Governor and Mrs. Ariyoshi with Rick Tsujimura, EWC Board of Governors' Chairman, at the EWC award banquet.The East-West Center honored the Honorable George R. Ariyoshi, former Governor of the State of Hawai'i, with the presentation of the Asia Pacific Community Building Award for his dedication to strengthening the bonds of understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacific, and the United States. The Award recognizes outstanding leaders whose vision and professional and personal accomplishments exemplify the mission of the East-West Center.

By Charles E. Morrison

(Note: This commentary originally appeared in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Sept. 12, 2012)

It may not compare to APEC or the G-20 for global economic weight, but for the Pacific island nations, the annual Pacific Islands Forum summit is the premier regional meeting. It brings together heads of the island nations (including Australia and New Zealand) with representatives of international organizations and “dialogue partners,” including the United States, China, Japan and many others. For the Cook Islands, with less than 15,000 residents, hosting last week’s PIF was a rare event made especially significant by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s unprecedented stop to attend the post-meeting partner dialogue ­– the highest level U.S. participation ever.

The East-West Center expresses its sadness over the passing of Emeritus Senior Fellow Meheroo Jussawalla following a long illness. After a very distinguished career in her native India, Meheroo joined the East-West Center’s Communications Institute in 1977 and was a pioneer in developing the field of information economic. After she formally retired, she remained active in East-West Center projects and activities.

USTL and USSP student fellows meet with Julia Findlay in the U.S. State Department’s Office of Academic Exchanges.

SUSI participants from Southeast Asia present their eco-solutions at the EWC.As part of the five-week SUSI institute (Study of the U.S. Institute for Student Leaders on Global Environmental Issues), the East-West Center recently hosted a showcase of student-generated solutions for local environmental problems. The ‘Gallery of Eco-solutions’ focused on four themes: sustainable agriculture and food security; waste management; watersheds; and climate change and energy.

On April 29, the Government of Japan conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays on EWC Adjunct Project Specialist Robert Toshio Nakasone in recognition of his contributions to the promotion of friendly relations and mutual understanding between Japan and the United States.

EWC Obuchi Project Specialist Robert NakasoneNakasone founded the Hawaii Uchinanchu Business Group in 1993, and later went on to establish the Worldwide Uchinanchu Business Association in 1997, expanding the network to 22 chapters around the world.  In doing so, he successfully brought together global entrepreneurs and small Okinawan-ancestry business owners, promoting not only U.S.-Japan exchanges but exchanges worldwide.

The East-West Center community has been saddened to learn that former EWC President Everett “Ets” Kleinjans passed away on April 30 at a care home in Michigan.

A linguist who taught in China and Japan before joining the Center in 1967 as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Kleinjans then became EWC’s Chancellor from 1968 to 1974. After helping to guide the Center through independent incorporation, he became its first President in 1975, serving until 1980. Subsequently, he taught at Hawai’i Pacific University and worked for a number of years in Cambodia before returning to his home town of Holland, Michigan.

As part of his recent visit to Hawai’i, the Dalai Lama participated in an April 15 panel discussion with Native Hawaiian cultural leaders Nainoa Thompson and Pualani Kanahele at EWC’s Hawai’i Imin International Conference Center. The private event was organized by the Hawai’i Community Foundation through a grant from the Omidyar Ohana Fund.
Photo: PillarsofPeaceHawaii.org.

The East-West Center joins many in the international relations community in mourning the April 15 passing of EWC Board of Governors member Tadashi Yamamoto, a strong advocate of the development of a vibrant, internationalized civil society in Japan and of deepened Japanese ties with other countries.

EWC President Charles E. Morrison (center) and EWC Foundation VP Mangmang Brown with Island Pacific Energy President Joseph Saturnia and members of the EWC Sustainability Task Force.

Lee Howell of the World Economic Forum presents the keynote address at the International Graduate Student Conference.IGSC co-chairs Apinya Jantunyarux & Asmatullah Junejo (center) with presenter Lee Howell and EWC directors and board members.

