icd - institute for cultural diplomacy

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1 icd Cultural Diplomacy in East Asia - A Forum for Young Leaders organizes its second week-long seminar on East Asia s Role in the Next World Order: G2 and the Global Economy 2nd - 7th May 2010 in Berlin icd - institute for cultural diplomacy

2 1. Cultural Diplomacy in East Asia: A Forum for Young Leaders Introduction East Asia is a region that has managed to develop faster than any other in the shortest period of time. What took many countries decades to achieve has been realized by China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, the Republic of China (Taiwan) and also many countries of the ASEAN community at speeds previously unimaginable. As East Asia is continuing to integrate economically and politically and to shape future markets despite an economic crisis, there is a high necessity for all global powers to take note and look for ways to enable successful collaborations and cooperation. But, there is also a need to understand the Asian way of life, philosophies of business and cultural nuances. Asia thrives on tradition and culture, which has been retained amidst extraordinary economic success. In order to link to the region and collaborate with its players, understanding Asia has become a top priority. At this, the Cultural Diplomacy in East Asia Forum brings together young leaders, experts and practitioners to discuss and learn about the latest trends in East Asia. Political Dialogue As a region with prosperous economic development during last decades, East Asia presents itself with a new look. Economic guided political dialogue is increasingly used to achieve a better mutual understanding and development. Today, with its diverse ethnicities, religions, political ideologies and traditions, both challenges and opportunities exist for East Asia, especially when facing the global political environment. What we observe are tightening political interdependencies and increasing collective actions among East Asian countries, but also the power struggles within the region itself. At this, political discussion is an area that is often restrained in East Asian economic forums like ASEAN, but, as is the case with all rapidly increasing trade relationships, the issue of political representative systems is always resurfacing. For example, the choice between giving priority to the ASEAN Plus Three meetings or the East Asia Summit (including India, Australia and New Zealand) has polarized China and Japan along political lines. Regarding the relationship between East Asia and Europe, we witness how in an era of easy accessible communication, mass mobility and globalized attitudes, broad cultural differences between the two regions are few, but nevertheless existent. However, with increasing migration and growing numbers of permanent residents from European countries in East Asia as well as from East Asian countries in Europe, a generation has grown up with people having backgrounds in two or more regions. These developments, coupled with the need for unprecedented global co-operation on pressing issues like climate change, the financial crisis, human security and failing governance mean that more integrated strategies for co-operation are urgently needed and possible. 2

3 Trade and Economics East Asia is full of energy: biggest consumer market, largest world factory, the superstar in poverty alleviation and economical development such are the recent titles given to this region. Having suffered from economic crisis, it has now emerged with a leading role in recovering from it. Driven by demand for hi-tech products from Mainland China, the ROC s (Taiwan) economy, for example, grew at an annualized rate of 18% in the last three months of The development of economic relations between East Asia and Europe has increased, too. Economic dialogue and cooperation between the EU and its East Asian partner countries is taking place in regional forums such as the Association of South-East Asia Nations (ASEAN) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and in joint-regional forums like the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). ASEAN s trade with the EU has been growing steadily over the past years, averaging 4% increase per year, and the EU is now ASEAN's second largest trading partner. China alone is the EU's largest trading partner with Japan and ASEAN jointly ranked 5th in the EU's list of major trading partners. South Korea and the EU have enjoyed trade increases of 11% per year between 2003 and 2007 and both are working towards removing the trade barriers between both sides, creating a free trade agreement. Encompassing such progressive European-East Asian trading policies is the Trans-Regional EU- ASEAN Trade Initiative (TREATI), established in 2003 as a framework for dialogue and regulatory cooperation developed to enhance EU trade relations with ASEAN. With the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) successfully concluded in October 2008 and with the next one already planned in Washington, economic relations seem increasingly strong and stable between these two regions. Cultural Relations The Japan Foundation is the most established cultural diplomacy initiative from an East Asian nation in Europe, but South Korea and China in particular are beginning to expand their efforts at cultural diplomacy in a major way. China's Confucius Institute, dedicated to academic and cultural exchange, has opened 295 offices worldwide since it was founded five years ago. Such government-sponsored cultural diplomacy is thus far outweighed by the mass of 'organic' cultural exchanges and partnerships that occur irrespective of (and in some cases in spite of) government policy. Film has long played a particularly important role in bringing East Asian communities to the attention of Europeans and vice versa. But in the last decade, the volume of mainstream East Asian cinema imports into Europe has increased exponentially, with South Korea, China, Japan, Thailand and Hong Kong leading the way. China's 'open door' policy has also released a wave of modern Chinese art into the European and American art markets, a striking recent example being the famous London-based Saatchi Gallery's exhibition of contemporary Chinese artists in The aims and methods, successes and failures of various European and East Asian countries' cultural diplomacy initiatives will be examined and evaluated in the Young Leaders Forum, as well as possibilities for multilateral cultural diplomacy. Defining the Regions According to the United Nations, East Asia refers exclusively to North East Asia, this being China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, South Korean, North Korea and Mongolia. For the purposes of this program, we understand East Asia as both North and South East Asia, including the countries that have joined the ASEAN community: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. 3

