East-West Center Association (EWCA) alumni from the Washington, D.C. area chapter are reaching out to all past and present grantees, fellows, and participant members of the  EWCA. Let us all celebrate and honor the 50th anniversary of the East-West Center with our notable human-interest cross-cultural stories.

Project Background

The finest legacy that the East West Center has endowed to grantees and participants from all over Asia, the Pacific and the United States is an excellent higher education.  On its’ 50th Anniversary, we are thankful for the highly stimulating and academically challenging platform that has opened doors and opportunities for us, alumni of the East West Center.

Beyond the formal reputation of the East West Center as an institution of higher learning, the multicultural climate and the atmosphere of diverse nationalities living together within the primary confines of Hale Kuahini and Hale Manoa have provided for all professional participants rich experiences and lasting memories.  Different cultures and their particular national perceptions, coinciding and interacting within the same situation and location, provide a wealth of opportunities that enhance the human spirit and encourage the search for cooperative and communal solutions.

Cross Cultural Storytelling:  The Lighter Side of the East West Center hopes to be a repository of notable East West Center impressions.  When different cultures meet, poignant, humorous, and uplifting experiences create treasured memory recalls that last, and are quite simply, unforgettable.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

1. The overall theme of this initiative is to celebrate and share lighter, unforgettable or comical moments that alumni and associates experienced while at the EWC.
2. Your story should relate to the theme of cross-cultural interaction; while you were a fellow, grantee or participant at the EWC.
3. Please do not include contents that might be seen as improper, prejudicial or discriminatory to the EWC institution or fellow participants of the EWC.
4. Your submission will be edited for proper identification, compatibility with the overall purpose of the EWCA Blog and presented guidelines.  Anonymous submissions will not be accepted.
5. Editing of your story will be processed by the EWCA Blog admin and by former EWC grantees, Peter Sybinsky, Estrella Besinga Sybinsky and former APLP fellow, Andrea Sybinsky(all  members of the EWCA Washington, D.C. area chapter).
6. Submissions must include the following information:
   • Name
   • Field or area of study (e.g. Open Grants / Political Science)
   • Year(s) at EWC
   • Country of Origin
   • Current Country of Residence (if different from origin)
   • Short Bio (optional)
7. Please submit your stories to the EWCA Blog Admin in Word format or in the body of an e-mail at davilad@eastwestcenter.org. Include the subject “Cross-Cultural Storytelling”.
8. A sample story will be published on Tuesday March 30th, 2010.
9. One story will be published per week here at the EWCA Blog.
10. You can follow all published stories with this link:
    • http://www.eastwestcenter.org/go.php?50