The EWC’s AsiaPacificEd Program for Schools launched the AsiaPacificEd Crossings Website and educational initiative. This online resource, established just prior to the APEC Summit in Honolulu, has already enabled more than 1,400 K-12 students and educators from 48 schools in eight APEC economies (Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and United States) to explore and connect with the Asia Pacific region. 

By M. Osman Siddique
Member, EWC Board of Governors 

Note: This commentary originally appeared in Singapore's Straits Times on Dec. 23, 2011.

As President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently observed, a major focus of American attention in the coming decades will be to expand and deepen American relationships with the Asia-Pacific region. Approximately 40 per cent of America’s export earnings are generated in Asia, and the region is poised to be the United States’ fastest growing market. The economic growth in Asia is shifting the overall architecture of the global economy – and the U.S. must play a decisive role in shaping Asia’s direction and significantly increase America’s participation in this new global economy.

The East-West Center community was saddened to learn of the sudden death on Nov. 29 of Adjunct Senior Fellow Jon Van Dyke, a University of Hawaii law professor and longtime associate of the Center. He was a leading authority on constitutional, international and maritime law, as well as indigenous and environmental issues. Recently, he participated in an EWC-organized meeting of supreme court justices from ASEAN countries.

Our thoughts and deepest condolences go to Jon’s wife Sherry, his family and his many friends, students and colleagues. The University of Hawaii’s William S. Richardson School of Law has created a tribute page, where those who wish to do so may share their condolences and memories.

As the leaders of 21 economies gathered in Honolulu to take part in APEC meetings and activities, the East-West Center ramped up into high gear.  The EWC hosted three public speeches by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang, and Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak (click link to view video/transcript) and cosponsored a business symposium.Secretary Clinton p

HONOLULU (Nov. 4, 2011) -- EWC President Charles E. Morrison participated today in a videoconference with about 80 students and teachers at Scarsdale High School in New York, focusing on issues related to the APEC Leaders Meetings in Honolulu next week. Also participating in the discussion was Robert Koepcke, Deputy Director of the U.S. State Department's Bureau for East Asia and Pacific Affairs.

Video of the discussion will be posted soon as part of the launch of a new online school exchange program called "Open Channels," which will connect more than 60 schools in the U.S., Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and elsewhere.

Maya Soetoro-Ng, daughter of Ann Dunham, shares insights about her mother's handicraft collection.The mother of President Barack Obama, EWC alumna S. Ann Dunham (1942-1995), is recognized in her own right for her outstanding work in anthropology, which focused on the small craft industries in Indonesian villages. “This exhibit shows how much she really valued the labor of the people,” noted EWC Curator Michael Schuster.

By Charles E. Morrison

(Note: This commentary first appeared in The Honolulu Advertiser on July 31, 2011.)

The East-West Center is a Hawai‘i-based, federally-supported institution, long a key part of U.S. outreach to the countries of the Asia and the Pacific and a fixture in Honolulu.

When a House committee recently voted to eliminate the 1960 authorizing legislation for the Center, friends and alumni were alarmed, even though few observers believe the bill has any likelihood of becoming law.

HONOLULU (June 26, 2011) -- The United States and China held their inaugural round of U.S.-China Asia-Pacific Consultations at the East-West Center on Saturday, June 26, with delegations headed by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt M. Campbell and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai. The consultations are an outcome of the third U.S.-China strategic and economic dialogue that was convened in May.

HONOLULU (April 11, 2011) -- Participants in the East-West Center’s inaugural Pakistan-U.S. Journalists Exchange began their fellowship in Honolulu last week with lively discussions on the complex U.S.-Pakistan relationship and issues facing the media in both countries. Over the weekend, the Pakistani participants left for their tour to Washington, D.C., New York City, and Columbia, Missouri, while the Americans departed for Islamabad and Lahore, Pakistan. Follow the East-West Center’s Facebook and Twitter accounts for posts and news articles from the participants.