4 2. The Next Weeklong Seminar The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy will organize its second weeklong seminar on East Asia from 2 May through 7 May The program is designed for young leaders and professionals, students and other interested audiences in various occupations in Europe and abroad, who wish to gain insight into the current political, economic and integrative trends in East Asia. Under the title East Asia s Role in the Next World Order: G2 and the Global Economy the seminar will provide an analysis of contemporary regional issues from both practitioner's and empirical perspectives. One of the unique features of the weeklong program is the direct access to lecturers and speakers, many of whom are high profile experts. Additionally, participants will take part in excursions relevant to the topics and join cultural activities in one of Europe's most exciting capital. In addition to looking in greater detail at the current political and economic trends in contemporary East Asia, the next CDEA weeklong seminar will also have a strong focus on the perspectives and challenges for East Asian integration. In this respect the seminar will reflect on the importance of Cultural- and Multi-Track Diplomacy for regional development and take a look at the much-discussed aspects of green technology for Asia, and China in particular. The program will focus in particular on the following areas: The Rise of G2? Possible Implications on ASEAN, Japan and Korea East Asia's Role in Stimulating the Global Economy Challenges and Perspectives for a Post-Crisis Economy: Environmental Sustainability, Resource Efficiency and Green Technology Cultural and Multi Track Diplomacy, an Evolving Strategy for Regional Development and Stability in East Asia The 'East Asian Community' a Common Future? 1. The Rise of G2? Possible Implications for ASEAN, Japan and Korea China, with the leading position in East Asia and great impact upon global issues, is expected to play a new role in the global society. Group Two, or G2, is suggested to become a strategic structure to manage global affairs such as climate change and financial crisis. Although the G2 still remains a controversial concept, no matter from the economical or political perspectives, the U.S. and PRC play a decisive role in East Asian development. Although the two economies have become so intertwined, especially through the financial crisis, close economic ties do not preclude conflicts; both leaders are facing the challenges from politics while they pursue economic interest apart from each other. Issues like economic imbalances, monetary policies, security in different regions and those conflicts 4

5 concerning the root values of both nations have been obstacles to their relationship. Besides ASEAN, the SOC (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) and TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) are examples for the U.S.-PRC s competition addressing long-standing national interests in Asia. In the post-crisis time, the U.S. PRC relation becomes the key factor in both global and regional development. Would this be the engine for economic growth, or a bomb of political conflicts? 2. East Asia's Role in Stimulating the Global Economy East Asia's economy attained approximately a third of the world's GDP; China's economy alone grew by more than 8 per cent in 2009 while other major economies shrink. China's contribution in global production has kept the lid on world inflation. Nonetheless, China's weak Yuan policy and its abundance of inexpensive labor has, to some extent, encouraged foreign direct investment. Many multinational firms and manufacturing plants have relocated to China to benefit mainly from low production costs. As a result, there has been growing international pressures on China to adopt a more competitive currency; in order to offer higher priced Chinese products in the world market to encourage competition in the global economy. It is an indisputable fact that the growing economy of China has greatly affected the world financial economies. Most notably in time of the recent global economic downturn where China has shown to be competent to help bring the world out of recession by boosting domestic consumption and government spending. Nevertheless, does the responsibility of creating a more competitive global economy rest solely on the shoulders of China? Especially, when ASEAN is considered as the new emerging market and the next "world factory" to replace China. In view of this, our focus in this forum will not only be looking at China for its contribution in stimulating the world's economy but in return expect a cooperation within East Asia and its emerging big markets to adopt a sustainable approach to help create a striving world economy. 3. Challenges and Perspectives for a Post-Crisis Economy: Environmental Sustainability, Resource Efficiency and Green Technology Only recently has China overtaken Germany as the global 'champion exporter' - a title that is based on its manufacturing industry, which is the world's largest source of carbon emissions. Less understood is the way China is now becoming a source of some of the solutions. Despite a reliance on carbon- 5

