Royal Society for Asian Affairs

In 2025 #Malaysia will assume the chairmanship of #ASEAN allowing it to take a leadership role in regional maritime security. Fikry Rahman and Karisma Putera explain the need for a comprehensive strategy when it comes to the South China Sea. Read here - https://loom.ly/olbVFoI

Unfamiliar Asia - Mevlana Festival ✍️ Rumi's works continue to be widely read in their original language across Greater #Iran and the Persian-speaking world and have been translated into many of the world's languages. Find out more here - https://loom.ly/ELUezeA

Joseph Needham will be an unfamiliar name to many but his work his been critical to our understanding of Chinese contributions to science and technological advancement. Sean Paterson explains Needham's life and work. Read here - https://loom.ly/78PwiDM

During many recent crises from Yemen to Gaza, #Qatar has been deploying its diplomats to facilitate, mediate and negotiate for humanitarian relief. Mona Hedaya explains how Qatar navigates complex political and humanitarian landscapes. Read here - https://loom.ly/5ER4IzE

Unfamiliar Asia - River Kwai Bridge Week 🌉 #Thailand was neutral during World War II until a five hour long Japanese invasion which led to an armistice and military alliance between the two countries in December of 1941. Find out more here - https://loom.ly/k45z00g

Sinostan: #China's Inadvertent Empire - join us online for this lecture with Raffaello Pantucci on 11 December 2024 at 14.00 GMT. Read more and register here - https://loom.ly/F5a18Bg

While the fate of the Aral Sea is well known, understanding of the environmental degradation of the Amu Darya is limited. Oscar Fraser Turner, Co-Founder of Project Amu Darya, sheds light on the river's past, present and potential future. Read here - https://loom.ly/bMdphAI

The #Maldives are often overlooked in international relations but are an important geopolitical battleground between #China, #India and the West. Dr Athaulla Rasheed explains the Maldives geopolitical strategy in the Indo-Pacific. Read here - https://loom.ly/SPqY6Zo

Unfamiliar Asia - Guru Nanak Gurpurab 🛐 Sikhism is a religion that originated in the Punjab region of #India in the 15th century. It is one of the most recently founded major religions and among the largest in the world. Find out more here - https://loom.ly/uJn0hY8

Unfamiliar Asia - Boun That Luang 🛕 Theravada is one of the two main schools of Buddhism. Its adherents consider it to be the most authoritative branch as they believe their teachings come directly from the Buddha. Find out more here - https://loom.ly/UAfDAHk