Asia in the World: An example of the network at its best

The Singapore Eisenhower Fellowships Society and the Singapore Institute for International Affairs hosted Asia in the World, an international EF conference, June 26 to 29 in Singapore. Over 150 Fellows and spouses attended. Highlights included keynote speaker Dr. Tony Tan, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, sharing his insights on the growing importance of “soft power” in global relations, and Mr. Kishore Mahbubani, Singapore’s former ambassador to the United Nations, speaking on his belief that the United States has become disengaged from Asia. In an example of the EF network at its best, the engaged attendees often extended the scheduled plenary sessions in order to accommodate meaningful exchange on topics such as Asia’s global companies, culture and globalization, and Islam in Southeast Asia.

Read about Dr. Tan’s remarks and the session on business in the Straits Times.

Heading the Latin American Venture Capital Association

Howard Wallack ’89, USA, is now the executive director of the Latin American Venture Capital Association, a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to promoting the growth of the private equity and venture capital industry in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Dean of law school

Yasuharu Yoneda ’98, Japan, was appointed dean of the newly-opened Shinshu University Law School in Matsumoto, Nagano-ken, Japan in May. Yoneda, who had been working in the US, returned to Japan in early 2005 to help open the school, which is a three year graduate school similar to American law schools with a growing student body.

Vice president of community relations

CEO of Acibadem Health and Life Insurance

Ömer Karahan ’97, Turkey, has returned to Turkey and is now CEO of Acibadem Health and Life Insurance.

RTNC Fellows active in tsunami aid effort

Peter Skillern ’01, USA, announced that the Research Triangle Fellows of North Carolina (RTNC) have come together for “Project Lifeboat”, a successful recovery initiative in response to the tsunami of Southeast Asia. Through the collective contributions of the Triangle Fellows a fishing boat has been purchased in Thailand which will allow four families to earn incomes at higher levels than prior to the disaster. The Triangle Fellows’ contribution was made in the name of Eisenhower Fellowships to demonstrate the global connections that are at the core of the Eisenhower Fellowships mission.

Conference in Buenos Aires

The Fellows of Argentina announce that “Moving Ahead on Mutual Understanding” is the theme of the 2005 Jornadas Argentino Norteamericanas, to be held September 27-28, 2005, at Catholic University in Buenos Aires. This forum is organized by the Fellows through ICANA (Instituto Cultural Argentino Norteamericano) in conjunction with the Catholic University of Argentina and in cooperation with the Center for International Studies and EF. Argentine and North American speakers will focus on education, economic development, public opinion, and a common historical process. Ambassador Vincente Espeche Gil, Director, Argentine Foreign Affairs Ministry, will join with Ambassador Adrian Basora (former EF president), Ambassador Octavio Bordon, and Ambassador Lino Gutierrez in a special session on perceptions of history. An EF reunion for all Fellows attending the conference will follow the official forum sessions.

Sri Lankan Fellows launch website

The Eisenhower Fellowships Association of Sri Lanka has launched a new website dedicated to its members and activities. Visit the site to read about the regional conference for Fellows from India, Pakistan, & Sri Lanka, to be held in Colombo, February 23 to 25, 2006.

Conference in Turkey announced

The Eisenhower Fellows of Turkey, under the direction of alumni association head Yurdakul Yigitgüden ’92, Turkey, and conference chair Nezir Kirdar ’57, Iraq, will organize a regional conference on Europe and the Middle East in Istanbul, September 10 to 12, 2006, at the invitation of former President Demirel. The Turkish Fellows anticipate strong participation from Fellows from the 33 countries of Europe and the Middle East in which EF is present and welcomes Fellows from other countries who have an interest in joining.