The East-West Center Association Blog

CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, EWCA
QUARTERLY REPORTS FOR EXECUTIVE  BOARD MEETING (7/21/2011) RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BY
ESTRELLA BESINGA SYBINSKY, VP FOR CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT

Aloha and mahalo to the 15 chapters that responded to the call for quarterly reports!  A big mahalo also to the chapters that enthusiastically embraced the alumni chapter collaboration suggestion and to their members, who contributed and will continue to generously support the EWC foundation’s endowment student scholarship fundraising goal in the near future.  Thank you for your very much appreciated gift.

The following Chapter Leaders reported on their chapter activities for this quarter:

1) APLP (Caitlin Wyndham), 2) Arizona (Michelle Marion), 3) ASDP (Jessica Sheetz-Nguyen), 4) Brisbane (Karen Nunan/Iraphne Childs), 5) Chennai (P. Subramaniyam), 6) Hawai’i (Carl Hefner), 7) Kansai (Seiko Furuhashi), 8_) Korea (Jeong Taik Lee), 9) Laos (Chanthavong Saignasith), 10) Malaysia (Gan Siowck Lee), 11) Myanmar (U Maung Maung), 12) Nepal (Nirendra Maske), 13) Singapore (Alice Seng-Seok Hoon), 14) Sri Lanka (G.B.A Fernando/W.A. Siriwardena), 15) Tokyo (Shigeo Tonoike).

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CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, EWCA
QUARTERLY REPORTS FOR EXECUTIVE  BOARD MEETING (4/21/2011) RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, ESTRELLA BESINGA SYBINSKY, VP for Chapters

Mahalo to all the chapters that responded to the call for quarterly reports. We received twelve reports from our chapters.

Mahalo also to those chapters that shared their views on the issue pertaining to 1) a cooperative Student Fundraising Permanent Endowment Fund Project for 2011 with all the chapters collectively participating and 2) to the Chapter proposal raised earlier that Chapter Reports be changed from the current quarterly to a twice a year reporting.

The following Chapter Leaders reported on their chapter activities:

1) Anthony Pennings (New York Chapter), 2) Caitlin Wyndham (APLP Chapter), 3) Michelle Marion (Arizona Chapter), 4) Karen Nunan/Iraphne Childs (Brisbane, Australia Chapter), 5) P. Subramaniyam (Chennai, India Chapter), 6) Carl Hefner (Hawaii Chapter), 7) Nageswara Rao (Hyderabad, India Chapter), 8.) Seiko Furuhashi (Kansai, Japan Chapter), 9) Chantavong Saignasith (Laos-Vientiane Chapter), 10) Jonathan Jacobs (Ontario, Canada Chapter), 11) Aziz Husain (Karachi, Pakistan Chapter), and 12) Seng Seok Hoon (Singapore Chapter).

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Marvin Uehara

Marvin Uehara was a participant of the 2009 – 2010 Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) at the East-West Center.  He has experience and education in tourism and development. Marvin is part of the Generation Nine of the APLP (also known as G9), where 21 countries are being represented.

My APLP Experience

by Marvin Uehara

I arrived in Honolulu in June 2009. I came here expecting to live the diversity of the East-West Center (EWC), study leadership in the Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP), and enjoy the splendid nature of Hawaii. Over the last five months, I have had lifetime experiences.

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Marvin Uehara, Laisa Roi, and Samuel Gorohouna are current participants of the 2009 – 2010 Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) at the East-West Center. Marvin, Laisa, and Samuel are part of the Generation Nine of the APLP (also known as G9), where 21 countries are being represented.

Reflections on China

by Marvin Uehara, Laisa Roi, and Samuel Gorohuana

A very common image in Beijing.

We recently shared our impressions about China after spending four days in Beijing. We were all surprised by the number of skyscrapers, by the cutting-edge infrastructure, and by the vibrance of this economy. To us, China will definitely be the next world economic superpower.

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Marvin Uehara

Marvin Uehara is a current participant of the 2009 – 2010 Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) at the East-West Center. He has experience and education in tourism and development. Marvin is part of the Generation Nine of the APLP (also known as G9), where 21 countries are being represented.

Okinawa

by Marvin Uehara

Halfway between Kyushu – Japan’s main island – and Taiwan, Okinawa is the most populated island of the Ryukyu Archipelago. There are around 1 million and 300 thousand people living in Okinawa and 700 thousand in Naha, the capital.

Okinawa’s history is peculiar. Due to its geography Okinawa became an important trade center for the Japanese, the Chinese, and many other South-East peoples. It was a kingdom until 1879, the year that marks the creation of Okinawa Prefecture by the Japanese. After the Second World War, Okinawa went under the United States administration for 27 years. In 1972, the Ryukyu Islands were returned to Japan. There is still, nevertheless, a large US military presence in Okinawa owing to its strategic position in the Asia-Pacific region.

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Lopen Dawa Gyeltshen (L) and Lopen Gembo Dorji (R)

Source: Bhutan Broadcasting Service

Good news from Bhutan.

On August 7th, 2009 His Holiness the Je Khenpo appointed Lopen Gembo Dorji (APLP 04-05) from Gangtey in Wangduephodrang as the new Secretary General of the Central Monastic Body.The EWCA would like to congratulate Lopen Gembo Dorji in his appointment.

Gembo will play a key role in the administration and management of the Central Monastic Body and the regional monastic centers all over Bhutan. As Secretary General of the Central Monastic Body, Gembo becomes the key decision maker in shaping the future direction and advancement of the 400 year old Monastic Institution.

His promotion includes the conferring of the Totsi Jim Dhar, which now makes him equivalent to the members of the Honorable Secretaries of the Bhutanese Cabinet Ministries. Currently, Gembo is putting together his team of managers and administrators for the Central Monastic Body.

After completing his diploma in Japanese Language and culture from Reitaku University in Japan, Gembo attended the Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) at the East-West Center in Hawaii during 2004 and 2005. The vision of the APLP is to create a network of action, focused on building a peaceful, prosperous and just Asia Pacific community. On completing the program, participants understand key trends which will affect the region in the future, what types of leadership these trends require, and how they fit within these shifting contexts as individuals and community leaders.

Links:

• Learn more about the Asia Pacific Leadership Program
• How to apply to the Asia Pacific Leadership Program
• Get in touch with the EWCA APLP Alumni Chapter