Asia and Europe, A Symposium

Hosted by: The AIIA ACT Branch

The event will start on: Tuesday, 10 August 2010 12:30 PM

And will end on: Tuesday, 10 August 2010 1:40 PM

At Stephen House, Canberra

32 Thesiger Court, Deakin , Canberra ACT

(02) 6232 4978     act.branch@aiia.asn.au

Posted by: act   

Australia is due to become a member of the Asia-Europe Meeting, an organization that unifies some 45 Asian and European states.  However, the issue of Australia’s relations with this organization has not been debated in public.

After being officially notified in May that it will join the organisation at its biannual meeting in October, Australia has yet to take full advantage of the non-governmental opportunities offered by membership.  An expert panel will discuss both the institution itself and what paths participation in it might lead Australia. They will place the initiative in the larger context of Australia’s place in the Asian and global communities, as well as its unique position as a state in Asia whose culture is predominantly of European origin.

 As well as a discussion period there will be a brief reception.

 Dr Wilhelm Hofmeister is the director of the Konrad Adenauer-Stiftung Foundation’s regional programme in Singapore.  He graduated from the University of Mainz before joining KAS, and has worked in several of its regional centres.  He has worked in Brazil and Chile for KAS, and is a specialist in European-Asian relations.

 Dr. Yeo Lay Hwee is Director of the European Union Centre in Singapore and also Senior Research ellow at Singapore Institute of International Affairs. She also teaches part time at both the National University of Singapore and the Nanyang Technological University.  Prior to her present positions, she has worked at the Singapore Ministries of Defense and Information and the Arts, the Institute of Policy Studies, and the Danish Institute of International Affairs, and taught at the University of Macau.

 This event is free and open to the public but registration for catering purposes is requested through the events page at www.aiia.asn.au, by emailing act.branch@aiia.asn.au or by calling 62324978