East-West Center Annual Report 2001

[ 25 ]News andCommentaryEast-West Center researchers were contacted frequently by journalists ofnational and international media on such topics as the aftermath of September11, political change in Asia and the United States, the Pacific island leaderssummit at the Center, territorial disputes, and health and environmental issues.News organizations citing Center expertise included the New York Times,Los Angeles Times, Washington, D.C. Times, Boston Globe, CBS News, CNN,National Public Radio, Reuters, BBC, Agence France-Presse, Asahi Shimbun,Asian Wall Street Journal, Far Eastern Economic Review, International HeraldTribune, Radio Australia, Xinhua News Agency, South China Morning Post andthe Bangkok Post.■ John H. Williams is the EWC Public Information Officer.William Feltz, Arts Programcoordinator, speaking on“The Power of Music inIntercultural Understanding”to an audience from thecommunity in the EWCGallery.Arts ProgramA concert and educational tour by the six-member Kenny Endo Taiko Ensembleto five regions of the U.S. mainland was a highlight of the Arts Program. Theensemble performed in Kent, Ohio; Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania; Lowell,Massachusetts; Joplin, Missouri; and Claremont, California.In addition to public performances, lecture-demonstrations and hands-onworkshops were part of the educational outreach to students. EWC questionnairesshowed overwhelmingly positive reaction by virtually all audience members, manyof whom had not had any prior exposure to Japanese or other Asian performances.Major Exhibitions included:“Carved Puppets of Asia,” an exhibition featuring puppets and related artifactsfrom India, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Vietnam. More than 1,000school students, as well as other community groups visited the gallery in guidedtours. The exhibition then traveled to Lyman House Museum in Hilo, and theMaui Arts and Cultural Center.