Celebrating 30 years of Asia Forum: Enriching the New Zealand conversation about relations with Asia

Founding the Asia Forum to help fill the gap in New Zealanders’ understanding of Asia

In the mid-1990s Dr Farib Sos, then a Wellington-based business academic had a thought provoking discussion with Roger Hargreaves, a British diplomat who had just arrived in New Zealand from Hong Kong. Roger reflected to Farib that, contrary to what Roger expected, New Zealanders didn’t appear to know a lot about Asia which could leave them behind in terms of developing closer linkages with Asian countries.

Dr Farib Sos. Image: Asia New Zealand Foundation

Farib, together with academic and Asia expert Dr Tim Beal and with the support of the British High Commission, and Athol Mann, then Executive Dean at Victoria University of Wellington, responded to Roger’s observations by establishing the Asia Forum in 1995, just a year after the Asia New Zealand Foundation was established. Since then, the Asia Forum has served as a well-organised platform for academics visiting diplomats, ASEAN members, New Zealanders who had lived in Asia and others to share their experiences and learn from each other. From humble beginnings, over the years speakers have included Helen Clark, Jim Bolger, Sir Geoffrey Palmer, former Secretary General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, businessperson and Myanmar expert Denis Win Thein, and political scientist and former Member of the Senate of Thailand, Chai-Anan Samudavanija.

Many of the speakers and friends of the Asia Forum are also involved with the Asia New Zealand Foundation, and both organisations continue to collaborate today, for example, by holding joint discussion events.

Serving as a platform for rich discussion

Gary Hawke, Emeritus Professor, School of Government at Victoria University of Wellington who has been involved as a speaker and long-time friend of the Forum, says the Forum has always been a model of voluntary and disinterested enquiry, discussion and debate on significant issues. “I recall former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating's quip that Asia is what you fly over on the way to Europe and regard Asia Forum as an antidote to the lingering influence of such feelings.”

Malcolm McKinnon, Research fellow in the School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations, at Victoria University of Wellington, also a speaker and friend of the Forum expresses a similar view: “Asia Forum has facilitated contributions to and discussions about New Zealand's understanding of Asia that have drawn on a range of individuals, some of whom would not come within the ambit of university institutes, think tanks and the like. In this way, Asia Forum has enriched the New Zealand conversation about relations with Asia.” 

An Asia Forum event, featuring a discussion with then-Singapore High Commissioner to New Zealand, Justice (RET.) MPH Rubin. Image: Supplied/Asia Forum

Farib Sos – an expert at bringing people together with kindness and humility

While Farib first thought of himself as someone who didn’t know too much about Asia, Roger’s advice was “start with what you know.” Accordingly, Farib was the first speaker of Asia Forum, talking about Cambodia, the country he grew up in before moving to  New Zealand to take up a Colombo Plan Scholarship in 1972.

Simon Watt, a commercial barrister at Clifton Chambers and former Barrister at Bell Gully, the legal firm which supports the Asia Forum by providing a venue and refreshments, is impressed by “the irrepressible energy that Farib has brought to the Forum over three decades.” Simon has a long-held interest in Asia; as the son of a diplomat he was born in Thailand and spent time in China. Simon says Farib’s deft networking skills have been central to the longevity of the Forum: ”Farib has had an extraordinary ability to secure Ministers and the most senior government officials and leading academics from New Zealand and overseas as speakers – it’s very rare for anyone to turn him down.” Similarly Malcolm comments on Farib's “unrivalled skill in getting people to contribute!” 

 It is unsurprising then that in July 2015, Farib was presented with the NZ ASEAN 40th Anniversary Award. The award recognised his significant contribution to New Zealand’s deepening relationship with the region developed through the Forum and his sizeable contribution to Volunteer Services Abroad (for which he was awarded VSA Life Member in 2017).

Farib was the first speaker of Asia Forum to talk about Cambodia - his home county. Image: Unsplash

Navigating the challenges associated with a political discussion forum

Building trust and maintaining relationships are key to the success of the Forum. Simon says Farib has cultivated an environment at Forum meetings which is relaxed, informal and unstructured. “Farib’s enthusiasm, warmth and gentle manner creates an inclusive atmosphere that makes everyone feel comfortable and the conversation flows freely and frankly.”

Farib has always spoken of the forum as an opportunity for speakers to convey a set of perspectives so that audience members can make up their minds, rather than the Forum dictating that. He believes it is also important to remain non-partisan and to know how to handle sensitive topics or confidential information. When pushed for his opinion on certain topics, Farib takes an approach of acknowledging what a person has said or giving himself space to consider the optics of specific requests that could make the Forum appear biased. Vangelis Vitalis, Deputy Secretary (Trade and Economic) at New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, a speaker at and keen attendee of the Forum, sees merit in open and independent fora like this, including to gain overseas perspectives on New Zealand’s approach to trade policy and to help inform approaches on a range of trade-related issues, challenges and opportunities.

July celebrations – a Gala dinner at Government House

On 3rd July Farib, along with Her Excellency The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, patron of the Asia Forum, is hosting a gala dinner. The dinner marks 30 years of the Asia Forum and 50 years of ASEAN. Farib would like to use the occasion to acknowledge everyone that has been helping the Asia Forum over the years, including Bell Gully, the Honourable John Luxton CNZM QSO (who has since passed away) and “and all these people that keep the flag waving. To all the speakers, the sponsors, I can't say thank you enough to them. Without them there is no Asia Forum.”

Farib says over the years he has benefited from the Asia Forum by learning to deal with differences, disagreements and how to work and move forward together. “It is about respect, integrity and tolerance plus building relationships and trust in my fellow human beings. We are all different in various ways and it is critical not to leave anyone behind.”

Learn more about the Asia Forum and upcoming talks here

Asia Media Centre