Asia Pacific Week was launched by Fiona Buffinton, Chief Executive
Officer of Australian Education International (Department of Education,
Science and Training) which funds the main sponsor of the event,
the International Centre of Excellence in Asia-Pacific Studies
at the
ANU. Other sponsors are: the National Institute for Asia
and the Pacific (NIAP, ANU), the Research School of Pacific and
Asian Studies (RSPAS,
ANU), the Centre for the Contemporary Pacific
(CCP,
ANU), the Embassy of the Netherlands, UNESCO, Australia-China
Council, the Australia-India Council, the Chinese Studies Association
of Australia, and the Korea Foundation.
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"Asian
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In
the largest gathering of its type, more than 100 academics and
218 researchers from 16 countries met at the ANU on 31 January
to 4 February for Asia-Pacific Week. The week featured an extensive
program of collaborative events, intensive workshops, seminars
and lectures for new regional researchers from Australia, Asia
and the Pacific, Europe, Africa and North America. 
The
closing ceremony for Asia Pacific Week got underway at 8 pm on
Friday the 4th in the Great Hall of University House. The Great
Hall was decorated with streams, balloons and candles in the red,
white and black colours of the week. This was complemented by
a wonderful slideshow, combining pictures taken throughout the
week.
The
program began in lively fashion with Indian dancing followed
by a wonderful mask dance preformed by the Indonesian group.
Having captured the attention of everyone the group leapt off
the stage and the hall exploded into dance with the music of
Pacific Groove and some karaoke styled singing by Vietnamese
group. Celebrations continue until midnight, concluding Asia
Pacific for 2005.