Asia Society Australia would like to invite you to a public program as part of Adelaide’s OzAsia Festival on the role of Australia’s Asian communities in strengthening our connection with the region.

Join leading voices from diplomacy, business, media and the arts to explore how Asian Australians shape our modern multicultural identity and foster deeper understanding and connections with Asia.

The panel will share their personal journeys and explore the pivotal roles these communities play in bridging the gap between Australia and the world’s most consequential region.

This event is free to attend and is part of the OzAsia Festival’s Weekend of Words

Date: Thursday 31 October 2024

Time: 6:00pm to 7:00pm

Location: Quartet Bar, Adelaide Festival Centre

Click here to register your attendance. Registration is essential.

Speakers

Dr Courtney J. Fung, Associate Professor in the Department of Security Studies & Criminology, Macquarie University. 

Dr. Fung is concurrently Non-Resident Fellow at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Harvard University; at Asia Society Australia, and at the Lowy Institute. She is also part of the Graduate Research and Development Network on Asian Security (GRADNAS) initiative. She was a Fulbright scholar at Georgetown University for spring 2024 through the DFAT-funded Professional Scholarship in Australian-American Alliance Studies. 

Dr. Fung's book, China and Intervention at the UN Security Council: Reconciling Status (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2019) explains the effects of status on China's varied response to intervention and foreign-imposed regime change at the United Nations. Her book was shortlisted for the BISA LHM Ling Outstanding First Book Prize and received the 2019 - 2020 HKU Research Output Prize for the Faculty of Social Sciences.

She is on the Board of Advisors of the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University and with the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations. 

Francis Wong OAM, Chairman, Australia-ASEAN Business Forum

Francis Wong is an accomplished Australian Asian entrepreneur, and company director with 30 years of experience in developing positive trade, investments, tourism, and cultural developments between Australia and Asia, operating from Adelaide, South Australia.

He also previously served at Board director for Tourism Australia, Business Advisory Panel for Department of Immigration, Councillor for City of Adelaide, Chair for Council for International Trade and Commerce SA, Director Adelaide United Football Club, Women’s & Children Hospital Foundation, Adelaide Festival Centre Foundation and many other charity and industry bodies.

In the past decade, he has been a great advocate for the business communities of ASEAN and Australia through his position as Organising Chairmanship for the Australia-ASEAN Business Forum. For his effort, he was recognised by the ASEAN Heads of Mission Committee in Australia with “The Outstanding Contribution to Australia-ASEAN Economic and Community Award” in 2022.

Dr Boram Lee, Senior Lecturer in Arts and Cultural Management , University of South Australia 

Dr Boram Lee is a Senior Lecturer in Arts and Cultural Management at the University of South Australia and co-director of Cultural and Creative Enterprise at the Centre for Enterprise Dynamics in Global Economies (C-EDGE). Her research interests encompass cross-cultural and interdisciplinary studies, including art markets, festivals, international collaboration, disability arts, and artists' career development. Originally from Korea, Boram has lived and worked in both Scotland and Australia. She actively supports South Australia’s arts community as a board member of Patch Theatre, the oldest children's theatre in Australia, and Nexus Arts, which promotes excellence in culturally diverse and intercultural artistic practices. Boram is passionate about fostering diversity, inclusion, and access in the arts through her teaching, research, and collaborative projects with industry partners.

Daljeet Bakshi, Journalist

Daljeet Bakshi is an accredited journalist, media professional, community leader with over a decade of experience in guiding organizations to effectively engage with their target audiences, convey key messages, and enhance operational efficiency. His career highlights include launching a digital and magazine, video news and program spearheading successful fundraising campaigns, community initiatives , covering local, interstate, national and international events and publishing a multitude of articles, national and international video news .

Currently, Daljeet volunteers as the Coordinator for Australian Sikh Support SA, a Multicultural Ambassador for the Mental Health Foundation of Australia SA, member of the Multicultural Steering Committee for Port Adelaide Football Club SA, member of Multicultural Men's Council MCCSA SA and Ambassador for Australia Day 2025 ADCSA.

This event is presented in partnership with the Oz Asia Festival.