Senator Daniel K. Inouye
United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye, World War II veteran, Medal of Honor recipient and Hawaii’s senior Senator, passed away from respiratory complications on December 17th at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He passed away peacefully with his wife and son beside him.
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Results of Alumni Survey – 1000 Applauds for the East-West Center
September 21, 2010
In conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the East-West Center, a current Graduate Degree Fellow, Chiara Logli (USA/Italy), has conducted an evaluation on the lasting impact of the EWC on former participants. Throughout the summer, an on-line questionnaire garnered 1005 responses (about 10 % response rate) across 57 countries, from alumni between 20 and 80 years of age, who reflected on the impact of the EWC on their lives.
Highlights of the findings include:
A number of results provided compelling evidence of the EWC impact:
Mahalo to the 1005 alumni who participated in the survey and shared many memorable anecdotes about the fifty years of history of the EWC!
Links:
EWC Alumnus Kazuyuki Matsumoto (ISI: 69-71, OEA: 08) attended the EWC/EWCA 2010 50th Anniversary International Conference during July 2-5, 2010. For Kazuyuki returning to Hawai’i to celebrate the EWC’s 50 Anniversary was such an amazing experience, that he decided to create a website to share his testimony as a participant in the Center’s 50 year history with the EWC community.
You can view Kazuyuki’s website at: http://members3.jcom.home.ne.jp/matka/
At the website you can find several photographs from Kazuyuki during the 2010 International Conference and a couple essays about his experience at the EWC throughout the years.
He would like to thank Norman Yoshida (ISI: 69-71) and Karen Nunan (ISI: 67-68, OG: 70-72) for their support and help in completing this website.
The East-West Center Oral History Project strives to capture the Center’s first 50 years as seen through the eyes of staff, alumni, and supporters who have contributed to its growth. The project selected interviewees who represent the Center’s diverse network over five decades and across the region and the institution itself. Presented on these pages are narratives, created from interview transcripts, that highlight the Center’s rich history of intellectual work, education, collaboration and friendship.
The list of interviewees includes Sumi Makey, Larry Smith, and Terry Bigalke. 37 of the over 50 oral history interviews are now up on the EWC website at: http://www.eastwestcenter.org/oralhistory. The project coordinators will try to post the remaining narratives by the end of 2010.
We hope you enjoy these interview narratives as we celebrate our 50th anniversary.
The EWC/EWCA 50th Anniversary International Conference concluded with the biennial alumni conference’s traditional Aloha Dinner and alumni talent show. The dinner capped a four-day conference and reunion that brought together more than 800 EWC alumni and friends from 35 countries.
On Friday, participants were welcomed by an opening ceremony of taiko drumming, hula dance and welcome addresses from Center and Hawai‘i officials, before boarding buses for a joyful homecoming afternoon at the EWC campus.
Maya Soetoro-Ng, daughter of two EWC grantees and currently an education specialist at the Center, conveyed a message of welcome from her brother, President Barack Obama. “My brother is grateful to all of you for your important contribution over the last 50 years in building bridges and working collaboratively throughout the countries of the Asia Pacific region,” she said. “He thanks you for all the grassroots diplomacy you do so well, and that makes his job much easier.”
EWC Board of Governors Chairman Puongpun Sananikone, himself a Center alumnus from the 1960s, called the conference “a great homecoming for the worldwide EWC ‘ohana (family).” He said that “as alumni, we have a responsibility to tell the East-West Center story and share its legacy with the world.”
Center President Charles E. Morrison said that a solid foundation has been laid by the “open book” of the EWC’s half-century of history. “Gazing toward the future of enhanced needs in U.S.-Asia-Pacific research, education, and exchange,” he said, “a challenging but rewarding agenda lies ahead. We have, we can, and we will make a difference.”
Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann said the city and its people are “eternally grateful for the East-West Center and all that you do.” Hawai‘i governor Linda Lingle called the Center “an essential institution of our world going forward” and a integral part of bringing the APEC summit meeting to Honolulu in November 2011.
Over the next the next three days, the conference featured more than 50 expert discussion panels on a range of key regional issues, including climate change, U.S. foreign policy, education issues, governance challenges and more.
Participants, many of whom had not seen each other or returned to Hawai‘i since they were students at the Center, also enjoyed a variety of social festivities, including the EWC homecoming open house; a dinner honoring Hawai‘i Senator Daniel K. Inouye with the East-West Center Association’s Makana Award; a luncheon recognizing distinguished alumni and exceptional volunteers and alumni chapters; an Independence Day reception with the Royal Hawaiian Band and the Aloha Dinner.
At the final dinner, the alumni association presented a special tribute to EWC Alumni Officer Gordon Ring, who has served the Center in a variety of capacities since he first arrived as a student in 1963.
EWC President, Charles E. Morrison’s Address
EWC Board of Governors Chair, Puongpun Sananikone’s Address
Special Publication – “East-West Center: Fifty Years, Fifty Stories”
Congratulations!!
