International Bulletin - December 1998
The Presentation of Thanpuying Sumalee Chartikavanij Honorary President of Pan Pacific and South East Asia Women's Association
 Opening reception dinner, left to right around the table; Raja Fuziah, Malaysia; Kyung Sook Kwon, Korea; Sachido Okuwera, Japan; Thanpuying Sumalee Chartikivanij, Thailand; Annie Lee, ROC; Moon Suh Huli, Korea; Fuziahís daughter Anita; Moon Sook Kim, Korea. |
Madame President, PPSEAWA sisters, Distinguished guests, Aloha - Sawasdi
The opportunity to spend a few days in Hawaii is a dream comes true for everybody in this world. I am more fortunate than many others because I had visited Hawaii twice before. It is indeed a privilege and a great pleasure for me to spend my third visit among my best friends. PPSEAWA sisters, I know that you are my true friends because you have given me a task to perform so I will realize that this visit is not a dream but a real happening in my life.
Dear sisters, I thank you most warmly for your loving gesture and for giving me the honour of speaking on this special occasion of the celebration of the Seventieth Anniversary of the founding of the Pan Pacific and South East Asia Women's Association. I will try my best to take you through 70 years of PPSEAWA achievement and to offer a guideline for our future, all within 20 minutes.
Let us go back to the year 1924. Right here in Honolulu on the lush and fertile Hawaii Island, the seed of a vision for women's conference was sown. It was carefully and lovingly nurtured by the eminent members of the Pan-Pacific Union. The strong seedling came out into the world in 1928 when the First Pan-Pacific Women's Conference was organized. More than 150 noted women representing 13 countries on the Pacific rim came to attend this significant meeting. The participants were from diverse backgrounds, cultures and training. Yet they were in unity in the belief that through better understanding and close relationship among women, the bond of peace among the people of Asia and Pacific will be strengthened. This mutual conviction began the history of PPSEAWA.
The Pan Pacific Women's Association was officially organized at the Second Conference in Honolulu in August 1930. Miss Jane Addams, United States' most prominent woman in social work and international effort for world peace was elected as the First President. The association was to be a federation of affiliated national associations in the Asia-Pacific area. Study and understanding were its aims, not action. Looking through the records of the following conferences up to the last one in Malaysia in 1997, "The Exchange of National Experience" is still of primary importance as it was in the beginning days.
The Second World War forced the cancellation of PPSEAWA Fifth Conference scheduled in New Zealand in 1940. Nine years later the conference was continued by the determination and deep responsibility of our Hawaiian members. At this time the world scenario had changed. There were no empire but many new countries. A new international mechanism had arisen - the United Nations with its headquarters in New York had the mandate to promote international unity and peace for all.
The second phase of PPSEAWA began with the Fifth Conference in Honolulu in 1949 with the theme "Pacific Women Unite for the United Nations" Miss Josephine Schain from USA was elected President. She was well-respected at the United Nations as well as well-known among women leaders in various countries, she was instrumental in bringing PPSEAWA into closer relations with the United Nations and its members. At this period of time PPSEAWA was 21 years of age with sufficient experience to participate in the new mechanism of international politic and development. PPSEAWA decided to go further across the Pacific Ocean to include new friends on the Asia continent.
In 1952, the First PPSEAWA International Newsletter came out as an important means of communication between members and for public relations with the United Nations' members. Another significant milestone for the growth of PPSEAWA in this year was the recognition of PPSEAWA as a member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Consultative Status B. This privilege has been maintained positively by succeeding councils up to the present.
The Seventh Conference was held in Manila, Philippines in 1955. It was the First PanPacific Conference to be held in an Asian city. At this conference, the words "and South East Asia" were added to the name of the association. The horizon of PPSEAWA finally stretched to the other rim of the Pacific Ocean and later even beyond.
During the Sixties and Seventies, the world changed rapidly. New method of development were introduced. Women need continuing education both formal and non-formal to successfully meet the new challenges as well as to preserve the cultural heritage. That was the theme of the Tenth Conference in the year 1964 in the Kingdom of Tonga under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Salote. It was a special memorable conference combining Pacific hospitality, mutual understanding and learning.
The Golden Jubilee of PPSEAWA was celebrated in Apia, Western Samoa in 1978. The record of the association mentioned a very moving message delivered by Princess Salamasina. Our beloved Fatavi Mata'afa was Conference Chairman. The incoming President was Miss Annie William of Fiji. PPSEAWA was proud of our Pacific sisters who had ably taken very active roles of the association.
During the next ten years PPSEAWA Conference circled around the Asia-Pacific as never before. Beginning with the unique Fifteenth Conference in USA in 1981 with combined locations of a university campus in Saratoga Spring and the excitement of working within the headquarters of the United Nations. PPSEAWA next conference was in Japan in 1984. With 442 delegates from 20 countries it was by far the largest conference ever. The Seventeenth Conference in Canberra, Australia in 1988 was celebration of the Sixtieth years of the founding of PPSEAWA.