6 based energy resources, China is the global leader in the development of green technologies, foremost in wind and solar power sectors. Together with other East Asian countries, the region is about to challenge the world with green tech supremacy. In 2009 the TIMES speculated that such an Asian collaboration will "marry Japanese and South Korean high technology with China's manufacturing prowess, massive domestic market and bulging foreign-currency reserves thus creating a formidable player in a postcrisis, low-carbon world". 4. Cultural- and Multi Track Diplomacy, an Evolving Strategy for Regional Development and Stability in East Asia Cultural- and Multi-track diplomacy has been the tool for international relations in East Asia for centuries. As a region with a diverse ethnicity, religion, political system and languages, East Asia is a region with not only development but also conflicts. Due to the obstacles in the political approaches, East Asian countries have developed various methods to manage conflicts and the need for cooperation. Multi-track diplomacy is an approach to peace building and to facilitate the transformation of deep-rooted social conflict. In contemporary East Asia, strong actors, such as religious groups, NGOs, commercial associations and cultural organizations adopt cultural and multitrack diplomacy. However, in pursuing sustainable development, the challenges facing East Asian countries are the development gap and regional instability. The implementation of multi-track diplomacy becomes more important than ever before. The functions of multi-track diplomacy include an alternative disputes settlement mechanism, and enforce strong interpersonal and intergroup relations within the societal network. At the same time, countries are able to strengthen their development partnership. On the other hand, cultural diplomacy in East Asia is implemented as an appreciation and respect for cultural wisdom of all of the countries; the different kinds of creative interactions uphold long-term relationships in East Asia. 5. The 'East Asian Community' a Common Future? On the way to an East Asian Union? In response to the recent proposal for an East Asian Community in Asia, the utopian concept of an Asian union no longer remains unattainable. By examining the contingency of such a community, we assess the possibility of the creation of such a union. The idea of an East Asian community with China, Japan, South Korea and ASEAN was recently proposed by current Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. Mr. Hatoyama s vision of the East Asian community is aimed at overcoming differences and improving ties between East Asian countries, most notably the relationship between China and South Korea, which suffers from entangled issues of the past. Furthermore, recent disputes concerning power struggle within the region and the competition for natural resources have increased decade-old hostility between the countries. In response, the idea of a friendly union to seek close co-operation on energy, finance and 6

7 the environment is indeed a timely suggestion. The vision of such a union that is similar to the European Union is valid in principle. Just as the 1952 European Coal and Steel community kick started the 27 nation EU, Japan and China should use their long standing dispute over gas fields in the East China Sea as the starting point for deeper regional integration. Mr. Hatoyama intends to push for the form of a unified East Asian community including ASEAN, India, Australia and New Zealand that will eventually employ a single currency. However much has been focused on the economic ties between the countries. Under certain agreement intra-regional trade is expected to be more cohesive on exchange rates and trade. The East Asian Union proposal fails to address social implications that would eventually affect the participating member-body if such a union is indeed formed. Furthermore, to form such a union, some form of political consensus over the principles of the union would require much more consideration. In this case, would the Asian model employ the European model to select certain countries to play the driving role of leading the union? Would this contribute to the existing dispute of power struggle? If such an idea of an Asian union does mirror the existing European Union, the viability of a similar one-system union in Asia would be far more complicated compared to the one in Europe; mainly because Asian countries, unlike many European countries, do not share a similar religion and cultural history. As seen in recent upheavals in the South Eastern region of Asia, these turbulent events are mostly religion-incited conflicts, which have yet to be solved domestically. Stability in this region must first be achieved in order to progress further towards a fruitful development of a union in Asia. Nonetheless, the future of an East Asian Community is contingent on mutual understanding of cultural commonality, as well as diversity, in coordination with political and economic interests. Such a proposal of an East Asian Union is worthy to be discussed particularly amongst young East Asians, who are the future leaders of such a community. 7

