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.