Fifth Intellectual Dialogue on Building Asia's Tomorrow | Bangkok Workshop

December 11–12, 2002
Bangkok

The Fifth Intellectual Dialogue on Building Asia’s Tomorrow focused on “Implementing the Human Security Concept: Exploring Approaches to Evaluating Human Security Projects.” The Bangkok Workshop was the first of two meetings on this theme.

The Intellectual Dialogue on Building Asia’s Tomorrow series played a significant role in the establishment of the Commission on Human Security in 2001. The Commission, which was co-chaired by Sadako Ogata, former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate in Economics, published a final report in May 2003 that offers specific recommendations for the implementation of the concept of human security. The Japanese government has also recently created a ¥15 billion program of Grant Assistance to Grassroots Human Security Projects. In order to promote such human security initiatives, it has become important to clarify what human security projects would entail.

For this purpose, the Fifth Intellectual Dialogue, held in Bangkok on December 11–12, 2002, was designed to explore key indicators of human security and feasible methods of evaluation for human security projects. A working team was created under the directorship of Dr. Naruo Uehara of Tohoku University, health and human security specialist and an expert on the evaluation of foreign assistance. The workshop on December 12 involved the participation of Human Security Commission members including Mrs. Sadako Ogata, as well as practitioners and scholars on development, human security issues, and security issues from Southeast Asia and Japan.

A follow-up workshop was held in Tokyo on February 26, 2003.

Wednesday, December 11

International Public Symposium on Challenges to Human Security in a Borderless World

Thursday, December 12

Session I: Key Indicators and Factors of Human Security

Presentation:

• Lincoln Chen, Member, Commission on Human Security; Professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

Session II: Possible Approaches to Evaluation of Human Security Projects/Programs

Presentation:

• Naruo Uehara, Professor, School of International Health, Tohoku University

Sabina ALKIREResearch Writer for the Report, Commission on Human Security
AMARA PongsapichDirector, Chulalongkorn University Social Research Institute, Thailand
Mely C. ANTHONYAssistant Professor, Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, Nangyang Technological University, Singapore
Lincoln C. CHENMember, Commission on Human Security; Professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA
François FOUINATExecutive Director, Commission on Human Security
Yoshitaro FUWASenior Research Associate, Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE)
Barry D. GABERMANSenior Vice President, Ford Foundation
Ernesto D. GARILAOProfessor, Center for Development Management, Asian Institute of Management, the Philippines
Peter F. GEITHNERAdvisor, Asia Center, Harvard University, USA
LEE Hock GuanFellow, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore
Mochammad MAKSUMDirector and Associate Professor, Center for Rural and Regional Development Studies, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia
Sarah MICHAELResearch Fellow, the Global Equity Initiative, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Wathana ONPANICHProgram Associate, The Japan Foundation, Bangkok
SOMKIAT TangkitvanichResearch Director for Information Economy, Thailand Development Research Institute, Thailand
SURIN PitsuwanMember, Commission on Human Security; Former Thai Foreign Minister
Yoshio TAKANODeputy Director, The Japan Foundation, Bangkok
Keiichi TANGOExecutive Director, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) Institute
Viviene TAYLORDeputy Executive Director/Program Coordinator for Development, the Secretariat for the Commission on Human Security
Naruo UEHARAProfessor, School of International Health, Tohoku University, Japan
Tadashi YAMAMOTOPresident, Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE)