Australia: Kevin Rudd’s Asian Honeymoon

Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd recently unveiled his vision for making Australia the most “Asia-literate country” in the West. In continuation of this theme Rudd would be the keynote speaker at the fortnight-long OzAsia cultural festival at Adelaide that showcases arts, music and dances of Asia-Pacific region.

A special symposium would be held on the occasion “to explore the challenges and opportunities for closer cultural engagement with Asia in the 21st Century.”

According to Rudd: “Australia’s future will also depend on our ability to engage constructively and effectively with the countries of the Asia Pacific. That is why I am committed to making Australia the most Asia-literate country in the collective West.”

The Australian prime minister’s vision is a refreshing departure from other powerful world leaders who are seeking alliances with one another primarily based on military and economic considerations. Pity the US leaders never attempted any cultural interaction with Iraq and Afghanistan in the past six years of engagement in the two countries.

The Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier said, “I encourage everyone to sample the delights of Australasian culture that are on offer in this year’s program. The Festival is an exciting time for the Adelaide Festival Centre as we continue to cultivate relationships with our Asian neighbours as well as Australian artists with an Asian heritage.”

The 2008 OzAsia Festival program also includes an eclectic mix of dance, music, theatre, visual art, food and free events, involving a wide variety of Australian and Asian artists and a number of Australian premieres. For the first time, in 2008 the OzAsia Festival also includes a film component: OzAsia On Screen.

The event will open with the free Moon Lantern Festival. Elder Park will come alive with community dance and music performances and workshops, and a parade by hundreds of South Australian school children with beautiful hand-made lanterns. Guest artists will also perform, and a delicious selection of Asian cuisine and moon cakes would be available. More here…

However, Kevin Rudd is also taking a realistic view of developments in Asia. He warned that nations across Asia were modernising their military forces, particularly with more powerful jet fighters and submarines, and that Australia must respond with its own
upgrade. More here…

(Photo above: Artistes from India and Australia rehearsing for the festival.)