By Kardison Lumban Batu, BEc, MSc

Lecturer of Polytechnic State of Pontianak, Business Administration

Westk Kalimantan

When a group takes time out for gathering at a retreat, the whole should gain benefit, it supposed to be and hopefully yes. Any amount of time taken to get away and focus on good leadership and collaboration will bear fruit in the lives of individuals and the social life! With a whole world of needs and possibilities facing us, how do we decide what to give our life and energies to? This retreat has always recognized that offered mutual benefit and contains social value for all of us to implement and apply that common good in Asia in our daily life and environment. From my perspective in the Retreats held in Beijing, our main objective is to eliminate all distractions from each and every barricade to allow the good deed work in a multitude of lives.

Here are a few things I’ve noticed and gained in the Retreat held in Beijing.

•    Renewed and refreshed, we are able to share the key truths that gave us a new perspective in Leadership, Networking, Cooperation, Caring, Social Life, and even Collaboration

•    Unity developed among us at the retreat spreads through the whole week as we return to fellowship and home.

•    Relationships at home are dealt with in a more positive and hopeful manner due to the chance to rest and find renewal in good relationship

•    Revived and restored teachers and leaders are better prepared to encourage and minister.

•    Developing deeper and more trusting relationships among us

•    Inspiring teammates to sprint to the finish on an important project for any purposes

•    Convincing each other on the ability and skill owning

•    Inspiring, encouraging all participants to become lifelong learners and agent of change.

•    Creating enthusiasm and negotiating during a difficult change

•    Negotiating a complex contract that benefits all sides

•    Nurturing a corporate culture that engenders loyalty and retention

•    Being Present not pretentious.

•    Reaching Out not looking down.

•    Understanding the role of the effective leader in an organization

•    Ability to assess our natural leadership style, and identify areas for development and improvement.

•    Learning how to make decisions to involve team members to a lesser or greater degree, depending on the circumstances of each situation.

•    Learning to communicate, delegate, and follow through effectively, to help the team deliver organization results and develop group capacities and strengths

Why should you go to retreat?

•    Leadership sharing. We have learnt on leadership by sharing the leadership skill since all the participants noticeable an enthusiastic person and available for future leader.

•    To get acquainted. Others benefit by gaining acquainted, the result of networking is always been fruitful.

•    To have Fun. It was a great moment and golden opportunity to have you all there and having fun as well.

I do strongly believe that in our deepest heart that we have strong wish to have reunion again, please do not let us meet once in a life time. Hopefully we can encounter at the next BABA, meeting, seminar, workshop or even the summit of Asian Leader in the near future. Keep you all in my heart.

By Mohammad Afzal Hossain Akand

On the beginning of my writing I want say I am grateful to Ajit Kumar Barua, Chairperson, Bangladesh Scholarship Council for bringing me in a global community, Shawrabh Kumar Barua, President ,BSC Alumni Society, to help me as much as a man can & All BSC officials specially Jamal Bhai to be with me in all matters related to BSC.

A Better Asia: Future Leaders Dialogue is a retreat program by the Nippon foundation for its Alumni members. Over the last few decades the NFG had built an outstanding record of private philanthropy which has to date supported and implemented a variety of people exchange and human resources development projects all over the world. The almost 30,000 alumni across the globe therefore represent a vast and diverse pool of talent and potential

Building a Better Asia is a theme of Nippon Foundation. This theme has four key elements as shared prosperity, Common Security, Ecological Balance and Human Security.

The first element is shared prosperity. Economic growth is critical to Asia’s security and well-being. But it must be shared. The region must ensure that no country and sub region is left behind, or turns out to be a loser in globalization. The benefits of growth must be distributed evenly, both within and between nations. The task of eliminating poverty and depravation in all parts of Asia should be urgent.

The second is common security. A regional capacity for peacekeeping and peace building and humanitarian operations must be developed with the consent and active participation of all the countries.

Third element is ecological balance. Environment is truly the common heritage of mankind and the region. Environmental stress respects no national boundaries. Asia faces severe challenges to its environment. Rapid economic growth and rising energy consumption in Asia’s major economic players .So it should be balanced also.

Fourth element is human security. Unlike state or national security, human security focuses on the safety and dignity of the individual. Human security includes freedom from fear as well as freedom from want. Ensuring human security requires protecting human rights through national and international action.

Ensuring these four key elements BABA Retreat program is designed on three main goals. They are as below:

First, it hopes to bring together alumni of Nippon Foundation Group with leadership potential to discuss issues of contemporary relevance and importance.

Second, it seeks to strengthen the networks among these alumni.

Third, it endeavors to encourage Nippon Foundation Group alumni to work together for the benefit of their collective communities.

The third goal integrates the four key elements as “shared prosperity, Common Security, Ecological Balance and Human Security” of BABA. This is the way How The Nippon Foundation Think a Better Asia..

Now I am going to describe the retreat patterns and their probable outcome.

