BXAI is 10! Since its inception in 2014, BXAI has supported over 650 scholars through the Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships for students to study abroad and creates intercultural opportunities for young aspiring leaders in Asia to learn from and engage with one another. As the Bai Xian community continues to grow, we look forward to forging ahead in our efforts to build bridges across cultures, strengthen relationships and mutual understanding between the people of Asia, and develop a new generation of leaders through intercultural exchange and learning.
Bai Xian Asia Institute (BXAI) traces its roots back to 1957, when Ronald Chao moved from Hong Kong to Japan to study at the University of Tokyo. Staying at a dormitory that welcomed both international and Japanese students, Mr. Chao formed lifelong friendships with students from all across Asia and gained a deep appreciation for cross-cultural immersion and education.
Inspired by his study abroad experience and keen to promote friendship building and cultural awareness amongst the young people of Asia, Mr. Chao funded the construction of Asian Youth Centers at five universities in China in 2010, which encouraged local students to live alongside foreign students from other Asian countries.
To further expand his mission to bridge cultures and nurture future Asian leaders, Mr. Chao created the Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program (AFLSP) in 2013, followed by Bai Xian Asia Institute (BXAI) a year later. Today, the AFLSP awards up to 100 scholarships each year to students from Asia to study abroad at top universities across East Asia.
Dear Friends of BXAI,
I am so proud and happy to share this message with you as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Bai Xian Asia Institute (BXAI). Thanks to the steadfast encouragement and support from friends and partners, BXAI has offered to date over 650 scholarships through the Asian FutureLeaders Scholarship Program (AFLSP), providing young aspiring leaders from across Asia the opportunity to learn from and engage with their peers from different cultures and backgrounds.
It is hard to believe that 66 years have passed since I matriculated at the University of Tokyo, where I formed deep and lasting friendships with both Japanese and international students. It was this study abroad experience that later inspired me to establish Asian Youth Centers in China in 2010, and ultimately led to the founding of BXAI in 2014. The mission is simple: to foster friendship building and boost cultural awareness and understanding among the young people of Asia.
Since its inception, BXAI has grown and evolved. What remains unchanged is our belief in the importance of cross-cultural and interdisciplinary education, especially in a world that seems increasingly divided by intolerance and conflict. Having witnessed over the pastdecade some fruits of our humble efforts to build bridges across cultures, I eagerly look forward to BXAI’s next chapter. Together, let us strive for a brighter future by continuing to invest in a new generation of leaders who are committed to promoting peace, regional collaboration, and mutual respect and understanding in Asia and beyond. Thank you for being a part of our journey!
Gratefully yours,
Ronald K.Y. Chao
Honorary Chairman, BXAI
The BX Community Bonding event will kick off at the beginning of 2025 as part of BXAI’s 10th anniversary celebrations. Spanning six months from January to June, the event will include one themed activity per month, each designed to encourage BX Scholars and Alumni to build connections within the BX community, share their experiences with one another, and expand their horizons beyond their usual routines.
Prize
Free flights and accommodation? Yes please! The five participants with the most points at the end of June (as indicated on the leaderboard) will receive a BX-sponsored flight + accommodation package* to attend BX community events at the 2025 Summer Program in Tokyo (or the 2026 Summer Program if the winner is based in Tokyo or a SP2025 participant). Winners will be invited to share about their community bonding journey at the Summer Program.
*More details about the prize will be released in December.
How to Earn Points
Who May Apply
- Open to all BX Scholars and Alumni
- Participants are encouraged to form groups and take part in activities together for the purpose of building community, fostering engagement, and promoting a culture of sharing and collaboration.
Timeline
Monthly Activities
- BX Virtual Trails (January)
Kick off the year with a healthy start! BX Virtual Trails invites participants to get active and track their weekly steps for a chance to earn points. For an added dose of cross-cultural learning and fun, the BX team will post famous hiking routes across Asia each week (with distance and estimated number of steps), so that participants’ step counts may be converted and applied to these trails. For bonus points, organize a group hiking activity with fellow scholars and alumni!
- BX Movie Picks (February)
To promote Asia’s diverse cultures through film, scholars and alumni are encouraged to recommend a movie they enjoy that is related to Asia or cross-cultural exchange, and to share their thoughts on their choice. Extra points will be awarded to those who organize an activity in line with this month’s theme, such as a movie night.
- BX Podcast (March)
Winning team of Bai Xian Project Award 2024, URBANovation, will produce a podcast episode on how to mobilize young people to take part in urban innovation in Asia. Participants are invited to listen to the episode and share their thoughts (through writing, photos, or videos) online, and/or organize an online/offline event to earn extra points.
- BX Book Picks (April)
Similar to “BX Movie Picks,” this month’s activity calls for recommendations from BX Scholars and Alumni on books related to Asia or cross-cultural exchange, as well as sharing of their thoughts regarding their book of choice. Extra points will be awarded to those who organize an activity in line with this month’s theme, such as a book club or reading party.
- BX Cultural Travelog (May)
This month is all about exploration and discovery, with scholars and alumni encouraged to create and share a travelog in any format (writing, photos, vlogs, etc.) that documents their experiences with Asian culture, such as sampling local cuisine or visiting heritage sites. Participants who organize a cultural tour for a group of two or more earn extra points!
- BX Talk (June)
A virtual cross-cultural conference, titled “Asia Jam,” will be hosted in collaboration with Cultural Fusion Squad, one of the winning teams of the Bai Xian Project Award 2024. Participants may choose to join the conference as a speaker, or share their comments/perspectives on conference topics after watching the recording of the session. Those looking to earn bonus points may opt to organize an online/offline sharing event for BX community members.
As part of BXAI’s 10th anniversary celebrations, we are delighted to be launching a special co-creation project titled “BXpressions” – a collaborative art piece that will comprise creative contributions from members of the BX community as a way to encapsulate the essence of BXAI and celebrate our collective journey over the past decade. Contributions may be in any artistic medium or format, from watercolor and collage to calligraphy in any Asian language.
All submissions will be artfully combined into a “Bai Xian Bridge”, a beautiful symbol of connection, mutual understanding, and unity that reflects our shared experiences and echoes our vision and mission. Submitted art pieces will also be posted on Padlet for viewing and voting – the three artworks with the most votes will be awarded a special prize.
We encourage you to take this opportunity to reflect on what BXAI means to you and express your thoughts in a fun and creative way. Let’s come together in a spirit of unity and collaboration and create something truly memorable that will be cherished for years to come!
Submit by:
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Dec 31, 2024, 23:59
How to participate:
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Please digitize and upload your work to OneDrive via the following link: