Though you may be unable to attend these events, take a moment to research some of these topics of Asian interest.
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Business Programs
Shaolin Business Executive: A Modern Day Warrior With an Ancient Art
December 5, 2007
What do most emperors and generals of ancient China and some modern day business executives have in common? Besides having some of the most demanding jobs they also all practice the art of Shaolin Chi Kung, an ancient art of developing one’s vital energy. Please join us as the world-renowned Shaolin Grandmaster Wong Kiew Kit (awarded Chi Kung Master of the Year” at the World Chi Kung Congress in San Francisco in 1997) shares with us the amazing benefits of Chi Kung in today’s fast-paced business and corporate world.
Asia: The Next Powerhouse for Renewable Energy?
December 7, 2007 Volatile fuel costs, energy security, scarce commodities, increased focus on climate change, and intense demand growth particularly in China and India are driving the need to look beyond coal and fossil fuel and harness the power of renewable energy sources. Consumers have begun to question why they don’t have more control over their personal energy experience the act of consuming power plus the satisfaction of cost, environmental, availability, and other goals that are implicit in the transaction. Evidence of this shift can be seen in the U.S. and in Asia, where individual customers and savvy companies are deploying new and cleaner generating technologies in the first steps of what could grow to be a mass movement off the grid. The spirit of consumer empowerment that the Digital Age has brought to consumers in other industries, such as media and communications, is migrating irreversibly to the power industry. How is Asia leading the way?
Business Writers Series with Jim Rogers
A Bull in China: Investing Profitably in the World’s Greatest Market
December 13, 2007
Legendary investor Jim Rogers explains how to cash in on the world’s most exciting market. The Quantum Fund co-founder and bestselling author of Hot Commodities and Adventure Capitalist provides tips for taking advantage of China’s markets and analysis of the ways in which China’s growth will affect global markets and economies. Rogers will be joined by Henny Sender, international financial correspondent at the Financial Times, in an informal discussion. For anyone looking to capitalize on the world’s fastest growing economy and market, this is an invaluable opportunity to hear from the man Time magazine calls the “Indiana Jones of finance.”
Policy Programs Korea and Its Neighbors: Securing Regional Stability
December 6, 2007
Half-day conference (8am-2pm)2007 was a year of much activity on the peninsula. In early-February the six-party talks resulted in an agreement to de-nuclearize the Korean Peninsula. In October, the Presidents of the two Koreas met for the first time at the second inter-Korean Summit. In addition, South Korea has elections on the horizon, which have the potential to change the political landscape at home and abroad. Please join us for a discussion of these and other pressing issues.Keynote Speakers:His Excellency Lee Tae-sik, Ambassador of Korea to the United StatesAlex Arvizu, Deputy Assistant Secretary, East Asian and Pacific Affairs, United States Department of State (invited)
Session I: After the Summit: Toward Reconciliation?
Charles Armstrong, Professor of History, Columbia University Victor Cha, Professor of International Relations, Georgetown University (invited) Jonathan Park, Director, Korea Working Group, USIPL. Gordon Flake, Executive Director, The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation (moderator)
Session II: Korea at a Crossroads: Domestic Leadership and Regional Stability
Haeran Lim, Visiting Fellow, The Brookings InstitutionScott Snyder, Senior Associate, International Relations, The Asia FoundationJ.J. Suh, Associate Professor and Director of the Korea Studies Program, SAIS, Johns Hopkins UniversityCharles Pritchard, President, Korea Economic Institute (moderator) (invited)
Asian Social Issues Programs (ASIP)
Book discussion: Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies
December 17, 2007
Barbara Slavin, author of Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S., and the Twisted Path to Confrontation will speak about her book.
Cultural Programs
Frank Ames: From Mughal Whimsicality to Sikh Flamboyancy: The Kashmir Shawl Style
December 6, 2007
Hear from textile and oriental carpet expert Frank Ames, a specialist in the Kashmir shawl for the past 30 years. His book “The Kashmir Shawl and its Indo-French Influence” has become the standard reference work on the subject. Ames is co-author of the exhibition catalogue “The Arts of Kashmir” and an exhibition advisor. Books available at AsiaStore and www.AsiaStore.org.
Film: Secret Sunshine (Miryang)
December 19, 2007
The latest feature film from South Korean director Lee Chang-dong, (Green Fish, Peppermint Candy, and Oasis) is a compelling contemporary drama. Lee Shin-ae (Jeon Do-yeon) a young widow leaves Seoul with her young son, Jun (Seon Jeong-yeob), to make a new life in the small town of Miryang (literally meaning “Secret Sunshine”). As she tries to come to terms with life in her husband’s hometown, another tragic event takes over and the film veers into suspenseful mystery. Jeon Do-yeon won Best Actress at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, only the second Asian actress to receive this honor. Director Lee Chang-dong previously served as Minister of Culture and Tourism in 2003-4. His previous credits include a Special Director’s Award at the Venice Film Festival and Best Film nominations in Venice and at The Independent Spirit Awards. Followed by discussion with director Lee Chang-dong and Richard Pena, Film Society of Lincoln Center, moderated by Helen Hyung-In Koh, Asia Society, and a reception.