The retreat program was Sixth in number. It started 13th September and ended on the 20th September, 2009.The Nippon Foundation, Asian Dialogue Society and Peking University was the organizers. Global Exchange Centre of Peking University was the Meeting Venue .19 participants among 14 countries of Asia were present as the future leader of Asia. I was the only one participant from Bangladesh. This retreat program seems to be a think tank for the betterism of whole Asia.

Format of the retreat was split into four main categories. They were lectures, leadership activities, group discussions and organic study tours. The lectures set the tone for the retreat, by bringing up important contemporary issues and sharing the vast and interesting of the distinguished resource persons. There were various management-style leadership activities to impart a philosophy of leadership to the retreat participants. In what was termed an “open session,” retreat participants were made to come up with topics and trends to be discussed. Discussions were led by participants with the help of the resource persons and facilitators. Each night the resource persons were engaged in a long open conversation, where participants were encouraged to ask them about their leadership and life experiences. Study tours to get a sense of the hyper-local environment are arranged for the participants.

On The retreat, there was an emphasis on digital communication, in the form of audio, internet and video. Social media and various other web-based technologies were harnessed to get a discussion going before the retreat, and to ensure that it continues long into the future.

We had eleven Interactive sessions, several discussions, leadership planning, teamwork and Leadership session, and Group presentation how to build a better Asia.

There was a very good session by Mr. Shuichi Ohno, Executive Director, The Nippon Foundation on The Nippon Foundation and Its Work.

Mr. M. Rajaretnam, Program Director, Building A Better Asia: young Leaders Retreat, have several speeches which were very important for us to grow and mindset in Building A Better Asia He was the core person of this program

Mr. T Ogata, President, Nippon Foundation was another core person on that retreat program.

The session of Value Innovation by Johnson Paul, Deputy Director, National Library Board, Singapore was very interesting because we learned the mechanism how to make an idea into a project.

The session of Dr. William Sabandar on Cyclone Nargis Disaster Management gave us a true learning about Disaster Management which will help all the participants of Asia because we have frequent flood, cyclone, tsunami and earthquake.

The Session s of Anupam Saraph on Habits of Effective Leaders made us frequent with the habits of world leaders as Mahatma Gandhi, George Washington, Nelson Mandela,Mau se Tong, Sheikh Mujib and other global leaders.

The session of Professor Goodman on Education & Leadership was also very good because he discovered the linkage of education & leadership on the session.

Each of the sessions we learned how a leader behaves, how they think, how they work. We also knew about the influencing power of leaders, Using of thinking hats to influence others.

Most of the sessions and conversations we talked about the common things that we can share and the common goal we can target to achieve. Every time we were busy for the betterment of Asian countries. We planned how to work, how to integrate a plan and how to make the Betterism for Asian countries.

We tried our best for making a common strategy for the equal development in common goods of Asian Countries and sharing the knowledge base for the countries.

Finally we made a common projection of the participants on Building a Better Asia which is the strategy made by us for Building A Better Asia. Each of the participants gave their own target and strategy to achieve the goals and finally we integrated the goals by making an integrated target oriented strategy in a common platform which will lead us to our dream Building a better Asia through Building the common Good in Asia.

I want to thank The Nippon Foundation for doing better things for Asian people, Mr Rajaretnam for being a think tank for a Better Asia, Miss Vicky Honda For International Networking to make the dream Successful, Mary Kanniga for helping us in all the possible ways, Akira and Rina for being the Great Two Facilitators, My Friends i.e. all participants of the retreat programs in the retreat program for sharing their knowledge and feelings, All of the resource Persons for directing us in a creative way , Fantastic Four ,Yang Ying and Jessica from Peking University for guide us in all matters.

Finally I want to give my Salute to Ajit Kumar Barua, Chairperson, Bangladesh Scholarship Council & the Nippon Foundation for supporting the meritorious students of Bangladesh through Bangladesh Scholarship Council. And I promise that I will try my best to work with BSC and TNF. All other alumni of BSC and TNF should try their best to work with the organization for Building a Better Asia, The Dream of all Asian People

Let’s work…Lets think Out of the Box. For the Betterism of Asia.

Mohammad Afzal Hossain Akand

Assistant Director, Bangladesh Bank, Head Office, Dhaka

Email:roney0009(at)gmail.com

(Sept 13 – 20, 2009)

I came to Beijing one afternoon in early Sept, where BABA 6 Retreat was organized from Sept 13 to 20, 2009. The weather was perfect and I was totally relaxed without any depression or pressures at all. I did attend similar workshops and retreats before, each time, I was so tired and worried as I had tried to fulfill what I was supposed to do. This time was completely different, I did not have to be responsible for anything, except, I was requested to prepare one presentation from home to share with everyone at the retreat. So interesting, because that was the first time to experience of Pecha Kucha presentation style, the topic was free of choice. I was supposed to present in ten slides to convey my ideas to the audiences with twenty seconds for each slide and not more than twenty words in each slide. My first thinking is that, it may be a bit tough for me as I am used to talking a lot whenever I have a chance to present and I thought that 200 seconds of presentation is just enough for my introduction only.

