Asia or South Pacific
Essays by speakers from the Asian Continent or the South Pacific.
Gopalakrishnan, R.
Indian-born Harvard Law student R. Gopalakrishnan describes his awareness, upon coming to America, that the beliefs and dreams of Americans are the same as those of the people of India and that the desire for peace, liberty, brotherhood and cooperation are not limited by national borders.
Mehta, G. L. (Gaganvihari Lallubhai), 1900-1974
Indian ambassador to the United States G.L. Mehta describes his belief in the importance of peace of mind, attainable through humility, patience, perspective, and a sense of humor.
Notowidigdo, Moekarto, 1911-
Indonesian Foreign Minister Moekarto Notowidigdo describes being in jail during the Indonesian push for independence, and witnessing the camaraderie of prisoners from all socioeconomic statuses, which led them to sing the Indonesian National Anthem during an execution.
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Romulo, Carlos P. (Carlos Peña), 1899-1985
Philippines Ambassador to the United States Carlos Romulo describes his belief in being true to himself despite the cost, exemplified by his inability to be with his family while he operated the broadcast Voice of Freedom during WWII and in his decision to withdraw his candidacy for president of the Philippines in order to help a candidate who shared his values to win the election.
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Roy, Subodh Chandra, Dr.
Indian-born Dr. Subodh Chandra Roy, Professor of Philosophy at New School for Social Research, describes how his life changed when he became blind at age seven, and states his belief that suffering can cause personal growth.
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Shankar, Uday, 1900-1977
Indian dancer Uday Shankar describes his belief that his own career path was a result of God’s all-powerful will, and that his talents (and those of others) are God’s creative force manifest through him.
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Tsiang, Tingfu F. (Tingfu Fuller), 1895-1965
Tinfu Tsiang, Representative of China to the United Nations and Director of Political Affairs of the Executive Yuan, describes his belief that China and the West each have valuable cultural insight to offer the other, and that the way to world peace is to focus on utilizing existing resources more efficiently and to preserve human freedom in one’s home country.
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Yang, You Chan, 1897-
South Korean ambassador to the United States You Chan Yang describes his hope that he has made a difference in the lives of injured or disabled persons during his tenure on earth, and relates a story in which a boy discovers that only God knows the definition of goodness.
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