Students Chosen for Trip to Asia

During spring break, more than 70 Harvard undergraduates will participate in an exchange program with Asian universities as part of an annual trip organized by the Harvard College in Asia Project (HCAP).

Students will be going to conferences in Bangkok, Beijing, Singapore, and Tapei this March—marking the fist time that HCAP will be going to Thailand and Singapore, according to HCAP President Jonathan D. Einkauf ’06.

Since its founding in October 2003, HCAP has connected Harvard students with students from Asian universities. Every year, Asian universities send their students to Harvard on an exchange trip that occurs in February and Harvard students travel to Asia for a seven-to-nine-day conference over spring break, said Einkauf.

Einkauf said the goal of the conferences is to promote cultural understanding.

“We aim to educate Harvard students about Asia and to give Harvard students an opportunity to experience a part of the world they might not otherwise experience,” Einkauf said. “Our conferences feature significant student-to-student interaction in order to build lasting bonds between the leaders of tomorrow.”

During last year’s trip to Asia, Harvard students made presentations on American life that covered topics such as college admissions, dating, and the influence of religion in America, according to HCAP Vice President Daniel Mejia ’07, who is also a Crimson editor.

This year, in addition to making presentations, students will meet with prominent government leaders such as the chairman of the National Human Rights Committee of Thailand, said Einkauf.

Aside from presentations and political discussions, students will also participate in cultural and social activities such as Tai Chi, calligraphy, and badminton. Each delegation will also go to tourist sites, museums, and restaurants in their host cities, said Mejia.

Yesterday, the selected Harvard students gathered to learn their delegation placement and to be congratulated by HCAP officers. Over 150 people applied for fewer than 80 spots.

Samia S. Farooqi ’07 said that she was excited to participate in the Bangkok conference.

“It is a great opportunity to travel but not just as a tourist,” Farooqi said. “You get to communicate with your peers.”

Huma Farid ’06 said she was glad for the opportunity to go to Singapore.

“I have never been to any part of East Asia,” Farid said. “It seems like a very interesting culture and I would like to learn about it.”

Besides Harvard, four schools will participate in HCAP conferences this year—National University of Singapore, Peking University in Beijing, Thammasatt University in Bangkok, and National Taiwan University in Taipei.

Each school applied to HCAP in the fall by presenting its ideas for a March conference. HCAP officers selected the winning universities based on the quality of the proposed conferences.

—Staff writer Adrian J. Smith can be reached at smith9@fas.harvard.edu.