Pecha Kucha – style presentations

I have a habit, it is so much job orientation, that I always look forward to clear objectives set up at the beginning of each workshop or retreat and then review if those objectives are able to be achieved at the end. When Mr. Raja, on the first day, announced the retreat was for getting to know one another and building network for later on, I was so released. However, when I got more involved in later days I realized that I got a lot, more than my expectations. So what were the most significant things I gained for myself then?

First, a part from getting to know one another and building network, I did change a bit about my styles of a leader. I was so much Asian traditional orientation; never dared to step out of old box of thinking and not so much initiative as well.

Second, I was having so many privileges to be updated and shared with different perspectives from global speakers at the retreat on different international hot topics. Those topics are not new to all of us, but the motivations were that we realized our potentials of real leaders in this world, specifically in our Asia and our extended hands for sharing, discussing and solving international problems are inevitable with our full great honors. From those different perspectives, I feel like I have more encouragements and empowerments to work toward my communities and people living around me.

Third, I did learn valuable skills from Fantastic Four and Amazing Two, their approaching and mobilizing methods are what young leaders should learn for themselves. Amazingly, not only skills but also meanings brought to us throughout various games they facilitated, all were so meaningful. One of their games reminded me that it is not always good if a leader keeps chasing new things or new promotions but sometimes leaders should know where and when to stop for a while on their journeys, look back what have been done and value what leaders got and achieved . Diversity of designed activities was also one of special points need learning; interactions with different people, indoor and outdoor activities gave participants a sense of close cooperation, critical thinking and problem solving. Which, of course, urged and nurtured our common vision and bonding toward a betterment of ourselves and of an Asia.

One of the exercises with the Fantastic Four

Coming back to the meaning of this retreat; young leader with common good in Asia, yes, your leaders’ styles, your thoughts and your perspectives toward a better Asia may be different from mine. However, Baba 6 was a forum for such different leaders and different ideas from different countries in Asia to share and merge into one common vision. Moving forwards to one common vision of a betterment in Asia in the future, of which, efforts to build a better Asia may not possible for one individual but it is highly possible if a strong network with enthusiasm to share and act toward a betterment of Asia from all Asian families, especially, all BABA families. On the top of what had been going on in one week in Beijing, I have to say that the retreat really opened a new door to me. That door is not going from one room to another but it is a door outreaching my mind to a new world, where I have a network of fabulous international friends but importantly, I am empowered and motivated toward my next steps in my life. As a member of Baba 6, I also dedicate myself to a better Asia by trying my best to fulfill by current job of a development worker; working with the poor and vulnerable people to improve their lives. I believe that suffering from poverty and illiteracy are the main reasons affecting to a betterment Asia.

Tran Quang Tuan, Vietnam, Personal Reflection on BABA 6

Shuichi Ohno, Executive Director of Nippon Foundation spoke on the activities of Nippon Foundation . He also demonstrated the history , financing ,affiliation, budget ,recent programs, success rate of Nippon Foundation, .He talked about the future and future planning of Nippon Foundation The session was very good and enjoyable.. He answered several issues raise by the participants

10:30 Interactive session Technology and Democracy

Dr Anupam Saraph discussed on the election commission of India. He demonstrated his recent election and the election process of India. He also arose some issues which can be reformed for the perfect and transparent election in India. He talked on Privacy and secrecy of election commission. He insisted on Right to Information Act. He answered several issues raise by the participants from his lecture.

13:30 Interactive session: Value Innovation

Johnson Paul was the resourse person of this session. He talked about Innovation criteria’s. Techniques, Planning Process, Six Steps in Decision taking. he showed us a lot of examples and models of Innovation Ideas.

15:30 Walking in the streets of Beijing

Walking in Beijing city in different types of places, such as The Olympic Village and the free market, Software park we can find some thing positive, something negative and also others we don’t know how to make a comment. And the most important thing is to interview the people we met.This session was very enjoyable and fantastic because it was organized by fantastic four. Beijing people are happy people!

20:00 presentation on your achivements walking in the streets

Each group’s presentation is impressive and initiative.,All of the grups tried their best for finding and focusing the positive matters of Beijing. Actually there are very low negative thing in Beijing. Presentation session wasvery enjoyable and also lively.

Personal impressions or opinions

Li Bing Zhong:

Today most of the participants has a deep impression about the Nippon Foundation and identified with it much. And also our mind are experiecing an revolution and began to think about what the Nippon Foundation means to us, to Asia and to the world. Of course the most intersting thing for us today is to travel in Beijing and feel the Beijing culture. In sum, it is an intelligeable, creative and enjoyable day.

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Mohammad Afzal Hossain Akand

Today I was very happy because I knew a lot of thinf about The Nipon Foundation.I have lack of Knowledge on this organization which was met today.The other two session was basically Khowledge sharing based.Today the city strreet walking was the best program for the because I like to know people and also like make friends.Meet the Beijing was a dream by me and this was partially filled today.The last session was also attaractive because everyone demonstrated what he saw in Beijing.