Asia House
Encyclopedia
Asia House, is a non-profit, non-political Pan-Asian organisation in the UK. It was founded in 1996 by a small group led by Sir Peter Wakefield, a former diplomat who died aged 89 in December 2010. The current CEO is Roddy Gow.
Since 2005 Asia House has been housed in an 18th century listed building in London's Marylebone
.
Asia House runs public events programmes covering arts and culture, business and economics and policy and politics covering 40 countries form the Persian Gulf to the Pacific. Highlights of the annual programme include the Pan-Asia Film Festival in March, the Festival of Asian Literature in May and the Asian Business Leaders Summit in October. Historical and Contemporary art from Asia is displayed in a varied exhibitions programme running throughout the year.
, the Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival, the Connecting Contemporary Cultures series, and a broad program of talks, debates and discussions.
, UK Trade & Investment
and UK corporations.
Examples of its activities are the Ambassadors/High Commissioners programme through which
Asia House provides a forum for regular economic and political updates from British and foreign diplomats through informal breakfasts and luncheons, the Visiting Dignitaries programme, offering a platform for Asian leaders and other high-level ministers to deliver their latest economic and political messages, and a "CEO round table" program, which provides a forum for debate and policy review at a senior level by hosting round-table discussions with speakers including UK government ministers and other international figures.
and James Adam on the Duke of Portland’s Marylebone Estate in the 1770s. By 1775, however, the Adams’ attention had turned to the creation of Portland Place
, and neo-classical architect John Johnson
took over the site, erecting the townhouse that has since been redeveloped as Asia House. The rooms retain many of their original features – including bookcases designed by Sir John Soane and plaster cornicing – while other parts of the building have been modernised to create café and gallery spaces.
In November 2010, Asia House expanded its mission to fully embrace the reemergent Silk Road region as a landbridge between Asia and Europe with the launch at the House of Lords of the Central Asia and South Caucasus Association (CASCA). The new association will expand and amplify Asia House's business and cultural programmes to include Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), the Southern Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) as well as Mongolia, a region broadly defined in prior centuries as Inner Asia.
Since 2005 Asia House has been housed in an 18th century listed building in London's Marylebone
Marylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
.
Mission
The publicly stated mission of Asia House is to build dynamic links between the diverse communities of Europe and Asia. The organisation seeks to achieve this by promoting a greater understanding of the distinctive and varied cultures, arts, religions and commercial opportunities presented by the growing vibrant economies of Asia.Asia House runs public events programmes covering arts and culture, business and economics and policy and politics covering 40 countries form the Persian Gulf to the Pacific. Highlights of the annual programme include the Pan-Asia Film Festival in March, the Festival of Asian Literature in May and the Asian Business Leaders Summit in October. Historical and Contemporary art from Asia is displayed in a varied exhibitions programme running throughout the year.
Cultural Programmes
Asia House Cultural Programmes feature lectures and discussion, exhibitions, film and performance, from or about 40 countries of Asia from the Persian Gulf to the Pacific annual events such as the Asia House Festival of Asian LiteratureAsia House Festival of Asian Literature
The Asia House Festival of Asian Literature, is the first and only Literary festival in the UK dedicated to writing about Asia.The Festival focuses on the newest and best books about Asia or Asians in an annual series of talks and discussions...
, the Asia House Pan-Asia Film Festival, the Connecting Contemporary Cultures series, and a broad program of talks, debates and discussions.
Business and Policy Programmes
The Asia House Business and Policy Programmes include outstanding business intelligence through lectures, seminars and major conferences delivered by high-profile business and political leaders. Asia House works with Asian heads of mission in the UK, the Foreign and Commonwealth OfficeForeign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
, UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment
UK Trade & Investment is a UK Government department working with businesses based in the United Kingdom to ensure their success in international markets, and encourage the best overseas companies to look to the UK as their global partner of choice ....
and UK corporations.
Examples of its activities are the Ambassadors/High Commissioners programme through which
Asia House provides a forum for regular economic and political updates from British and foreign diplomats through informal breakfasts and luncheons, the Visiting Dignitaries programme, offering a platform for Asian leaders and other high-level ministers to deliver their latest economic and political messages, and a "CEO round table" program, which provides a forum for debate and policy review at a senior level by hosting round-table discussions with speakers including UK government ministers and other international figures.
Headquarters
Asia House's headquarters at 63 New Cavendish Street, London is a Grade II* listed building, originally planned by RobertRobert Adam
Robert Adam was a Scottish neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam , Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him...
and James Adam on the Duke of Portland’s Marylebone Estate in the 1770s. By 1775, however, the Adams’ attention had turned to the creation of Portland Place
Portland Place
Portland Place is a street in the Marylebone district of central London, England.-History and topography:The street was laid out by the brothers Robert and James Adam for the Duke of Portland in the late 18th century and originally ran north from the gardens of a detached mansion called Foley House...
, and neo-classical architect John Johnson
John Johnson (architect)
John Johnson was an English architect and Surveyor to the County of Essex. He is best known for designing the Shire Hall, Chelmsford.-Life:...
took over the site, erecting the townhouse that has since been redeveloped as Asia House. The rooms retain many of their original features – including bookcases designed by Sir John Soane and plaster cornicing – while other parts of the building have been modernised to create café and gallery spaces.
In November 2010, Asia House expanded its mission to fully embrace the reemergent Silk Road region as a landbridge between Asia and Europe with the launch at the House of Lords of the Central Asia and South Caucasus Association (CASCA). The new association will expand and amplify Asia House's business and cultural programmes to include Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), the Southern Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) as well as Mongolia, a region broadly defined in prior centuries as Inner Asia.