Asia-Europe connections, in a nut(meg) shell

Asia-Europe connections, in a nut(meg) shell

Joseph Yap, Asia Europe Foundation, Singapore

At the end of the 16th Century, nutmeg from Indonesia was
worth over 60,000 times more in Europe than the value at its
source. Some claimed that it was a cure-all for anything from
coughs and fevers, to flatulence and even impotence. Battles were
fought and lives were lost -- all over a simple spice which today
does little more than make your coffee smell good.

While present-day Europeans are more knowledgeable of Asian
cultures, customs and condiments, it hardly compares to the
awareness level of American influences. The same goes for Asia,
where American brands such as Coca-Cola and Levi's Jeans have
sunk into the minds of local Asian consumers.

When then did Asia and Europe lose touch with each other ?

Perhaps it was during the turbulent periods of war when
America was thrust into the global limelight as a "superpower"
with a booming economy, and luring migrants to its shores seeking
their fortunes. However, the reasons which brought the first
Europeans to Asia and Asians to Europe still exist today -- the
quest for discovery and learning about a foreign culture.

Place a Frenchman in Jakarta or an Indonesian in Paris today,
and their senses would be overflowing with the stimulation of
being in a different environment and reconciling the two
different civilizations. Europe and Asia both share a rich
history of cultural development and it is only through engagement
will one learn to understand and communicate effectively with
each other.

With the mandate of bringing the peoples of Asia and Europe
closer together, the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) was formed,
seeking to promote an exchange of ideas, expressions and
heritage. At the recent Asia-Europe Dance Forum organized in
Singapore, 78 participants from 21 countries gathered to discuss,
amongst other issues, the globalization of dance, and
contemporary dancing in Asia and Europe.

Davit Doank, an Indonesian dancer, conducted workshops during
the forum as a choreographer. He said, "I found that the
participants for the forum were very keen to learn more about our
culture and as a dancer, I find that interest very encouraging
and inspiring. I couldn't have asked for a better opportunity to
work with so many different people."

There is broad-based support in Indonesia for efforts to
foster closer ties between Asia and Europe. A meeting of young
parliamentarians from Asia and Europe was recently held in Bali,
with the support of the Indonesian House of Representatives and
the Government of Bali. ASEF's Director for People-to-People
Exchange Zainal Mantaha said, "Not only is Indonesia a gracious
host country, but participants from Indonesia often make valuable
contributions to the inter-cultural dialog."

Culture aside, economics also have an important role to play
in the future of Asia-Euro relations. On the occasion of ASEF's
Fifth Anniversary, EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy, before
going on to Jakarta, was invited to give a talk in Singapore on
relations between Asia and Europe. In his speech, Commissioner
Lamy spoke of the increasing ties between the two continents.

Pascal Lamy said, "There has been a steady pattern of trade
development and growth between Europe and Asia over the last
twenty years which we have both welcomed and encouraged. Asia
taken as a whole now represents more trade than we have with
North America and almost as much as the rest of Europe. Asia has
therefore become one of our largest partners and is destined to
become an even more important partner in future years."

However, even with economics, cultural exchanges are vital as
the necessity to understand one another's culture precedes the
ability to communicate effectively.

Today, with the penetration and speed of the Internet reaching
faraway places, faster, coupled with the effects of globalization
on the world economies, what was once the nutmeg fever of the
16th century, may replicate itself in the form of a new drug from
German pharmaceutical giant Bayer. In everyday life, the Asia-
Europe connection is already strengthening, as Asian youth wear
Doc Martens shoes, women wear French and Spanish labels and men
dream about Italian Ferraris while in Europe, Japanese television
sets, Korean cars and Indonesian batik have already reached the
status of "commonplace".

Asians and Europeans have a lot more in common than they
expect -- it is very possible to walk into a shopping mall
anywhere in Asia or Europe and have a meal where Sushi and Nasi
Goreng are served side by side. If you should ever ponder about
Asia-Europe relations, do it over a cup of coffee, with a
sprinkle of nutmeg on top -- according to legends of old, it
helps you think better too.