Now accepting applications for the East-West Center's 2008 Changing Faces Women's Leadership Program

Program Dates: July 20-31, 2008
Application Deadline: February 15, 2008

Please note U.S. Embassy does not accept applications.  Please refer to EWC's website for details. 

Changing Faces is a program designed to bring together women from the United States and the Asia Pacific region to participate in dialogue on leadership and issues specific to women in leadership around the region. The theme for the 2008 program is "Women and Conflict Transformation in Asia, the Pacific, and the United States." Women from all professional backgrounds, including elected officials, government agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, education, and the media, who have 5-12 years of work experience and are active in community development, inter-communal/inter-religious dialogue, or current conflict/post-conflict peacebuilding efforts are welcome to apply. Applicants must have the ability to use English in a multi-cultural, professional setting. Preference will be given to candidates without significant previous international travel experience.

Program Description

Launched in 2002, this program brings together women from the United States and the Asia-Pacific region who have the potential to effect change in their communities. The theme for this year's program is "Women and Conflict Transformation in Asia, the Pacific, and the United States" and the program will take place from July 20-31, 2008. The program will take place at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai`i.

The program seeks professional women, in both the public and private sectors, at lower and middle level positions of leadership from around the United States and the Asia Pacific region. In particular, the program seeks applicants with demonstrated leadership experience, either professionally or through voluntary community activities, and who have the potential to move into positions of greater responsibility and influence. 

The East-West Center will select 12-14 participants, approximately two-thirds from countries in Asia and the Pacific. The program is not academic in nature, rather it is intended to foster in the participants engagement with a conflict transformation approach and frame of reference to inform their work in their respective fields. Women from all professional backgrounds, including elected officials, government agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, education, and the media, who have 5-12 years of work experience and are active in community development, inter-communal/inter-religious dialogue, or current conflict/post-conflict peacebuilding efforts are welcome to apply. Candidates must be able to use English for communication in a professional, multi-cultural setting. Preference will be given for candidates without significant previous international travel experience.

Program Cost-sharing

Costs for participation (housing accommodations, meals related to the program, ground transportation, program materials, and a modest per diem) will be provided by the East-West Center. Participants will be responsible for their round-trip transportation to Honolulu as well as all fees for obtaining their visas. You may wish to consider sponsoring a participant from your country by covering the cost of her transportation to Hawai`i and/or visa fees. 

Program Participation

The Changing Faces program consists of the following components: 

1. Pre-Arrival: Each participant will be asked to identify a priority issue, either for her organization or her community, and to outline ways in which she sees herself exercising leadership to address the issue. Participants will engage in online dialogue through the program website.

2. Honolulu Seminar: Workshops will cover topics including communication, team-building, organizational planning, and models of leadership in differing cultural contexts. In addition, community resource persons and local site visits will highlight community building and dialogue activities taking place in the culturally and ethnically diverse state of Hawai`i. As the capstone of the seminar participants will make presentations on their priority issues and individual action plans.

3. Follow-up: Participants will refine their action plans, maintain regular contact with program staff and fellow participants, and provide updates on action plan progress via an e-mail listserve and program website. Participants will be required to submit a formal progress report in April 2009.