Experts to Convene in Bangladesh to Discuss the Future of Asia

DHAKA, Bangladesh, Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Asian University for Women (AUW), a new, independent institution of higher learning located in Chittagong, Bangladesh, will convene a three-day international symposium entitled "Imagining Another Future for Asia: Ideas and Pathways for Change" in Dhaka, Bangladesh on January 20, 21, and 22, 2011. Chaired by Sheikh Hasina Wazed, the Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh and Chief Patron of AUW, and Cherie Blair, leading British human rights lawyer and staunch Patron of AUW, the symposium will bring together students, scholars, and leaders from all walks of life to focus their attention on four key themes confronting Asia: governance, poverty, environment, and security.

Despite the extraordinary progress of the past century, Asia faces important challenges in each of these arenas. As the most densely populated region on earth, Asia has some of the highest poverty rates in the world. Widespread poverty is compounded by poor environmental practices and the denial of basic services like sanitation and clean water. Internal strife is widespread, with many populations still seeking adequate representation in their governments. Since the advent of nuclear weapons, nations also face increasingly complex security challenges abroad.

AUW's international symposium seeks to generate new ideas to address these challenges. Notable speakers include Y.A. Bhg Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, the First Lady of Malaysia, Akie Abe, the former First Lady of Japan, Rajendra K. Pachauri, the Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, Dipu Moni, the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad, the President of Qatar University, Jane McAuliffe, the President of Bryn Mawr College, Maliha Lodhi, the former High Commissioner of Pakistan to the United Kingdom and former Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, Jasmine Zerinini, Deputy Director in charge of South Asia at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, F.H. Abed, the Founder of BRAC, and many others.

To read more about the program for "Imagining Another Future for Asia: Ideas and Pathways for Change" and for registration information, please visit http://www.asian-university.org/newsAndEvents/events/january2011.htm.

About the Asian University for Women: Located in Chittagong, Bangladesh, the Asian University for Women (AUW) is based on the firm belief that higher education provides a critical pathway to leadership development, economic progress, and social and political equality. The University educates promising young women from diverse cultural, religious, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds from across South and South East Asia and the Middle East. The University's mission is to prepare women of high ability and potential to meet society's challenges and effect positive change through an innovative rigorous curriculum that encompasses the liberal arts, sciences, and professional training. The Asian University for Women Support Foundation (AUWSF), incorporated as a non-profit organization based in the United States, serves as the planning and fundraising organization for this effort.

SOURCE Asian University for Women