Asia Society will have a home in Melbourne

31 May 2018

Today in Hong Kong, Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews announced that Asia Society will soon have a home in Melbourne.

The new Asia Society Australia Centre will bring a world-class institution and programming to Australia’s global city. The Centre will expand on our work in Australia over the last 21 years educating and supporting organisations, businesses and people to strengthen ties in the Asia Pacific region.  

Premier Daniel Andrews, in China promoting partnerships, trade and investment opportunities, made the announcement in Hong Kong after meeting with Chairman of Asia Society Hong Kong Centre and Asia Society Global Chair Emeritus Mr Ronnie Chan. 

Premier Daniel Andrews said: “The new Asia Society Australia Centre will be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, and with our strong relationship with Asia through the arts, education, policy and business, it's only right it will be based in Melbourne.  

"The new Centre will build on our already strong ties with Asia and showcase Melbourne as Australia’s business and cultural gateway to the region."

The Melbourne Centre will promote a holistic understanding and engagement with Asia and be the Australian and the Southern Hemisphere home for the Asia Society’s global programs in policy, education and the arts. The Melbourne Centre will strengthen Asia Society’s national footprint and impact with presence in two of Australia’s major capital cities. The Centre will also serve as the Australian hub for the Center for Global Education at Asia Society, focussing on its ground-breaking work in global competence education.  

The Melbourne Centre will bring together leaders, experts and policy makers to address challenges and opportunities in Asia and Australia’s relations with the region.

We look forward to working with all our members, supporters and friends in making the Asia Society Australia Centre the nation’s most innovative and dynamic centre for engagement with Asia.

From Asia Society

Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, Asia Society Global Co-Chair said: “The Melbourne centre is an exciting new addition to Asia Society’s global network of 14 centres. The Centre will draw on Asia Society’s global convening power and network of leaders and changemakers to generate ideas and promote collaboration between Australia and Asia. This will also enable a stronger Australian voice in the discussions on the future of Asia”.

Doug Ferguson, Chairman of Asia Society Australia said: “Asia Society Australia and the Victorian Government are natural partners in the development of a critical piece of Melbourne’s intellectual infrastructure – a national and internationally-recognised and connected centre for engagement with Asia in the heart of Australia’s global city.”

Philipp Ivanov, CEO of Asia Society Australia said: “As Australia’s international education capital, the top destination for tourists from Asia, the home of one of the largest and most diverse Asian-Australian communities and Australia’s top exporter to Asia, Victoria is set to benefit from the rise of Asia. Asia Society play a role in strengthening Victoria's reputation as a national leader in Asia engagement."

The Hon Warwick Smith AM, Asia Society Global Trustee and Chairman Emeritus of Asia Society Australia said: “Asia Society Australia Centre will be an important addition to our national institutions for engagement with Asia. It will bring its unique multidisciplinary strengths and an unparalleled global network spanned across three continents to help shape the future for Australia in Asia.”
 

For further enquiries please contact: 

Philipp Ivanov, Chief Executive Officer 

programaustralia@asiasociety.org 

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