International Conference - "The Experiments wit

Over ten international renowned scholars will address an international conference entitled "The Experiments with Democracy in East and Southeast Asia: Two Decades After" in Hong Kong this week.

The Conference is organised by the Centre of Asian Studies of The University of Hong Kong (HKU) on May 2-3, 2008, with the funding support of the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange and Hang Seng Bank Golden Jubilee Education Fund for Research.

The conference will evaluate the achievements of and explore the continuing challenges to the new/revived democracies that have emerged in East and Southeast Asia some two decades ago. It builds on works carried out at the Centre on regional development with democratic forms of governance. The conference will feature four sessions, focusing on East and Southeast Asia.

The 1st session will be devoted to examining the past achievements of and emerging challenges to the new democracies.

The 2nd session will seek to evaluate the political/ democratic institutions that have since emerged.

The 3rd session will review the impacts of the transition on the global and regional processes and vice versa.

The 4th session will examine the social and political developments since the transitions.

Members of the media are cordially invited to cover the conference, details are:

Date: May 2-3, 2008 (Friday and Saturday)

Venue: Council Chamber, 8th Floor, Meng Wah Complex, HKU

For registration and the conference programme, please visit: http://www.hku.hk/cas/Event/2-3May2008.html .

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Becky Fung (Tel: 2859 2460 / E-mail: casgen@hku.hk )