【What's new】Updated on November 28, 2019
- The 5th issue of the ALFP e-magazine: Voices of Asia is now available on the ALFP website! The theme of this new issue is "Gender Issues."
- ALFP Lecture Series #3 "Religion in Asia: A Possible Role for Peacebuilding" will be held on September 4, 2019.
- Special Reports of Mr. Palagummi Sainath's talk at Japan National Press Club is now available on ASIA HUNDREDS. He is ALFP former fellow and an awardee of Ramon Magsaysay Award.
- The 4th issue of the ALFP e-magazine: Voices of Asia is now available on the ALFP website! The theme of this new issue is "Culture and Identity."
Please scroll down to the bottom for more information on ALFP follow-up projects.
Important Announcement
We will no longer be accepting applications for the program. For details please read the announcement on the ALFP website.
http://alfpnetwork.net/en/important-announcement/
About ALFP
The Japan Foundation Asia Center and the International House of Japan (I-House) have jointly been conducting the Asian Leadership Fellow Program since 1996.
Each year, those intellectuals from Asia, having deep roots in civil society and playing a leading role in initiating solidarity among concerned people are invited to reside in Japan for about two months. During their stay in Japan, Fellows intensively discuss regional and global challenges through a series of dialogues. By offering an opportunity of living together, ALFP seeks to create a close, personal, and professional network of public intellectuals in the region.
The Program Overview in 2018
The grand theme for 2018 is "Imagining Plural Asias: How Can We Enrich Interrelationships across Borders?" Asia today is more diverse and interconnected than ever. Relationships within the region, as well as with other parts of the world, have become multiple and dynamic. These plural faces of and linkages across Asia can be understood from various perspectives, such as Asia's changing position in the world, diversity and interconnectedness within Asia, and complex relations among different groups at the national and the sub-national, local level. How can these plural and diverse "Asias" be translated into resources for creating sustainable and inclusive societies rather than falling into marginalization and conflict? Newly-selected eight fellows will actively engage in constructive discussion on these issues.
Program Period | September 10 to November 2, 2018 |
---|---|
Accommodation | International House of Japan (I-House) |
Schedule | Monday, September 10: Commencement of Program September-October: Seminars with resource persons, field trips, public forums etc. Main events
Friday, November 2: End of program |
ALFP Fellows for 2018
Asmin Fransiska
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia (Indonesia)

Lydia Lubon
Documentary Filmmaker and Producer (Independent) (Malaysia)
Program report: Page 9 of Teman Baru Edition 104, Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur News Letter.

Alongkot Maiduang
Academic Officer, Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology / Art & Culture Journalist, Judprakai Newspaper (Thailand)

Silot Uon
Career Advisor, SeeChange International Cambodia (Cambodia)

SAWANISHI Mikiko
Deputy Executive Head, United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) (Japan)

Sun Dong
Poet / Professor and Deputy Director, Office of International Cooperation and Exchanges, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics (China)

Samrat Choudhury
Author / Journalist (Independent) (India)

Aziz Ali Dad
Knowledge Management and Communication Specialist, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) (Pakistan)

The Fellows' profiles are available on ALFP website.
https://alfpnetwork.net/en/fellow/
The Program Overview in 2017
The grand theme for 2017 is "Seeking Our Commons in Asia: How Can We Create Visions for the Future?" When the public sphere is expanding into various realms, such as economics, society, culture, nature, and digital space, what can people in Asia share in common while acknowledging and respecting differences in values and standards? And through dialogue and collaboration, how can we create new values, ideas, and movements from this "commons" or common ground, and connect them to a future which starts from Asia? Newly-selected seven fellows will actively engage in constructive discussions on these issues.
Program Period | September 11 to November 2, 2017 |
---|---|
Accommodation | International House of Japan (I-House) |
Schedule | Monday, September 11: Commencement of Program September-October: Seminars with resource persons, fields trips, public forums etc. Main events
Thursday, November 2: End of program |
ALFP Fellows for 2017
HATANO Ayako
Visiting Scholar, U.S.-Asia Law Institute, New York University School of Law (Japan)

Fazal Khaliq
Reporter, Dawn Media Group / Cultural Activist (Pakistan)

