Third Annual General Meeting, Singapore, 27-29 August 2004
Participants at the Third Annual General MeetingThe Third Annual General Meeting of the ASEF University Alumni Network was held from 27-29 August 2004 at the Asia-Europe Foundation and the National Community Leadership Institute (NACLI) in Singapore. The purpose of this year's AGM was to evaluate the progress of ASEFUAN and to brainstorm on future activities. The meeting focussed specifically on strengthening ASEFUAN as an organisation. Workshops were conducted to provide a venue to discuss the management of the organisation as well as to encourage the development of and collaboration on projects for the coming year. Sixty-seven alumni (36 Asians and 31 Europeans) participated, representing 20 ASEM countries.
The annual general meeting also aims to keep members informed on key issues on the ASEM agenda. In relation to this, Dr Kumar Ramakrishna, a noted expert on terrorism at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies in Singapore, delivered a presentation on the "Dimensions of Terrorism". Young professionals, academics and AU alumni students were gathered to discuss these points. Further presentations on Online Journalism, Fundraising and Networking were designed to give members insights into the various practical aspects of running an organisation like ASEFUAN.
On a more practical level the AGM strived to create a better foundation for ongoing activities including Asia Europe Voices, Model ASEM and Culture Capsule. The editorial board of Asia Europe Voices, an online journal, which aims to catalyse a network of young scholars and researchers focussed on Asia-Europe relations, presented and officially launched the journal. We look forward to watching this project grow. A Model ASEM simulation of an Asia-Europe Meeting Summit took place from 25 to 26 August at the premises of the Asia-Europe Foundation. The overall objective of this meeting was to enhance the visibility of the ASEM process among students in the two regions. The project will be further developed over the coming year and plans are already being made for the next Model ASEM simulation.
A Culture Capsule exchange was also organised, where participants of the AGM facilitated an exchange between two high schools in Singapore and Luxembourg. They visited Catholic High Secondary School in Singapore and interacted with the local students and together with the high school students visited four main historic and cultural sites in Singapore. The students are putting together a box with cultural items and letters that will be sent to their counterparts in Luxembourg.
A new Executive Committee (EXCO) was elected on the last day of the meeting. Laurent Frideres (Luxembourg, AU2) and Kelvin Teo (Singapore, AU9) were elected President and Vice-President of the EXCO respectively. The ordinary members of the EXCO for 2004/05 are Silke Aumann (Germany, AU7), Helen Chin (Korea, AU7), Sarah Hempel (Denmark, AU9) and Emma Park (Korea, AU10). The new committee will build on the accomplishments of the previous two EXCOs and further develop the existing activities of the network. It also proposed the creation of an ASEFUAN Newsletter and a new more interactive website. The EXCO will look into developing mechanisms that would increase participation of members in future ASEFUAN activities.
Many of the participants stated that taking part in the meeting had been a unique experience. Many were also extremely positive about having been given the chance to meet alumni from other batches, as well as peers walking down similar paths in their professional/academic careers.