The Asia Foundation Honors Ban Ki-moon in San Francisco

'Leaders On the Frontlines' Honoring Ban Ki-moon, Featuring the 2018 Asia Foundation Development Fellows. San Francisco, 11 September 2018.

San Francisco, August 30, 2018 — On September 11 in San Francisco, The Asia Foundation will present the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon with the Chang-Lin Tien Distinguished Leadership Award in recognition of his significant leadership in international development. Award-winning broadcast journalist Sydnie Kohara will serve as the emcee for the evening’s program, “Leaders on the Frontlines: Asia’s Leaders of Today and Tomorrow.” The annual celebration of exceptional leadership – both legacy and rising – will also showcase Asia’s next-generation leaders represented by the 2018 cohort of Asia Foundation Development Fellows. Headquartered in San Francisco, The Asia Foundation is a leading international NGO committed to helping Asian leaders meet today’s most pressing challenges.

Leaders from the philanthropic, business, and diplomatic sectors are expected to attend the award dinner featuring special remarks by the honoree on emerging leadership in a changing Asia. The Asia Foundation has long been recognized for its ability to convene changemakers—individuals, organizations, and policymakers who are shaping Asia’s future—and to be the catalyst for creative solutions to the most critical challenges facing Asia. The evening will spotlight the Foundation’s signature leadership programs: the Chang-Lin Tien Distinguished Fellowship and the Asia Foundation Development Fellows Program: Emerging Leadership for Asia’s Future.

The Distinguished Leadership Award is awarded to a prominent leader in Asia who best exemplifies Dr. Chang-Lin Tien’s and the Foundation’s commitment to working for an open, peaceful, and prosperous Asia-Pacific region. The prestigious program honors Dr. Tien – the late Chair of The Asia Foundation’s Board of Trustees and former Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley – who is widely respected for his achievements in science, higher education, and U.S.-Asia dialogue. Building on Dr. Tien’s legacy, the program provides an opportunity for senior Asian leaders to share their knowledge and perspective on issues critical to Asia’s development and growth.

The Development Fellows program reflects The Asia Foundation’s six-decade tradition of investing in the region’s most promising future leaders. Each year, the program brings together  emerging changemakers who are shaping Asia’s future and addressing corruption, ethnic conflicts, environmental challenges, and other urgent challenges.

The Asia Foundation is grateful to Presenting Sponsor Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. Chevron is a Fellowship Sponsor. Alibaba Group, H&Q Asia Pacific, and Mastercard are Visionary Sponsors.

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia. Informed by six decades of experience and deep local expertise, our work across the region addresses five overarching goals—strengthen governance, empower women, expand economic opportunity, increase environmental resilience, and promote regional cooperation.

Read more about the Foundation’s work. For media inquiries, please visit our News Room.

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Media contact

Eelynn Sim, Director, Strategy and Programs
[email protected]

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