Grand Prize Winners of the
EWCA Email Update Drive drawing:
One round trip ticket to the 2010 Conference:
Dr. Victor Yano (OG 71-74) – Palau
One free 2010 Conference registration:
Mr. Stanley Robert Munro (ISI 61-64) – Canada
These winning East-West Center Association (EWCA) members updated their contact information with the EWCA and as a result were entered in the EWCA Email Update Drive drawing!
Also, every month from July to December 2009, 3 EWC alumni were selected to for a Amazon.com gift certificate. Each winner received a gift card code via e-mail that they could use to redeem for items of their choosing at Amazon.com.
Links:
EWC/EWCA 50th Anniversary International Conference
Mark your calendars now for July 2-5, 2010!
In 2010, the East-West Center will mark 50 years of working to promote understanding and cooperation in the Asia Pacific region, including the United States. This golden anniversary year is an opportunity both to celebrate the accomplishments of the Center’s first 50 years and to look forward to addressing the needs and challenges of the Asia Pacific community today and in the years to come.
Over 500 alumni and associates have registered already and we expect close to 1,000 to visit the East-West Center this July 2010. See who is coming to Hawaii this July 2010.
Among the invited guests are Senator Daniel Inouye, Governor Linda Lingle, Rajendra Kumar Pachauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which received the Nobel Peace Prize, and China’s Vice-Minister of Education Hao Ping. View the full list of invited speakers.
The Hawai`i Convention Center combines the modern requirements of a state-of-the-art meeting facility with the beauty, comfort and culture that are uniquely Hawai`i. The site for the Center was selected for its close proximity to 10,000 committable hotel rooms. A limited amount of rooms are available at the EWC housing facilities, University of Hawai`i at Manoa, and various hotels in Waikiki and Ala Moana area, which are listed at the conference website.
The registration fees go up on May 1, 2010. Registration will include some meals and all program sessions including conference materials. Here’s the schedule of registration fees:
Regular Registration – Until April 30, 2010
Late Registration – May 1, 2010 thrugh on-site registration
There are several, easy ways to register at the 50th Anniversary International Conference website.
The 2010 Asian Studies Development Program (ASDP) National Conference will be held in Honolulu this year on June 29th, 30th, and July 1st.
The University of Hawaii Kapiolani is host this year with Joseph Overton serving as the local arrangements chair. Further assistance is being provided by the ASDP staff at the East-West Center.
Forms and information may be found at the Asian Studies Development Program website.
A message from Riana (Helen) Agnesia, current Board President of the East-West Center Participants Association (EWCPA):
Dear Alumni of EWC,
First of all I would like to thank you for your faithful support for EWC participants. They are all greatly appreciated, especially for us international students who are on our journey to encompass our future. Your efforts to give guidance through mentor-mentee program really make us feel more confident in anchoring our feet in a brighter future.
I am sending this message in regards to the upcoming EWCPA’s event “Jhankar” that will be held this coming Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at the UH Art Auditorium Building at 5:00-7:00 p.m.
As Huy, the EWCPA representative, might have mentioned that EWCPA is trying to publish a new International Cookbook. We are targeting to have this edition for East-West Center 50th anniversary. Right now we’re still in the process of collecting the recipes to add to the variety of the cuisines and countries represented in the cookbook. Therefore, it will be really great if we are privileged to have one or two recipes from the Alumni of EWC and put it in our International Cookbook.
In addition, in order to self-finance this project, we are going to present “Jhankar” a combined international cultural event between EWCPA, Milun and Lovers of South Asian Cultures of the University of Hawaii. Eighty percent (80%) of the income, both from tickets selling and donations, will be channeled to support the publication of our International cookbook.
We are hoping that the tickets will be sold-out so we can share the International treasures that are within EWCPA and get significant amount of fund to do our International Cookbook. Right now we are trying our best to sell the tickets for the event. Having that said, we are attaching the flyer to the “Jhankar” event for your information. We do hope to see you at the event sharing the afternoon, joy, fun and good will with all of you … oh mint tea too
.
Regards,
Riana (Helen) Agnesia
EWCPA board 2009-2010
Here’s a flyer of the Jhankar event from the EWCPA:
Links:
East-West Center alumni are invited to submit one “signature work” –a book, a DVD, etc. — for display at the 2010 EWC/EWCA 50th Anniversary International Conference.
Only one submission will be accepted per EWC alum. The term “signature” is used to mean that this single “signature work” is the best example of the professional work from its author.
Each submission should be accompanied by a one-page fact sheet on the submission, including title, medium, publisher/distributor (including the author, if applicable), and contact information for ordering or more information.
Submitted works will be prominently displayed during the conference. After the conference they will be donated to the UH’s Hamilton Library and the EWC’s library (no works will be returned).
Works should be mailed to:
Elisa Johnston
Publications Manager
Attn: Signature Works
1601 East-West Road, # 2072
Honolulu, Hawaii 96848-1601
Works must be received by June 15 to be eligible for display.
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Links
The East-West Center Association Blog 
