In 1998, in the twilight of the 20th century, the resignation of Indonesia's autocratic president Suharto ushered in a new political era. Corresponding changes occurred in Indonesia's economic, social, and cultural landscape. That transformation challenged and transformed the thinking of many Indonesians. One of them was Dr. Dino Patti Djalal, who recently became his country's ambassador to the United States. "I entered the twenty-first century with a new mindset," said Djalal to an overflow audience at the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (Shorenstein APARC) on November 18, 2010.

As the son of a renowned Indonesian diplomat, Djalal spent much of his youth and early adulthood abroad. He attended high school in the United States and college in Canada, and went on to earn his doctorate from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Djalal's diverse professional talents and experience encompass writing, politics, and film production. Passionate about inspiring and empowering young Indonesians, Djalal founded Modernisator, a youth leadership movement in Indonesia. Before becoming ambassador to the United States in September 2010, he served on the staff of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as a spokesperson and special adviser on foreign affairs.

Djalal's speech at Shorenstein APARC featured his top eight personal beliefs about the 21st century. His remarks were a mixture of optimism and wonder tempered by caution. This new century in Djalal's eyes promises great progress and opportunity, in contrast to the 20th century, which he called "probably the bloodiest century ever in human history." Looking forward, he spoke of an "explosion of creativity," the growth of emerging and developing economies, and major advances in technology. The power to eradicate poverty and to achieve world harmony is within our grasp, he argued, provided countries are willing to be open to new ideas and to embrace progress and change.

The last century, Djalal noted, saw the fall and fragmentation of empires and the birth of many new states. Looking ahead, he did not foresee great changes in the world's geopolitical map. He hoped that world leaders would not promote a further proliferation of new countries, which would increase rivalry and instability. Instead the goal should be unification, as in the case of the Korean Peninsula. He spoke optimistically of the trend whereby existing countries such as Indonesia manage to "proliferise," or acquire new and greater global relevance, and advocated a "geopolitics of cooperation" among larger and smaller countries, as in the Group of 20.

Djalal stressed the need for rapid innovation and ongoing social, economic, and educational change. A nation that wants to succeed in the 21st century must be open and adaptable. Analysts once thought that major changes could only unfold over several generations, but now, Djalal argued, dramatic change can occur in the span of a single generation. In addition to developing open and progressive political thinking, said Djalal, good governance is essential if the world is to enjoy stability and prosperity in this century. Having a democratic government does not automatically ensure good governance, he argued. Political leaders must strive to build strong, accountable institutions that emphasize positive outcomes in key sectors such as health, education, and entrepreneurship.

Addressing the younger generation, Djalal said, "skill is your best currency" in the present century. Individuals, empowered by education and technology, are now free to make their way in the world based on their own talents. He recalled that in an earlier era in Indonesia, as in many other parts of the world, access to information was limited by social status, wealth, and gender. More than any other factor, according to Djalal, technology is the "most important driver of change." It is the small, innovative technologies such as cell phones and online banking that will most change the world, provided we learn "how to adopt it without destroying the human soul."

Globalization is here to stay, Djalal argued, so it is crucial to "embrace it intelligently." Indonesia is a large country. But rather than rely on superior physical size, Indonesia and other large countries must climb the global ranks on less tangible dimensions such as education, including the skill sets needed to develop their economies. While being open to engaging with the rest of the world, he added, countries must also cultivate a strong sense of national identity.

Djalal closed on a high and provocative note, suggesting that the free, innovative, and global nature of the current century provides the means for young people today to become "potentially the best generation of all previous generations." How then should we proceed, as individuals and as countries, to realize that bright future? Djalal left that question hanging in the air for his audience to consider and to answer.

I promise that this program could change your mind and future.

-Daisuke Maeda

Daisuke Maeda, 2008-2009 Corporate Affiliates fellow, embraced the opportunity of being at Stanford University in order to actively engage with students, scholars, and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. Connecting in person in an environment of innovation and entrepreneurship informed Maeda's thinking about his work with the Sumitomo Corporation, both retrospectively and for the future.

