Conferences
There are seven HCAP conferences every year. Our February conference at Harvard University allows all Asian and American delegates to meet each other in Cambridge, MA for a one week program. For the March conferences, Harvard students at split into six groups to travel to HCAP’s various Asian partner schools for another week-long conference.
February Conference:
Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
March Conferences:
Hong Kong: University Of Hong Kong
The University of Hong Kong’s itinerary includes visits to the Hong Kong Museum of History, Victoria’s Peak, Ocean Park, the Promenade, Lantau Island, Lamma Island, Ngong Ping Village, the Big Buddha. Delegates will experience Mongkok in an “Amazing Race” simulation. Delegates will see the headquarters of Deloitte, Christian Alliance – an NGO at Chung King Mansion, and experience traditional Chinese cuisine. Seminar topics will touch on Hong Kong Popular Culture, educational reform, and politics and public administration in HKSAR. A day trip to Macau will finish off the week.
Istanbul, Turkey: Boğaziçi University,
Boğaziçi University, also known as Bosphorus University and founded as Robert College, is the oldest American University outside the United States, founded in 1863. Delegates will be introduced to the Turkish language in conversational Turkish classes and experience authentic culture with traditional Turkish cuisine and dance featuring Fasil. Historical sites will include Sultanahmet Square, Pierre Loti, Taksin Square, and Dolmabace Palace. Several museums visits will also be scheduled to explore the rich tradition of the Ottoman Empire. The Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque will be highlights of the trip along with a boat party on the Bospohorus River to which the school is adjacent.
Mumbai, India: St. Xavier’s College
St. Xavier’s conference will introduce delegates to the particulars of life in India including conversational Hindi classes and yoga classes. While the majority of the conference will take place in Mubmai, delegates will have the chance to experience the agricultural and rural sectors of India with a trip to Saguna Baug, a 55-acre farm about 100km outside of the city. In the city, there will be plenty of monuments to visit like the “Gateway of India”. Delegates will also have the chance to visit NGOs, participate in a tradiational Indian clothing showcase, and build traditional Indian musical instruments. Indian and Harvard delegates will work together to produce a cultural showcase and at the end of the week Harvard delegates will experience Indian culture first hand during a homestay.
Seoul, Korea: Ewha Womans University
Ewha Womans University’s conference includes multiple lessons in the Korean Language, a ceramics class, a traditional Korean tea ceremony, dressing in traditional Korean garb, and a B-boy performance. Delegates will be taken a tour of Seoul, a trip to the Joint Security Area (JSA, as well as a two-day trip to Gyeongju – the location of ancient burial grounds and Buddhist temples. Lectures and student panels will discuss the role of universities in the New Global Era and the future of education in Korea.
Singapore: National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore’s conference will take delegates to visit Kampong Glam, Chinatown, Little India, the Singapore River, the Asian Civilizations Museum, the National Museum, local theatrical and musical performances, a night safari, Sentosa Island, and Clarke Quay. Seminar topics will include business developments with the rise of India and China and Singapore as a global city. Leaders from Singaporean civil society organizations, the Singapore International Foundation, the ASEAN Secretariat, and NGOs will come to speak with delegates.
Tokyo, Japan: University of Tokyo
The University of Tokyo will be hosting a conference this spring that will take delegates sightseeing to a variety of places including Shibuya, Asakusa, Roppongi, and Kyoto, Otemachi and Hibiya Park, Harajuku, among others. In addition, the delegates will have meetings with high-ranking government officials including the Japanese ambassador to the United Nations, a finance executive, and a member of the SophiaBank. Delegates will also have the chance to visit an NGO which provides people with organic or environmentally friendly food, Studio of Words, a company that assists struggling students find cheap housing, a manga workshop, and visits to Hiroshima and Miyajima, historically known as one of the most beautiful places in Japan. Delegates will also be able to choose between three activities that include visiting the Kinkaku temple made entirely of gold, learning the art of making a Japanese folding fan, and participating in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony.
Jiangyin, China: HCAP Service Trip
The HCAP Service Trip gives a small group of Harvard students the opportunity to travel to Jiangyin, China to interact with local elementary and secondary school children. Throughout this week-long experience, delegates teach English classes, lead extracurricular activities and serve as a mentor to the local school children. HCAP staff members are also given the opportunity to explore the historic landmarks and cultural sites of Shanghai. HCAP offers financial assistance for the Service Trip to qualifying staff members.