ALFP 2017 Public Forum

Seeking Our Commons in Asia:
How Can We Create Visions for the Future?

*This program has finished.

The Asia Leadership Fellow Program (ALFP) is a joint program of the International House of Japan and the Japan Foundation that seeks to create a close, personal and professional network of public intellectuals in Asia, who have demonstrated outstanding leadership ability and are deeply rooted in and committed to civil society beyond their respective backgrounds and professional arenas. Since its inception in 1996, the program has brought more than 130 fellows to Japan and contributed to the enhancement of intellectual dialogue and exchange among those who share the same concerns about the future of Asia and the world.

This year, the seven fellows listed below have engaged in dialogue among themselves, as well as with their counterparts in Japan under the theme “Seeking Our Commons in Asia: How Can We Create Visions for the Future?” Through collaborative activities and exchange of opinions, the fellows developed a deeper understanding of Asia and their neighboring countries and sought possibilities of finding or creating common ground on which Asian intellectuals can work together for a sustainable future for the region.

In this public forum, the fellows will share their thoughts on the current situation in their countries and issues they have been working on, such as the protection of cultural heritage in Pakistan, inequality and health issues among the youth in Indonesia, issues surrounding caste, gender and politics in India, the role of media as seen from China, environmental issues facing the ASEAN region, the current condition of higher education in Vietnam, and “hate speech” and human rights issues, along with the new perspectives and ideas they have developed through their two-month experience in Japan.

Date: Wednesday, November 1, 2017, 3:30-6:45 pm
Venue: Lecture Hall, International House of Japan (5-11-16 Roppongi, Minato-ku)
Coorganized by the International House of Japan and the Japan Foundation Asia Center
Moderator: Ogawa Reiko (Associate Professor, Chiba University)

Speakers:
● Hatano Ayako (Japan)
Visiting Scholar, U.S.-Asia Law Institute, New York University
“Hate Speech and Human Rights in a Globalized Society”

● Fazal Khaliq (Pakistan)
Reporter, Dawn Media Group / Cultural Activist
“Cultural Heritage Has the Power to Bind People in Harmony”

● Sudirman Nasir (Indonesia)
Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Faculty of Public Health, Hasanuddin University
“Health in the Context of Social Transitions in Asia—An Indonesian Perspective”

● Smita M. Patil (India)
Assistant Professor, School of Gender and Development Studies, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
“Caste and Gender Debates in India”

● Phan Thanh Duc (Vietnam)
Dean, Faculty of Management Information Systems, Banking Academy of Vietnam
“Changes in Higher Education: How We Create the Perspective of Our Future Together”

● Saroj Srisai (Thailand)
Head, Environment Division, ASEAN Secretariat
“Lessons Learned from Disaster Management in Southeast Asia”

● Wang Xin (China)
Deputy Director, Multimedia Center, Nanjing Daily
“Who Are the Japanese?”

Language: English / Japanese (with simultaneous interpretation)
Admission: Free (registration required)

For further information:
ALFP Secretariat
c/o Program Department
International House of Japan
5-11-16 Roppongi, Minato-ku Tokyo 106-0032 JAPAN
Tel: +81-3-3470-3211 Fax: +81-3470-3170
E-mail: program*i-house.or.jp (Please replace * with @)