Established in 1919 but with business roots extending back into the 17th century, Sumitomo Corporation is a Tokyo-based general trading company with approximately 200 offices and 800 subsidiaries worldwide, including such major global cities as Beijing, London, Madrid, Istanbul, Casablanca, Sao Paulo, and New York City. Sumitomo is divided into seven business units based on its wide diversification: metal products; transportation and construction systems; infrastructure; media, network, and lifestyle; mineral resources, energy, chemical, and electronics; general product and real estate; and financial and logistics. Some of its subsidiary companies include Discovery Japan, Inc.; Barneys Japan; and Pacific Summit Energy, LLC. The corporation's mission statement expresses a strong focus on social responsibility.

Before coming to Stanford, Maeda had the responsibility for overseeing the marketing strategy of one of Sumitomo's e-commerce companies and while at Stanford he then conducted research about the "long tail" statistical theory which emphasizes the strength of a vendor, such as Amazon, selling a wide array of specialty goods. Maeda looked at arguments for and against this theory and spoke with Stanford students and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs on this subject.  In addition to his research, Maeda met with local startup companies and offered advice on marketing their products in Japan.

Maeda is now a director in the mobile and internet department of Sumitomo's media, network, and lifestyle business unit, which is home to Japan's largest cable television provider, the biggest home shopping television channel, and a major households goods e-commerce website. His current work involves developing a Japan-focused online marketing strategy for Sumitomo's healthcare business offerings.

Maeda urges current fellows to seize the opportunity of being at Stanford, saying, "Don't hesitate. Time is limited." He explains that he actively sought out opportunities to enrich his own knowledge and potential, including meeting and talking with people. "I promise that this program could change your mind and future," he concludes.

Occupying the greater part of the United States Pacific coastline, California has long shared a relationship with Asia. Today, trade with China, Japan, and Korea accounts for nearly one-fourth of the state's overall $120 billion in exported goods, and an estimated one in seven California jobs is related to trade. In recognition of the crucial importance of this trade for the state's economic vitality, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and 100 business and government leaders embarked on September 9, 2010 for a six-day trade mission to Asia.

Forty representatives from the Bay Area, 40 from southern California, and 20 top government officials traveled with the mission, including leaders from California's agriculture, green technology (green tech), finance, and healthcare industries. Although intended to benefit the State of California, the trade mission also sought to leverage complimentary resources that would help nurture China's ever-growing innovation economy and to facilitate the continued exchange of people, technology, and capital. Marguerite Gong Hancock, associate director of the Stanford Program on Regions of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SPRIE), represented Stanford University and SPRIE on the delegation's visits to the cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou in China. This was the second and final Asia trade mission led by Governor Schwarzenegger during his tenure.

While in Shanghai and Hanghzou, Hancock engaged with policymakers, university officials, and private-sector business leaders. She took part in visits to several major companies, including the Hangzhou headquarters of Alibaba, China's e-commerce giant, during its "Alibaba Fest," an annual innovation conference. While there, Hancock and fellow mission members met with the company's president and learned about recent goods and services innovations, and about its global expansion strategies. In Shanghai, she visited the home of Zap-Jonway, the recently merged California electric vehicle manufacturer Zap and Shanghai electric motorcycle company Jonway. Zap-Jonway's CEO Steve Schneider plans for the company to develop electric vehicles for commercial fleets, such as taxicabs and trucks. "It is a really interesting example of California and Shanghai coming together, bringing technologies from both sides and then positioning themselves for market growth both in China and here in the United States," says Hancock.

SPRIE is at the forefront of research about factors that nurture innovation and entrepreneurship, and has engaged in the last two years in significant research about green tech. Hancock was frequently asked about how to build policies and industry strategies that foster the economic growth of green tech and about the possible implications for China, both in terms of collaboration and competition, in the shift in Silicon Valley's economy toward green tech.

During the Asia trade mission, Governor Schwarzenegger also made several important public announcements, including the news that California is going to formally bid to hold the 2020 World Expo at Moffett Field in Mountain View, which would be a major opportunity to showcase the best of the region's innovation and entrepreneurship to the world.

For more details about Governor Schwarzenegger's Asia trade mission, please visit the State of California's website.