Throughout the last five decades, Asia Society has been at the forefront of critical issues and trends in Asia and U.S.-Asia relations. As the Society enters the 21st century, we have identified two areas in particular that we feel the organization must address in a more comprehensive and sustained way. First, the looming environmental crisis affects us all fundamentally; second, a lack of understanding between Western and Islamic societies has often generated mistrust and alienation. This spring we are pleased to announce new initiatives that work to tackle these challenges.

The environmental initiatives will focus on the larger picture as well as its details. Through programs, conferences and online discussions across our network of centers, the Asian Pacific Dialogue on the Environment will draw together private and government representatives from major players across Asia to discuss the problem and region-wide solutions. At the bi-lateral level, the U.S.-China Climate Change Initiative will highlight the consequences of coal consumption as a major energy source. Led by the Society’s Center on U.S.-China Relations, the initiative will create a policy structure in both countries to proactively pursue the environmentally responsible use of coal as a way to limit the emission of greenhouse gases.

The Islam initiatives will explore the vitality and full spectrum of the Islamic world in Asia through cultural and political contexts. Over the next three years, the Creative Voices of Islam in Asia project will use arts and culture as a springboard to understand the diversity of Islam as a creative inspiration and to understand current issues and challenges facing the Muslin world of Asia. The series will include everything from policy discussions to exhibitions to films to performances. Asia Society will also be collaborating in the near future with the Brooklyn Academy of Music and New York University’s Center for Dialogues on an Islam-focused project.

You will find more information on each of these new projects in the following pages. In the coming months, you can learn about both of these critical issues through Society programs. Visit www.AsiaSociety.org for the latest program updates and take advantage of all that Asia Society has to offer!

Vishakha N. Desai
President

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