East-West Center promotes exchange of values, thoughts

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta ,  Thu, 11/13/2008

For almost 50 years, the East-West Center in Hawaii and Washington, D.C., has worked on better understanding in the sometimes touchy relationship between Asia Pacific and the United States.

With more than 55,000 alumni worldwide and 600 partner organizations, it was established in 1960 by a U.S. Congress that wanted to make the Center a hub for cooperative research, education and dialogue on critical issues concerning the two regions.

Alumni, who were selected on a competitive basis for fellowships and scholarships every year, will gather in Bali from Nov. 13-15 for a conference on various issues.

The conference, themed "Building an Asia-Pacific Community: Unity in Diversity", features panels on key issues, including democracy and Islam, global warming, volunteerism, gender and sociocultural issues.

Indonesian alumni include scholars, policymakers, journalists, business professionals and activists.

The theme for fellowships vary; apart from attending discussions at the Center, American and non-American fellows travel to different regions.

The theme for 2006, for instance, was emerging infectious diseases, highlighting bird flu and tuberculosis, among others.

Some of the alumni say the Center has become a home where they find themselves engaged in global issues affecting people from different backgrounds from the cross-continent forum.

Amin Abdullah, a recipient of both a fellowship from the Center and a scholarship to study at the University of Hawaii, said he was able to observe up close how America's plural society survived as a nation amid globalization and differences in ideology.

Amin, who attended the class of 2003-2005, said this observation was more important than his master's degree in Asian studies at the university.

"Because Hawaii is a plural place, we had to interact with people from various backgrounds: not only with local Hawaiians but also with (non-Hawaiian) Japanese, Vietnamese and other Asian people," he said. "We were facilitated to introduce our own culture and beliefs to the others, and vice versa."

During his two-year stay in the aloha state, Amin said he had established a musical group that highlighted an instrument from his native Central Sulawesi, the kakula traditional percussion, which he said attracted people from different countries.

"We are exposed to many different values and thoughts and start to see how all those differences are beautiful and complement each other. Hawaii is not a place where we come and think about having to lose our own identity to a stronger local culture. We are intrigued to showcase our authenticity as everyone here agrees that no culture is better or worse than any other."

After graduating, Amin became division head for art affairs at the provincial office for culture and tourism.

"The condition of Central Sulawesi is pretty much like in Hawaii: a very mixed society," he said.

The Sulawesi native said that ever since coming back from the U.S., he had been influenced in the way he perceived the values of differences and multiculturalism, and put it into practice when he launched a program of education through art.

He said that on his return from Hawaii, he began teaching the children of the indigenous Wana tribe, an experience he said was the "most memorable" in his life.

He said he managed to bring the "jungle kids", most of whom do not speak Indonesian, to perform a folk play at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah theme park before they were invited to participate at a festival in Uzbekistan.

Irid Agoes, director of the Indonesian International Education Foundation (IIEF) and the Indonesian chapter of the East-West Center, said the center had granted scholarships and fellowships to some 2,572 students since the 1960s.

Irid took part in the East-West Center's intercultural studies program in the 1980s, staying for two months in Hawaii.

"The East-West Center facilitates the sharing and better understanding of different cultures and values between people from two continents, while also learning to pursue an academic degree at the same time," Irid said.

"And this is the strength that has made us gain prominence."