The Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) is a student-run organization of the Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences. HPAIR organizes Harvard University’s largest annual student conference in the Asia-Pacific region. As Harvard’s largest annual student connection in Asia, the Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations creates a forum of exchange and facilitates discussion of the most important economic, political, and social issues relevant to the Asia-Pacific region.

 

Vigorous Selection Process

 

Last summer (August 2015) I received an offer from HPAIR after writing essays (*Wrote an essay about the String of Pearls and the Frontlines of National Security), uploading a robust Curriculum Vitae and being interviewed (‘twas about the regional security issues that Asia is facing and the powers that can mitigate tensions)by a Harvard student majoring in International Relations in the last week of May. The Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) hold two annual conferences, the Harvard Conference that takes place in Harvard University and Asia Conference in one of the cities in the Asia region. Last year the hosting city of the Asia Conference was Manila (*Manila first hosted in 1994), in which the HPAIR committee partnered with De La Salle University to bring the largest Harvard University’s annual event in Asia-Pacific region. HPAIR is truly a life changing experience for me. I have taken part in many international conferences around the world (a lot of them are very famous) but this was the conference that I most definitely had the pleasure of attending. But I can ensure you that HPAIR is the most exciting one. I am very grateful to the organizing committee because they had managed to pull off an amazing conference for some 500 delegates that were in attendance.

With the topic “Confronting Asia’s Challenges through Innovation”, last year’s HPAIR gathers elite delegates from top-tier institutions from more than 60 countries to meet and be inspired under seven panels: Entrepreneurship, Cooperate Leadership, Security and Diplomacy, Finance, Energy and Environment, and Health. Delegates were able to have the exposure to a multi-dimension aspect views throughout the plenaries, panel sessions, case study sessions, seminars, and company tour within five days.

 

Security and Diplomacy

 

I consider myself very fortunate to be selected as a delegate for Security and Diplomacy panel – my top choice since I am majoring in International Relations and Foreign Service. The panel and plenary sessions are devised and formulated by international relations aficionados, global governance professionals, and practicing diplomats with different educational background, unique experiences and distinct approaches to their respective fields. During the case study session, we, in the security and diplomacy panel had a role play about the Syrian Crisis representing the major powers and hegemon that come into play. We dissected the issue, brainstormed, threw out opinions, discussed, and drafted plan to give solution to the terms of ceasefire. We then had a habermas-kind-of debate and received feedbacks from the panelist and advisors. Our plenary sessions included the economic diplomacy in the Asia and the Pacific, the ASEAN integration’s prospects of success and the transitioning of Sustainable Development Goals. I was delighted and enlightened by the expertise and awed by the knowledge of the honorable speakers.

 

Building Friendships, Making Connections

 

The most exciting part of HPAIR was getting to know and network with other brilliant people. One got the chance to meet undergraduate as well as graduate students ranging from Harvard to Oxford, Princeton to Glasgow among other top ranking Universities in the World. Lunch time, coffee/tea break, international night and university tour were the best opportunity for one to build up the relationship with people, however, the network one could create within five days was limited due to the huge number of delegates. One has to struggle to make an impression that last even after the conference. The people one met might be the prospective partner or colleagues for one’s chosen career trajectory that will invariably bolster one’s professional network. The writer received quite a number of business cards and  all of them he will really keep in touch with afterwards.

 

But of course, like any conference, there are always two factors that one can never really overlook. The Speakers and the Delegates. They are the ones that make a conference great. The lessons that one gets from the speakers  and the equally amazing ideas that one shares with fellow delegates is undeniably a great way to learn.

 

Everyone I met at the conference was just so amazing. I got to share different ideas with them and they shared their ideas and experiences with me. I met people whom were thinking of creating their own start-up businesses, and people whom already established their own start-ups. I met people who were working for big corporations and INGO’s alike and people working in the academe and practicing diplomats. Going to conferences like these, you are sure to meet a lot of new and amazing people, and you are sure to get inspired to attend conferences of the same nature!

 

Passion Overrides Everything

 

In our life we seldom come close to such pursuits greater than our life. Throughout its existence, HPAIR has been an avenue to showcase and exchange grandiose ideas and a witness to every distinct display of brilliance by the select delegates.  It is very hard not to get intimidated knowing that you are surrounded by great-minded participants and no amount of preparation will outshine the understated class of substance. What should set you apart from the equally brilliant young minds is your very own passion and purpose bringing with you ideas instead of doubts, vision instead of hesitations and you will surely be greeted with excellent networking opportunities, fruitful intellectual discourses and dynamic cultural exchange experience. Celebrate your own success but also rejoice in the victory of other people to weave life story that is worth emulating. I have no regrets  in taking the plunge to attend HPAIR  and hope you will all have the same wonderful experience that I did at the Harvard Conference!

 

P.S. I was also accepted to attend HPAIR Boston 2016 but refused it because of greater pursuits in life. Sometimes it is okay to say No.