the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, andVietnam. EWC program representativesprovide assistance to EWC staff andstudents with visa applications, makeCenter materials available to prospective

students, publicize in-country programs, andarrange meetings andspeaking engagementsby EWC visiting staff.

FRIENDS OFTHE EAST-WESTCENTER

Complementingthe Center’s outreach

effort is the community-basedorganization, theFriends of theEast-West Center, anon-profit volunteerorganization. Itcoordinates a host-family program forEWC students,administers theMary MorganHewitt Journalism

Endowment, provides volunteerassistance for special EWC events, andsponsors a popular community lectureseries. In 2006, the Friends co-sponsored two evening dialogueforums and 10 luncheon seminars withthe EWC.

ARTS PROGRAM

The East-West Center Arts Programincreases understanding of cultures andethnic groups from the Asia Pacificregion through exhibitions,performances, lecture-demonstrations,and hands-on workshops. In 2006,more than 20,000 adults and youthon O‘ahu experienced EWC’s artsprograms, and co-sponsorship enabledadditional neighbor island youth tolearn from visiting master artists andperformers. Outreach initiativestargeted ‘at-risk’ youth by conductingschool programs in economicallydisadvantaged neighborhoods andrural communities.

■ William Feltz is the coordinatorof the EWC Arts Program.

■ Michael Schuster is the curatorof the EWC Gallery.

“ The East-West Center’s ArtsProgram is an invaluableresource to teachers and students.It has introduced us to culturesotherwise left to anonymity. Thegreatest joy is to hear a parentsay that their child has taughtthem about a culture that theyhad never heard of!”PUANANI MILLS KA‘AI,PRINCIPAL OF MID-PACIFIC INSTITUTE(MIDDLE SCHOOL)

EWC President Charles E. Morrison with Indian Ambassador to the United StatesRonen Sen.

EWC Arts Program publicperformances featured traditionaldance and music from Uzbekistan(left); Japan (top); and Rapa Nui(right bottom).

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Performances

Shashmaqam, a traditional BukharianJewish ensemble from Central Asia,presented a sold-out concert and threelecture-demonstrations for schools, inconnection with the “EnduringThreads” EWC exhibition. This wasthe first time music from Uzbekistanwas performed in Hawai‘i.

Ballet Folklorico de Filipinas, anensemble of 26 dancers and musiciansdirected by (the late) Ramon Obusan,presented more than 30 public concertsand performance-demonstrations incelebration of the Centennial of thePhilippine immigration to Hawai‘i.

Japanese Court Music and Dance,gathered 40 musicians and dancersfrom seven countries for gagaku(Japanese traditional court music)performance-demonstrations. Threefeatured groups were the Japan GagakuSociety, the Cologne (Germany)Gagaku Ensemble, andthe Hawai‘i Gagaku Kenkyukai.

Masters of Indian Sitar Musicfeatured sitar masters Manilal and MitaNag, and tabla drummer Ananda GopalBandopadhyay in seven public concertsand performance-demonstrationsstatewide.

Pacific Panpipes: K.V.U. Panpipeand Dance Ensemble, comprising18 musicians and dancers from theSolomon Islands, performed throughoutHawai‘i, including at the Conferenceof the Society for Ethnomusicology.

Matato‘a, a music and dance ensemblefrom Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile),performed a fusion of traditional RapaNui music with Polynesian, Latino,reggae, and rock styles. This event,co-sponsored with the LeewardCommunity College Theatre, involvedHawai‘i public school students inhands-on learning.

Chinese Music Virtuosi, a renownedHong Kong-based sextet performingtraditional Chinese and contemporarymusic, drew more than 1,800 audiencemembers through EWC publicconcerts and school outreach.

(Top photo) EWC Arts Program Coordinator William Feltz (left) presented a Certificate ofCommendation from the Hawai‘i State Legislature to Philippines’ National Artist, (the late)Ramon Obusan (center). Obusan’s assistant, Jhordan Salonga Cruz (right), will carry onthe legacy. (Bottom photo) The Ballet Folklorico de Philippines, Obusan’s 30-memberensemble, performed throughout Hawai‘i during their EWC music and dance residency.

EWCA 2006 ALUMNI AWARDS

Distinguished Alumni Awards:■ Wally Chappell, Director of the Paul Taylor Dancers

in New York■ Ho Jin Kim, former Minister of Labor, Korea■ Nereus “Neric” Acosta, Philippine legislator and educator

Outstanding Volunteer Awards■ Ronnie Littlejohn, ASDP leader■ Masao and Fusako Baba, organized Tokyo Conference■ Dan Berman, EWCA Past President (five-year term)■ Fumio Teruya, EWCA Okinawa Chapter leader

Outstanding Chapter Awards■ EWCA Chennai, India Chapter■ EWCA APLP Chapter

E X T E R N A L A F FA I R S | 41

Exhibitions

Custom and Creativity: Arts of theUpland Philippines, held incelebration of the Centennial of thePhilippine immigration to Hawai‘i,highlighted the continuity of thetraditional arts of the peoples of theregion. Public forums and video oftraditional ceremonies, taken by EWCFilmmaker-in-Residence Joel ArthurTibaldo, supplemented the exhibition.