In Asian belief, for a person to reach that grand age, one has to be healthy, wealthy and wise. Our association was certainly strong and active with continued increasing number of members. We had the wealth of half of the world's resources in our continent, and, we were much wiser through the 60 years led by the distinguished and successful international women leaders.
Our next conference in 1990 was in Thailand. PPSEAWA members shared the accommodation and worked in the setting of a Thai village outside Bangkok. Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of Thailand graciously entertained PPSEAWA members at a tea party in the Grand Palace. It was a symbolic event to the theme of the conference "The Changing World: Our Heritage and Our Future".
During 1992 to 1995 PPSEAWA was entrusted with a tremendous task - to serve as Focal Point for Asia and Pacific for the organization of NGO Forum on Women, Beijing '95. Our members in all countries joined hands and worked endlessly for 4 years as the Asia and Pacific NGO Working Group. Our achievement was a legend to pass on to younger generation. In the NGO Forum Finai Report, one paragraph adequately summed up our activities. 'Participation in the regional events far exceeded expectations of organizers these regional NGO Forums enabled NGOs to discuss their vision, concerns and action plans NGOs pulled together a lobbying document, providing NGO output to the UN regional Plan of Action. Beginning with Asia/Pacific each region organized seminars on the UN system and on lobbying techniques to enable increasing numbers of NGOs to influence the intergovernmental conference effectively.'
I am sure if Miss Josephine Schain, Mrs.Helen Fowler and Dr.Persia Campbell could learn of PPSEAWA's achievement in the work of the United Nations, they would be proud and pleased that they had passed on to us the valuable relations with the United Nations which PPSEAWA had cherished, and enriched.
PPSEAWA Conference in Nuku'alofa, Tonga was in 1994 under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Mata'aho. Princess Nanasipau'u Tuku'aho was Conference Chairman. To many who did not attend Tonga Conference in 1964, the conference was the realization of the dream of going to the Kingdom of Tonga. Many who came back were enraptured by the balance of economic and social growth and the presentation of tradition and culture. Amidst the beautiful setting of that conference, PPSEAWA made a very important decision, to incorporate the association.
The Twentieth Conference in 1997 in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia was under the patronage of Her Excellency Dato'Seri Dr. Siti Hasmah bte Haji Mohd Ali. The President of PPSEAWA Malaysia, Datuk Ann Abdul Majeed served as Conference Chairman. The delegates worked on the theme "Strengthening Alliances for a Better World Towards the 21st Century" PPSEAWA members were encouraged to play a more positive role in economic and social development for equality, development and peace. The conference accepted the draft of the new By-Laws of PPSEAWA and the incorporation of the association in Hawaii. It was decided that the elected officer from Hawaii could also serve as the association's Incorporating Director.
Today, we are celebrating PPSEAWA Seventieth Anniversary. The seed of a vision for women's conference has come to be a full-grown tree spreading its seeds all over the AsiaPacific continent. Most of the seedlings in-turn develop into sturdy trees which scatter more seedlings in its country.
At present, 20 members associations are parts of international PPSEAWA in continuing the original objectives of
- Strengthening the bonds of peace by promoting better understanding and friendship among the women of all Asia-Pacific countries and
- Initiating and promoting cooperation for the study and betterment of existing conditions
Dear PPSEWA sisters, as we gather here for this pleasant luncheon, an economic storm in Asia is spreading. Many PPSEAWA members are suffering the consequences of this disastrous economic crisis. It is indeed a difficult time which I believe will extend until the year 2000.
His Majesty The King of Thailand recently advised the Thai people ' To minimise the requirement in living . To work and live in sustainable economic .... to be patient and not to expect speedy recovery start changing the way of life immediately before it is too late.' Taking His Majesty's advice I would recommend streamlining PPSEAWA to meet the challenges of the future.
Big international conference may not be possible in the year 2000. But smaller conference with Council Meeting could be held with special activities to benefit the members of the host country and those who could attend. One copy of the proceedings of the conference should be sent to all member associations so they can share the experience. Also, the Regional Vice Presidents can assist in informing the details of the conference to the member associations who could not attend.
Keep our members in close contact using the international bulletin, three copies for each member. Ask them to translate what are of their interest in their own bulletins. Regional Vice Presidents could encourage members to send news as often as they wish.
Continue working with the United Nations, selecting a few issues to liaise with UN offices situated in member countries or near by. The members in that country should be invited to represent PPSEAWA so that they can participate actively without paying travel expenses.
Encourage member associations in the same region to jointly organize the activities that PPSEAWA wish to support. Whenever possible, advise them to seek international funding for their work. A list of funding agencies could be made by PPSEAWA representatives working within the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
In conclusion, my vision of PPSEAWA in the near future is a small but effective organization with members working in harmony. PPSEAWA members shall join hearts and hands carry on our responsibilities ceaselessly around the clock. Doesn't the sun first rises in Tonga, travel across other member associations and finally sets in Samoa. At every moment of the day our PPSEAWA sisters are working to better our world.
My dear sisters,... morning, noon and night... PPSEAWA forever.
Last Modified: June 05, 2010