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Event Highlights

Indonesia-Singapore Forum: Celebrating 50 Years of Indonesia-Singapore Relations

 

On 8 December 2017, the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, in cooperation with the Policy Assessment and Development Agency (Indonesia) and the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Singapore, jointly organised the Indonesia-Singapore Forum: Celebrating 50 Years of Indonesia-Singapore Relations.

 

Recent Political Party Dynamic in Indonesia

 

On 7 December 2017, ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute welcomed Mr Yorrys Raweyai, a senior member of the Golkar Party in Indonesia, to deliver a public seminar on the future of Golkar and Indonesian politics.

 

Decentralisation and Minority Representation in Post-Transition Myanmar: A Comparative Perspective

 

The Myanmar Studies Programme at ISEAS organised a public seminar to discuss the complexities and concerns surrounding current discussions in Myanmar regarding decentralisation of government authority towards a future federal union, and potential challenges.

 

Seminar on “APEC in 2017 and Beyond: Striving for Open Economies and Delivering on Inclusive Growth”

 

The recently concluded APEC summit was centred on the theme of “Creating New Dynamism, Fostering a Shared Future”. To gain some first hand insights into the actual negotiations that took place between the participants and the policy priorities for upcoming summits, ISEAS invited three distinguished speakers, Dr Alan Bollard, Mr Ivan Pomaleu, and Mr Eduardo Pedrosa.

 

Lecture on “Calligrams in Islamic Southeast Asia”

 

Dr Farouk Yahya, Leverhulme Research Assistant in Islamic Art and Culture at the University of Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum, delivered a lecture entitled “Calligrams in Islamic Southeast Asia” at ISEAS on 5 December 2017. The lecture investigated calligrams, their forms and uses and situated them within the context of the region and the Islamic world.

 

ASEAN Lecture on “ASEAN: Next 50”

 

The ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute was pleased to host the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, who delivered the 15th ASEAN Lecture on Singapore’s priorities as it prepares to assume the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2018. 

 

ASEAN Lecture on “ASEAN: Next 50”

 

The ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute was pleased to host the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, who delivered the 15th ASEAN Lecture on Singapore’s priorities as it prepares to assume the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2018. 
The ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute was pleased to host the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, who delivered the 15th ASEAN Lecture on Singapore’s priorities as it prepares to assume the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2018. 


Dr Vivian Balakrishnan delivering the 15th ASEAN Lecture on 5 December 2017 (Source: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute) 

Dr Balakrishnan began by saying that ASEAN is at inflexion point today because the world itself is facing uncertainties especially in the areas of geopolitical balance, demographics and ideological divides.


Participants at the ASEAN Lecture (Source: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute) 

Dr Balakrishnan went on to describe the unlikely beginnings of ASEAN at a time when Cold War politics gripped the region, and said that if the region had not come together, it would have been a mere collection of proxies and vassal states to the major powers. With Southeast Asia’s population reaching 628 million today – 60% of whom are below the age of 35 – it is even more imperative for member states to foster regional integration through ASEAN, work together to have a louder voice on the global stage and overcome each country’s respective national interests without abandoning it.


Professor Tommy Koh engaging the minister during the Q&A session (Source: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute) 

Singapore’s priorities as it takes on the ASEAN chairmanship in 2018 is to strengthen ASEAN’s resilience and expanding our innovative capacities. Singapore will seek to promote an ASEAN Smart Cities’ Network to enable seamless flows of ideas to seize the opportunities brought about by the digital revolution; build collective resilience to combat terrorism, extremism and transboundary crime; strengthen ASEAN’s dynamism by investing in our youth’s skills development; and ensure economic resilience through a high-quality Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.


Dr Vivian Balakrishnan exchanging pleasantries with Mr Fang Xinwen, Charge d’affaires a.i of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China (Source: ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute) 

Close to 150 people from the private sector, diplomatic corps, academia as well as schools attended the ASEAN Lecture.

Click here for the transcript of Dr Vivian Balakrishnan’s Speech and Question and Answer Session.

 

Conference on The Riau Islands

 

The “Conference on the Riau Islands” was held in order to explore the dynamic circumstances of current political and economic developments in the province. The conference focused on the themes of rapid economic change, decentralization, and the development model.

 

Seminar on Japan’s Soft Power and ASEAN-Japan Relations

 

Japan’s efforts at projecting its “soft power” in Southeast Asia has reaped rewards in economic terms as well as in sowing goodwill between Japan and ASEAN, but more can be done to ensure accessibility of Japanese content to Southeast Asian audiences. This was the overarching message from the seminar on “Japan’s Soft Power and ASEAN-Japan Relations”.

 

Seminar on ASEAN and Southeast Asia’s Relations with China: Moving with the Times

 

The seminar on “ASEAN and Southeast Asia’s Relations with China : Moving with the Times” was held on 17 November 2017 at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.