Sudirman Nasir
Senior Lecturer and Researcher, Faculty of Public Health, Hasanuddin University (Indonesia)

Smita M. Patil
Assistant Professor, School of Gender and Development Studies, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) (India)

Phan Thanh Duc
Dean, Faculty of Management Information Systems, Banking Academy of Vietnam (Vietnam)

Saroj Srisai
Head, Environment Division, ASEAN Secretariat (Thailand)

Wang Xin
Deputy Director, Multimedia Center, Nanjing Daily (China)

The Fellows' profiles are available on ALFP website.
https://alfpnetwork.net/en/fellow/
The Program Overview in 2016
Grand Theme | Seeking Our Commons in Asia: How Can We Create Visions for the Future? |
---|---|
Program Period | September 5 to October 28, 2016 |
Accommodation | International House of Japan (I-House) |
Schedule | Mon., September 5: Commencement of the Program September-October: Seminars with resource persons, field trips, public seminar etc. Main events
Fri., October 28: The program ends |
ALFP Fellows for 2016
Ayang Utriza Yakin
Lecturer, UIN Jakarta / Vice-Chairman, Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama for Mosque Affairs(Indonesia)

Criselda Yabes
Writer / Journalist (Independent)(Philippines)

Saroj Srisai
Programme Coordinator, ASEAN Secretariat (Thailand)

Regrettably, Mr. Saroj Srisai's scheduled visit to Japan has been canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.
Phan Ngoc Diem Han
CEO Chief Executive Officer,
Rainbow Media & Entertainment (Vietnam)

Lee Taeho
Chair, Policy Committee,
People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) (Korea)

Kumar Sundaram
Senior Researcher, Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (India)

Amran Hossain
Faculty Member, Department of Political Science, University of Dhaka (Bangladesh)

FUJIOKA Emiko
Secretary General, Fukushima Beacon for Global Citizens Network (Japan)

The Fellows' profiles are available on ALFP website.
http://alfpnetwork.net/en/fellow/
Program Overview for 2015

Grand Theme | Seeking Our Commons in Asia: How Can We Create Visions for the Future? |
---|---|
Program Period | September 7 to October 31, 2015 |
Accommodation | International House of Japan (I-House) |
Schedule | September 7: Orientation、Welcoming Reception at International House of Japan 7Orientation、Welcoming Reception at International House of JapanSeptember-October: Seminars with resource persons, field trips, public seminar etc. Main events
October 31: The program ends |
*The Fellows were also invited to give lectures and talks at universities.

ALFP Fellows for 2015
Saranarat Kanjanavanit
Chairperson, Green World Foundation (Thailand)

Karen Lai Yu Lee
Programme Manager, Penang Women's Development Corporation (Malaysia)

Dinah Roma
Poet / Professor, Department of Literature, De La Salle University, Manila (Philippines)

Harry Surjadi
Executive Director, Society of Indonesian Science Journalists (Indonesia)

NOMURA Mai
Global Strategic Partnerships Manager, Central European University Business School, Hungary (Japan)

Yin Shuxi
Professor, Hefei University of Technology (China)

Arulanantham Sarveswaran
Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo (Sri Lanka)

Jaideep Hardikar
Special Correspondent, The Telegraph, India (India)

ALFP Follow-up projects
ALFP Lecture Series
This lecture series invites leading public intellectuals in Asia, mainly ALFP fellows, as speakers on different themes. It aims to share with a wider audience the fruits of ALFP networking over more than 20 years.
Lecture Series #1 Journalism in Asia: Searching for the Truth (This event now concluded)
Lecture Series #2 Bridging Divides and Disparities in Asia
ALFP e-magazine: Voices of Asia
Launched in spring 2018, the e-magazine is issued for the purpose of disseminating the thought of public intellectuals, mainly the ALFP fellows, working in civil society, as well as information directly from leaders in their fields related to current issues surrounding Asia.
Issue 1 "Democracy"
Issue 2 "Climate Change"
Issue 3 "Arts and Society"
Issue 4 "Culture and Identity"
Inquiries:
The Japan Foundation Asia Center
Arts, Culture and Exchange Section II
TEL:+81-3-5369-6025 FAX:+81-3-5369-6141