Celebrating 50 years with 50 stories of alumni representative of a vast network that stretches beyond the Asia Pacific region and their countries of origin. Women and men of high promise, East-West Center alumni have gone on to become presidents and prime ministers, leading educators and business executives, senior journalists and social advocates. Many are trailblazers influencing change at the grassroots, local, national, regional, and international levels. They have earned recognition for pioneering solutions to long-standing problems; others are emerging leaders dedicated to forging better futures for their communities.

The East-West Center experience unites more than 55,000 students, scholars, and professionals from more than 50 nations. For many, the Center provided a defining chapter in their lives, influencing their perspectives and aspirations, and initiating lifelong personal and professional associations. As you read of these 50 individuals, you will see how East-West Center alumni are contributing to global understanding, building an Asia Pacific community, and shaping the future in a region undergoing dramatic transformation.

A second book commemorating the EWC's 50th anniversary is The East-West Center Legacy, which highlights ways in which the Center and its network of staff, students, professional participants, and alumni have helped to shape the region.