East-West Center to Celebrate 50th Anniversary in 2010

• 

Then-Vice President Johnson & future Hawaii Governor Burns at groundbreaking of the East-West Center

More than 55,000 people have participated in East-West Center programs in the last 50 years, and many of them have gone on to positively impact their communities, their countries, and the world

Honolulu (Vocus) September 15, 2009

In 1960, the East-West Center was founded by the U.S. Congress in Honolulu, Hawaii, as one of the first higher-education institutions in America to focus on issues in the Asia Pacific region. The mission set out for the Center was to contribute to a peaceful, prosperous and just Asia Pacific community by serving as a vigorous hub for cooperative research, education and dialog on critical issues in the region.

Over the course of the half-century since then, Asia and the Pacific have grown into a new era of global importance, and the East-West Center has matured into an influential nexus of collaboration, expertise and leadership with far-reaching impacts in the region.

"More than 55,000 people have participated in East-West Center programs in the last 50 years, and many of them have gone on to positively impact their communities, their countries, and the world," said EWC President Charles E. Morrison. "As Asia Pacific societies change and historic forces of globalization intensify relationships in the region, we believe the East-West Center's mission of strengthening relations and understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacific, and the United States has become more vital than ever."

In commemoration of its 50th year, the East-West Center will be holding a variety of special events in 2010, including:

•     A gala dinner in Honolulu in January
•     An international media conference in Hong Kong in April
•     An international alumni gathering and conference in Hawaii in July, and
•     A South Asia regional dialog for journalists (with a public affairs component for non-journalists) scheduled for November 2010 in New Delhi.

For more information on the East-West Center's history, programs and 50th anniversary events, please visit the Center's website at http://www.EastWestCenter.org

The EAST-WEST CENTER is an education and research organization established by the U.S. Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations and understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacific, and the United States. The Center contributes to a peaceful, prosperous and just Asia Pacific community by serving as a vigorous hub for cooperative research, education and dialogue on critical issues of common concern to the Asia Pacific region and the United States. Funding for the Center comes from the U.S. government, with additional support provided by private agencies, individuals, foundations, corporations and the governments of the region.

Click here for links to all East-West Center media programs, fellowships and services.

Connect with the East-West Center on Facebook.

Media Contacts:
Derek Ferrar
Media Relations Specialist
Phone: +1 (808) 944-7204

Caroline Witherspoon or
Jocelyn Collado
Becker Communications, Inc.
Phone: +1 (808) 533-4165

# # #

PDF Print