2016 Programs
Special Events & Programs
"Let's Read!" Asia Digital Library Expands to Mongolia
The Asia Foundation's Books for Asia Program; Mongolia's Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science; and Library For All kicked off "Let's Read! Mongolia," a children's digital library that will deliver an entire library of stories into the hands of underprivileged students. The signing event took place in Ulaanbaatar on January 28 attended by Mongolia's Minster of Education and other members of Parliament. Among the sponsors of the project, Booyoung Corporation supported the purchase of tablet computers and app development.
Since 1954, Books for Asia has donated print books to thousands of educational institutions in 21 Asian countries each year. The "Let's Read" project was first successfully launched in Cambodia in November 2015 thanks to a number of early supporters, including Air Busan, who purchased tablet computers for the project.
The Asia Foundation Observes April Korean Elections
Tim Meisburger, The Asia Foundation's Regional Director for Elections and Political Processes, participated in the April Korea Election Visitors Program, co-sponsored by the Korean National Election Commission (NEC) and Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB). The program featured detailed demonstrations of polling and counting processes, an observation program for Korea's 20th national elections, and a session on campaign financing.
In an article published in the Foundation's blog In Asia, Mr. Meisburger stated, "What we liked most about the process was that the National Election Commission was able to seamlessly integrate the technological aspect of the process with a human element so that the process was very transparent and credible, as credible as a manual process because party agents and others were able to observe all aspects of the process even though it was automated." Please click on the following link for the full article (link here) covering Mr. Meisburger's visit.
Korean Nieman Fellows Reunion
Eight Korean alumni of the Harvard Nieman Fellowship program gathered on May 21, 2016 to share experiences and update each other on activities since participating in the program. Nieman's Deputy Curator James Geary and presidents of the two local sponsoring organizations, Mr. Han Jong-woo (Sungkok Journalism Foundation) and Mr. Min Sunshik (YBM, Inc), also joined the event.
The Asia Foundation and KOICA Open New Women's Business Center and Incubator in Ulaanbaatar
On July 6, 2016, The Asia Foundation, in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the City of Ulaanbaatar, launched Ulaanbaatar's first Women's Business Center and Incubator to empower female entrepreneurs. The Asia Foundation has assembled a public-private partnership to provide finance, business, and marketing training to the established and burgeoning female business owners of Ulaanbaatar.
The pilot project will last three years, and create a supportive environment for women entrepreneurs to start new businesses and grow existing small businesses. The business center also offers training programs, business consultancy services, and networking opportunities. Additionally, the incubator will offer a select number of women specialized training and professional mentoring.
KOICA provides financial support to the Ulaanbaatar Women's Business Center through its Civil Society Organizations Partnership Program (CPP). Click here for a short video introduction of the project.
The Asia Foundation Hosts Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon for Development Discussion in San Francisco
On Saturday September 10, 2016 The Asia Foundation hosted Mayor of Seoul Park Won-soon at a special lunch in recognition of the 40-year Seoul-San Francisco Sister City relationship, held at the Waterfront Restaurant in San Francisco. The event featured a lively discussion on Seoul's development experience moderated by the Foundation's President David D. Arnold, featuring Mayor Park, and Ambassador for International Relations of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Kim Chang-beom.
"Seoul has become a global example of best practice in climate change action," said President Arnold. "In just 50 years, Seoul has boomed to become one of the world's largest metropolitan cities, where modern skyscrapers and integrated transit meet palaces and street markets…We therefore take pride in the successful collaboration between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Foundation on a number of programs," he continued.
Under Mayor Park's leadership, Seoul has developed many forms of effective sharing by changing regulations, mobilizing the city's underused resources and making information readily accessible. The city has also raised public awareness and supported companies and initiatives in the sharing of information and assets. Mayor Park expanded upon the value of mobilizing leadership and support from all economic and social sectors to support a forward-thinking vision. He also discussed the city's plans of placing "top priority on quality of life of citizens" to ensure the citizens of Seoul live in a healthy and green city.
The event built upon the April 2016 Memorandum of Understanding between the Foundation and Seoul Metropolitan (SMG) to collaborate on a number of programs, including urban and environmental issues. SMG and the Foundation have successfully collaborated on numerous programs in the past, including regional conferences on urban and environmental issues, workshops on anti-corruption, study visits, and placements for young Americans in Seoul-based institutions.
Last year, the Foundation collaborated on the "Northeast Asian Mayors' Forum" to exchange best practices in urban green growth with mayors and vice mayors from eight cities across Northeast Asia, including Mayor Park who gave a keynote speech on Seoul's experience. Read an interview with Mayor Park in our In Asia blog.
KDI School-Asia Foundation International Development Cooperation Capacity Building Program Fellows Alumni Reunion
Over the nine years since the program's inception in 2008, the KDI School-TAF International Development Cooperation Capacity Building Program has provided opportunities to grasp key development issues in Asia to more than 300 development experts from Korea and Asian developing countries. To strengthen the participants' networks further and celebrate the success of the program, a second Asian Development Fellows Alumni Reunion was held on December 13, 2016. The event, which included a special panel discussion with former participants, was made possible thanks to generous support by KDI School.
Meeting between Ms. Suzanne Siskel, Executive Vice President of The Asia Foundation and Kim In Shik, President of KOICA
On December 13, The Asia Foundation Executive Vice President Suzanne Siskel met with KOICA President Kim In Shik to discuss joint programs. KOICA and The Asia Foundation have partnered together in a number of initiatives over the years, and signed an MOU in June 2015 to extend the ongoing partnership between the two organizations.
