Download the Asialink Conversations Report of Proceedings
India 17–18 October 2008

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The Asialink Conversations held in India on 17-18 October 2008, brought together leaders in government, business, academia, non-government organizations and the media from six ASEAN member countries, Australia and India.

The aims of Conversations were to: counter the perception that Australia had ‘turned its back on Southeast Asia’; identify new methods for strengthening relations between Australia and ASEAN; and foster long-term personal relationships between younger Australian leaders and their counterparts in the ASEAN region.

Mara Bun, CEO of Green Cross Australia, attended the event to offer her views on climate change, energy, food security and the economy – issues that are fast becoming prominent worldwide.

Several delegates, including Mara, highlighted the importance of climate change featuring on all Asian diplomatic agendas due to rising sea levels resulting from a rise in global temperature.

A possible mass displacement of people due to this temperature rise, and the impact this would have on a major new refugee flow across borders, was also discussed.

Although the two-day event provided an opportunity for delegates to confidently look ahead in the current economic climate, uncertainty still remained about the prospects for a common approach to controlling climate change and energy demand.

Yet despite this, some optimists saw the potential for climate change as an opportunity to bring different countries together to deal with the challenge as one, promisingly through the continued involvement and participation at events such as Asialink.