“Building A Better Asia: Future Leaders' Dialogue”
A Young Asian Leaders Retreat Program of the Nippon Foundation Group

2007-08 Theme
“BUILDING THE COMMON GOOD IN ASIA”
September 9-16, 2007 (Beijing, China)
TBA (Goa, India)

www.buildingabetterasia.com

The Nippon Foundation and its affiliates, such as the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and the Tokyo Foundation, have to date supported and implemented a variety of people exchange and human resources development projects. The almost 30,000 alumni of these projects therefore now represent a vast and diverse pool of talent that spans the globe. To build upon this outstanding record of private philanthropy the Nippon Foundation Group has started a process of harnessing this human energy of young Asians with follow-up activities that seeks to promote and deepen continuous interactions between and among the participants of these past projects.

In 2006 the Nippon Foundation and its affiliates initiated a new retreat program with the objective of bringing together a selected group of past beneficiaries from their people exchange and human resources development projects implemented in Asian countries, for the purpose of encouraging continuous interactions among those who were on the same projects, or by creating new links in enhancing relationships between those from different projects. This new initiative is called − “Building a Better Asia: Future Leaders’ Dialogue”. Its ultimate objective is to nurture future leaders for Asia from this vast and diverse pool of human resources so that they can contribute to the building of a better Asia in the future.

The first program was held in September 2006 in Peking University which was the host. Participants came from various countries in Asia and spent a week interacting with one another and were given opportunities to meet well-known scholars, political and business leaders who were invited to spend quality time with the participants. There were also out of the classroom activities. The 2006 theme was “Reconciliation Reconsidered” and focused on issues such as Development and Governance, Political Transition, Media, Innovation and Technology and Civil Society.

The lectures were aimed at deepening the participants’ knowledge of a set of emerging issues in Asia and to foster the art of leadership in solving problems. In addition, group work for the purpose of enhancing long-lasting relationships among the participants was encouraged.

Due to the good response and tremendous success of the first retreat in Peking University the promoters of this programme will organize two annual retreats for FY2007-08 one each in China and India. The retreat in China will be hosted by Peking University from 9-16 September 2007, and the retreat in India will be hosted by the International Centre, Goa at a later date. The theme for the 2007-08 retreats will be −“Building the Common Good in Asia” and will focus on issues such as Economic and Social Disparities, Promoting Social Security, Sustainable Development, Participatory Mobility, Capacity Building and Efficient Governance. (Please see page 5 for an elaboration of the theme for the retreat)

Applications are now invited for the Retreat at Peking University. The direct beneficiaries of projects implemented/supported by the organizations of The Nippon Foundation Group, such as The Nippon Foundation, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and the Tokyo Foundation in Asian countries are invited to submit their applications. A total of 25 participants will be selected.

The successful applicant will have the cost of his/her participation in the retreat (such as roundtrip airfare between country of residence to the venue, lodging and food in the retreat period, and other miscellaneous costs related to this retreat program) met by the organizer.

An Academic Committee comprising eminent scholars and professionals will process the applications and select the candidates. The organizers reserve the right to reject any application without giving any reasons. The Academic Committee has the sole discretion to extend an invitation to the successful applicant.

Final Note: The organizers have also provided a small grant for each of the retreat. Participants can apply on a competitive basis for projects on which they can work together. It is intended to provide continuous interaction among them and to work on their ideas.

The website www.buildingabetterasia.com is also a platform built by the first group for further cooperation and interaction among participants of the same and between groups of participants.

Details of application and procedures are shown below:

1) To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be a citizen or resident of an Asian country
• Be an alumni from a project supported/implemented by an organization of the Nippon Foundation Group, such as The Nippon Foundation, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and the Tokyo Foundation.
• Be between 30-40 years old
• Be fluent in English (the entire retreat program will be conducted in English)

2) Applicants must submit:

• Attached application form
• Letter of nomination from a project manager or a coordinator of projects supported / implemented by an organization of The Nippon Foundation Group, such as The Nippon Foundation, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, or the Tokyo Foundation
• Two letters of recommendation
• Curriculum Vitae
• A 250-words personal statement,
• A 250-words statement on leadership

These application documents must be submitted to the following email address: secretariat@buidlingabetterasia.com by June 30, 2007 at the latest. Successful applications will be notified by July 25th, 2007.
The Secretariat of the retreat program is presently located at:
Retreat Program on “Building a Better Asia: Futures’ Leader Dialogue,”
Information & Resource Center, Singapore
Telephone: +65-63125321
Fax: +65-63125302
Contact Person: Mary Kanniga
Email: secretariat@buildingabetterasia.com
Website: www.buildingabetterasia.com

“BUILDING A BETTER ASIA:
FUTURE LEADERS’ DIALOGUE”

2007-08 Theme
“BUILDING THE COMMON GOOD IN ASIA”
September 9-16, 2007 (Beijing, China)
www.buildingabetterasia.com
This has four key elements: shared prosperity, common security, ecological balance, and human security.

The first element is shared prosperity. Economic growth is critical to Asia’s security and well-being. But it must be shared. The region must ensure that no country and sub-region is left behind, or turns out to be a loser in globalization. The benefits of growth must be distributed evenly, both within and between nations. The task of eliminating poverty and depravation in all parts of Asia should be urgent.

The second is common security. This means reducing inter-state and regional conflicts through confidence-building measures, crisis-management, peacekeeping and peace-building mechanisms. A regional capacity for peacekeeping and peace building and humanitarian operations must be developed with the consent and active participation of all the countries.

The third element is ecological balance. Environment is truly the common heritage of mankind and the region. Environmental stress respects no national boundaries. Asia faces severe challenges to its environment. Rapid economic growth and rising energy consumption in Asia’s major economic players such as China and India could lead to competition for scarce resources and is a key factor in climate change. Large-scale deforestation in Indonesia and the haze resulting from forest fires are a threat to the entire region.

The fourth element is human security. Unlike state or national security, human security focuses on the safety and dignity of the individual. Human security includes freedom from fear as well as freedom from want. Ensuring human security requires protecting human rights through national and international action. Promotion of democracy also helps to improve conditions that affect human security. Ensuring human security requires reducing military competition, preventing a regional arms race, and devoting more resources to education and health.

Application Form