The Asia Foundation hosts special events in New York, including salons, galas, Books for Asia readings, publisher appreciations, Board of Trustee events, and issue briefings, where we sometimes partner with organizations such as the Council on Foreign Relations or Asia Society. Each spring we honor recipients of our Lotus Leadership Awards at a special gala. The evening event is a platform for advancing the rights and opportunities of women and girls, and proceeds support innovative women’s empowerment projects.  In 2016, the First Lady of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Mrs. Rula Ghani was honored for her efforts to improve the quality of life for women in Afghanistan. Carnegie Corporation of New York was also honored for their work supporting women’s education in Afghanistan. The Lotus Circle is a vibrant community of individuals, foundations and corporations who raise private capital to rapidly respond to threats and challenges facing women in Asia.

At our intimate ‘issue salons,’ our experts speak candidly and off-the-record to audiences of business leaders, international development professionals, economists, policymakers, and journalists. New York audiences have enjoyed engaging on a range of dynamic and contemporary issues including high impact digital libraries in Asia and the future of Afghanistan.