8 3. Participation in the Weeklong Seminar Cultural Diplomacy in East Asia: A Forum for Young Leaders (CDEA) is a network of young and influential people, open to all individuals with an active interest in international affairs in general, and the East Asian region in particular. Individuals can join the CDEA Program by taking part in one of the Weeklong Seminars, which are held in Berlin, Germany. The goal of the Weeklong Seminars is to train and prepare the participants so that they are able to organize their own programs in the future. Each CDEA Weeklong Seminar is focused on a specific theme related to developments in East Asia and the goals of the Forum. The programs provide analysis of contemporary regional issues from both practitioner's and empirical perspectives. One of the unique features of the Weeklong Seminar is the direct access to lecturers and speakers, many of whom are high profile experts. Additionally, participants will take part in excursions relevant to the topics and join cultural activities in one of Europe's most exciting capital, Berlin. Once they have become a member of the CDEA Forum, the ICD will support the young leaders in conducting research into the multilateral relationship, which can either be published on our online media service ( online in the ICD research section, or in our forthcoming book Case Studies in Cultural Diplomacy. The Forum will also organize a number of shorter, academic conferences throughout the year that the members are invited to attend and to help organize. Through the ICD Online Forum, members are able to keep in touch with like-minded individuals across the world and share important information about job opportunities and related events. Finally, the ICD will support and offer guidance to members who are interested in organizing their own cultural exchange initiatives. Forum Components Lectures/Panel Discussions - A range of lectures is held during the week that will inform the participants about the field of cultural diplomacy and/or a particular element of the East Asian relationship with the world. Speakers at the lectures include leading figures from academia, politics, economics, the media, and civil society. The lectures are followed by Q&A sessions that allow the participants to discuss the content with the speakers and each other. Workshops - Workshops are an important complement to the lectures for three reasons: They offer the participants the opportunity to take part in structured discussions on the subjects they have learned about in the lectures. They allow the participants to learn from each other s practical and academic experience. And finally, the group discussions in these workshops help the participants to develop personal networks that will be important in organizing and planning initiatives after the Forum. Social/Cultural excursions - The program for the Weeklong Seminar also includes social and cultural activities for the participants. These components give participants the opportunity to see the most exciting sites of Berlin, help to provide a more informal environment for the participants to get to know each other, and allow the participants to see cultural exchange initiatives that are already being organized. 8

9 The Benefits of a CDEA Weeklong Seminar New Perspectives: Each Weeklong Seminar features lectures, seminars, and workshops lead by experts from the fields of politics, economics, academia, civil society, and the private sector. These components give participants the opportunity to discuss salient issues with high-profile figures, and each other, and gain fresh perspectives on the topics in focus. Networking: Program participants have the opportunity throughout the course of the Weeklong Seminar to develop relationships with each other, with the program speakers, and with the ICD staff, helping to create a personal network of like-minded individuals for their future careers. Experience Berlin: During the program participants have the chance to experience Berlin s diverse cultural landscape and learn more about the city s remarkable history. The ICD takes the groups to a number of important political and cultural locations across the city and ensures they are able to sample the city that never sleeps. Certification: All participants are presented with a certificate upon completion of the program, confirming their involvement and welcoming them to the CDEA Forum. The Advantages of Joining the CDEA Forum Once individuals have taken part in a CDEA Weeklong Seminar and joined the CDEA Forum, they will have support in the following areas: Leadership Initiatives: Program participants are encouraged to organize their own leadership initiatives after the program, which can help to spread the principles of cultural diplomacy much further. The ICD is able to support Forum members in the areas of research, marketing, event management, and audio-visual documentation, as well as general guidance. Academic Research: Forum members are supported by the ICD in conducting research studies into issues relating to the Forum. The ICD offers guidance in the preparation of research proposals and is able to publish studies completed to a large, international audience through the ICD website. Networking: Once individuals join the Forum, they are invited to connect to the ICD Online Forum, which currently has over 600 members from across the world. This Forum represents a perfect location to network and share information on job and internship opportunities, related events, reunions, and to gain support for your leadership initiative. Why Berlin? The greatest cultural extravaganza that one could imagine ~ David Bowie Berlin is an excellent location for the CDEA Forum due to its vast array of resources to learn from, and be inspired by, its status as a center of inter-cultural interaction within Europe. Politicians, businessmen, and artists live side-by-side, cultures from all over the world interact and cooperate with each other in their daily lives, and the defiant traces of socialism in the former East Berlin are just a 9