From Stage to Page: Kabuki throughWoodblock Prints featured Kabukitheatre-related 19th century Japanesewoodblock prints (part of a gift of 207museum-quality prints from theUtagawaha Monjinkai), together withkabuki costumes from the Universityof Hawai‘i Theatre Department.Crowds packed the EWC Gallery foreight related lecture-demonstrations.

Quiet Splendor: Yup‘ik EskimoCulture showcased masks, carvings,traditional clothing, photographs, andcontemporary art reflecting Yup‘ik life.Native Yup‘ik guest curator, ChunaMcIntyre, performed traditional dance,song, and storytelling for schoolgroups and the community.

Whimsical World: Toys Across Asiafeatured more than 300 traditionaltoys from China, Taiwan, Japan,Pakistan, Korea, Burma, Malaysia,Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand,Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka.

EAST-WEST CENTER ALUMNI

The East-West Center Association(EWCA) is an international networkof more than 50,000 professionals whohave participated in East-West Centerprograms. EWCA provides manyprograms and services for its membersdesigned to support the Center’smission to help build an Asia Pacificcommunity and to extend the outreachof the East-West Center.

■ Gordon Ring is theEWC alumni officer.

■ Larry Foster is the EWCA president.

■ Kok Kian Poh is theEWCA chairman.

EWCA International ConferenceOver 500 EWC alumni from 36countries and EWC Board of Governorsand staff gathered in Hanoi fromDecember 8-10 for the internationalconference devoted to “Building anAsia Pacific Community forSustainable Development.” Theparticipation of Vietnamese EWCalumni was supported by a $21,000grant from the Ford Foundation. Morethan 30 alumni chapters wererepresented at the Chapter Leaders’workshop preceding the conferencewhere they endorsed a new EWCAStrategic Plan. For more informationon the conference, see page 4.

“Changing Faces Women’s Leadership Program” alumnae from 15 countries gathered inThailand for a reunion and study tour.

For more information on the EWCA, visit:

www.EastWestCenter.org/alumni

➤

For more information on theEWC Arts Program, visit

www.EastWestCenter.org/arts

➤

Children orphanedby the 2005 earthquake readilyresponded to the IslamabadChapter’s outreach, which includeda program, gifts, and hugs for all.

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New ChaptersFour new alumni chapters wereofficially established in Islamabad andHyderabad, Pakistan; Shanghai; andArizona, bringing the number ofchapters in the EWCA network to 47.

Alumni Fund RaisingThe student scholarship endowmentdrive raised $266,000 from the 1960s’alumni and has since extended thedrive to the 1970s’ alumni, who havealready pledged over $114,000. Thefirst permanent named alumniendowment fund was established byPat Loui with a $50,000 endowmentthat will provide annual awards forAPLP students in the private sector.Ashok Kumar Malhotra has establisheda $25,000 endowment for studentswith outstanding academic records andinvolvement in community service.

EWCA Chapter HighlightsThe Chennai chapter presented gifts,donated by Jefferson Fellows from the2006 South Asia study tour, to acommunity affected by the 2004 Asiantsunami. Political leaders from allparties attended the presentation.

The Dhaka chapter initiated aproject to improve the Englishlanguage skills of underprivilegedgraduate students with potential foradvanced study abroad.

More than 250 people attendedthe 2006 Welcoming Picnic for newEWC students hosted by the Hawai‘ichapter and the EWC OrientationCommittee.

The newly established Islamabadchapter presented gifts and hosted adramatic presentation for orphanedchildren impacted by the 2005earthquake. They also co-sponsoredpublic programs on earthquake aware-ness and building safety in ruralPakistan and donated medicine toclinics for earthquake victims.

The Sri Lanka chapter, inconjunction with the EWC’s Schools-helping-Schools Program (AsiaPacificEd),

presented over $7,000 (U.S.) tofive tsunami-affected schools.

Student RelationsRelations between EWC alumni andcurrent participants were strengthenedas EWCA scholarships assisted 10students, and provided an additional10 travel grants for participationin professional conferences anddissertation research. More than140 students have participated inthe mentoring program, which linkscurrent students with alumni andprofessionals who can assist them infurthering their professional goals.

EWCA President Larry Foster (back row, second from left) with the 2006 EWCalumni scholarship recipients.

Members of the new Arizona(Grand Canyon) chapter convenetheir inaugural meeting.

EWC Alumnus Sombath Somphone,founder and executive director of theParticipatory Development TrainingCenter in Laos, receiving the prestigiousRamon Magsaysay Award forCommunity Leadership.