Alvin Tan’s Post

Turkey is a fascinating country bridging two continents, Europe and Asia, with a rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and a complex history. Here are some key points about Turkey: https://lnkd.in/gxGNCtzt

According to the Henley and Partners Openness Index, eight of the top 10 most open countries in the world are African, highlighting the continent’s hospitality. The extraordinary openness displayed by these African nations challenges stereotypes and demonstrates an idea of unity and cooperation that stretches well beyond their boundaries. At least 12 African countries are amongst the top 20 most open countries in the world.

H.E. Ms. Muna Abbas Mahmood Radhi, the esteemed Ambassador of the Kingdom Of Bahrain to the Kingdom Of Thailand, was felicitated with the ‘Knight of Honour Award’ by AsiaOne Magazine. Her dedication and commitment have truly set a standard worth celebrating. She is devoted to strengthening friendly relations, promoting cultural exchange and developing bilateral cooperation between the two nations. A true trailblazer and inspiration to us all. Join us in applauding her remarkable journey! #AsiaOneMagazine #media #news #dailynews #newsfeed #dailyupdates #todayupdate

This week two important events are acknowledged: the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and the start of the Chinese year of the Dragon. What is the significance of te Tiriti o Waitangi to those who arrived after the signing? Twenty six years after the Treaty of Waitangi was signed the first 12 Chinese men arrived as part of the gold rush. They probably did not know much about the treaty - but like most arrivals came to have a better life or provide a better life for themselves and their whānau/families. By 1869 almost 2000 Chinese men lived in Aotearoa/New Zealand and in 1881 the population was 5004 (nine of whom were Chinese women). Now the Chinese population is close to 300000 with a fairly equal number of men and women. It still represents the largest Asian ethic group here. New Zealand remains a popular destination for many people from China to come to start a new life. Being a New Zealand born Chinese has been - and still is an interesting space to be in. I remember growing up being quite protective of New Zealand's lifestyle when new Chinese would come and criticise the way we did things. I was also very protective of the many Chinese who were/are the targets of racism and stereotyping. Te Tiriti o Waitangi helps provide a template for citizenship and relationships. It places importance on protecting the taonga/treasures which is - and what makes up - Aotearoa/New Zealand; and where people can be respected for who they are. A bicultural approach means that the taonga/treasures of Te Ao Māori /the Māori world are not lost- and are encouraged, incorporated and celebrated by all of us - but at the same time we can acknowledge and celebrate all the fantastic culture and diversity of all that come here. My tāmariki have the addeded dimensions of having European ancestry as well as having much more awareness about different cultures and diversity. I hope that they grow up in a world where Māori culture continues to be a strong part of our identity as a nation and of all those who live here or whakapapa back to here

"Never Give a Mick a Mic" is the old saying! But when it comes to #diasporaengagement, you cannot keep the Irish off a microphone so I am excited to announce a set of strategic public speaking commitments on #diaspora for the summer. The beauty of today's world is that you do not have to do all of these in-person so it will be a blend of digital with a very select set of in-person sessions. Look forward to speaking on topics such as #culturaldiplomacy, #investment, #philanthropy, #policy, and #power within diaspora engagement. It will include sessions for partners (including donors, embassies, international cooperation actors, private sector, and more) working on diaspora engagement in #Armenia, #BosniaandHerzegovina, #India, #Mexico, #Montenegro, and a few more locations. Just shows the reach of this topic in terms of geography and sector. It is exciting to see the work of Global Diaspora Insights and our partners at The Networking Institute continue to land across the globe. The brilliant thing about #publicspeaking is usually not necessarily what you end up sharing but what you end up learning from others along the way! We have some exciting stuff to share with folks and what we will learn will sharpen the focus on some very, very exciting things we are going to do at back-end of the summer. Will make sure to share some reflections over next few months as we roll out these speaking commitments. Onwards.

🌍 Our team works to deeply understand the cultures in which we work.   This means unpacking the intricacies of language, culture, and history in #northafrica to see what's happening below the surface.   To add a little harissa to your Monday macarona, here's a Tunisian "mathal" that our team has heard around town:   إلّلي ما تعرفش تشطح اتقول الأرْض عوجةن   Rough Translation: She who does not know how to dance, would say that the floor is sloping.   Usage: Said of someone who can't admit they aren't good at something and blame something else   Stay updated on the most recent developments in #Tunisia, North Africa, and beyond by following us.   #empowermenthroughinsight

15-year-old Nuraini Adeya Binte Yahya is the only Malay and female troupe member in NamYang Lion Dance Centre. She was cited as an example by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam in a Facebook post about deepening multiculturalism in Singapore. President Tharman said in his post: "Almost 60 years on as an independent nation, we are at a stage where we must deepen our multiculturalism. And in so doing enrich our identity as Singaporeans." He said that there needs to be increased efforts to keep alive and strengthen multiculturalism in Singapore — for instance, by criss-crossing between cultures, like what Nuraini did with Chinese lion dance. This does not have to come at the expense of our individual cultures, he emphasised. Instead, it helps cultures evolve while absorbing influences from others. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gjqN8ahk Photo credit: Nicolas Goh & Tharman Shanmugaratnam/Facebook

I am pleased to share the very first edition of the Short Profile of Türkiye: Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends. Thanks to Asu Aksoy who kindly invited me to contribute, so that I had a chance to revisit almost every heading that we collectively explored while preparing the Turkish Cultural Policy Report: A Civil Perspective in 2011. I invite you all to read it, and then let's discuss what has changed since we started talking about the Cultural Policy in Türkiye and why?

During an interview with Báo Thanh Niên Online I have provided my view on the significance of Vietnam's flurry of foreign policy activities in 2023. Find out here about what this diplomatic activism entails for Indo-Pacific's regional stability👇:

What does Türkiye's cultural policy actually look like??? We try to answer this question with our new short cultural policy profile for Türkiye (formerly know as Turkey). Special thanks to our expert Asu Aksoy for the excellent work!! See more under: https://lnkd.in/eEgh2YbH