10 short train journey from the dazzling skyscrapers of Potsdamer Platz. Berlin is, as Bowie described, a cultural extravaganza. The city has a unique spirit, one imbued upon it by history and fate, and one that demonstrates the importance and potential for intercultural interaction in the modern world. As the capital city of Europe s largest economy, the home of three prestigious universities, and a city bubbling with diverse culture and art, Berlin has lots to offer for participants, who will be given the opportunity to take advantage of this unique city. How to Apply If you would like to be considered for a place on the Weeklong Seminar please complete the online application form on the website If offered a place on the Weeklong Seminar, you will be asked to transfer the participation cost (195 Euros) to reserve your position. Participants are requested to cover the cost of their transport, accommodation, and meals. If you have any further questions regarding participation in a Weeklong Seminar, please do not hesitate to contact us via at: cdea@culturaldiplomacy.org 4. The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD) was founded in 1999 to address the growing cultural diplomacy in the international environment. The organization s main base for activity is Berlin, Germany. The ICD has two main areas of focus: the research and the promotion of cultural diplomacy. Research is conducted to better understand the history of cultural diplomacy, the range and diversity of cultural diplomacy initiatives being conducted today, and the areas for development in the field. What is Cultural Diplomacy? Cultural Diplomacy has been described by Joseph S. Nye as a prime example of soft power, or the ability to persuade through culture, values and ideas, as opposed to hard power, which conquers or coerces through military might. The ICD understands Cultural Diplomacy not only as the conducting of international relations by governments through the use of soft power, but also as the exchange of cultural values and beliefs at all levels of society, by all actors. In both cases, culture represents not only a system of beliefs and values that each side should seek to understand and be sensitive to, but in many cases also provides a medium (such as sport, arts and music) through which this interaction can take place. 10

11 The Need for Cultural Diplomacy The process of globalization, together with the rise of the internet, communication technologies and the ready availability of low-budget transport, is increasingly bringing different cultural groups into contact with each other both physically and virtually. To improve communication and to prevent misunderstanding and conflict it is important to ensure that such interaction is constructive, peaceful, and based on effective dialogue, understanding and trust. In addressing these problems, the traditional, top-down approach to international and inter-cultural relations can be optimized by increasing the emphasis on constructive dialogue between governments and representatives. The East Asia Team Miyako Nishimura Program Director Miyako Nishimura is a Japanese national and a recent graduate of Intercultural Relations at the Ryukoku University of Kyoto. After her studies she has joined KCCS Management Consulting Ltd., a Kyocera group company, as a management consultant. Through her commitment in AIESEC and an international NGO she has developed a broad international background and visited more than 33 countries, including a one-year stay at the National University of Kiev and various field trips to Asian and African developing countries. She has recently moved to Berlin with her husband and joined the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy as an experienced Project Coordinator, after which she became a Director of the Institute s East Asia programme. Miyako is interested in development strategies and still enjoys traveling in her free time. Kalle Huebner Program Director Kalle Huebner graduated with a M.A. in Political Science and Slavic Studies from the University of Leipzig in Germany, having also studied at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow and the Ukrainian National University of Kiev. His interests include development strategies, political ethics and sustainable living. After his studies he worked as a research trainee at the United Nations University in Tokyo, where he helped to develop a new research field on the sustainability of decisionmaking in democracies. Having returned to Germany, Kalle joined the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin as Project Coordinator and is currently serving as a Director of the Institute s East Asia program. In his free time he enjoys traveling, which has brought him and his wife to places in South East Asia and Africa. Join us on facebook: Cultural Diplomacy in East Asia - A Young Leaders Forum 11

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