One of the world’s regions - Asia with a population of 3.8 billion and a purchasing power in GDP in excess of US$15 trillion, is growing faster than any other, has rapidly expanding markets for goods and services, already influences our culture and way of life, and is set to play a major role in world affairs for decades to come.

New Zealand already has links to this region. If we choose to, we can build on these links and open up a whole new world of opportunities for ourselves and future generations of New Zealanders.

Right now, we’re not doing that as effectively as we could. Only a few New Zealanders understand the region well enough to see the opportunities before us. Most of us don’t speak its languages, or understand its cultures. Although it’s made up of more than 20 distinct countries and markets, many New Zealanders don’t even distinguish one from another.

Changing that is a challenge for all sectors of New Zealand society, but it’s a challenge worth facing. Our future depends on it.

Following the outcomes of the Seriously Asia conference in 2003 that addressed the need for increased knowledge and understanding of Asia at all levels in New Zealand society, a working group was convened by the Ministry of Education and the Asia New Zealand Foundation in 2005. Over the past 12-months a group of 19 influential New Zealanders consulted widely, and set up expert panels to consider the contributions made by the media, business, education and cultural sectors to the knowledge and understanding of Asia.

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The final report, Preparing for a Future with Asia - How New Zealand can benefit from Asia's growing influence. This report sets out a vision for raising New Zealand’s understanding and knowledge of Asia, and three strategic priorities to help achieve that vision.

The group also commissioned a review of studies about existing levels of knowledge about Asia. The review, New Zealanders’ Knowledge of Asia: A Literature Review.

Progress Towards a Future with Asia, this report on the Preparing for a Future with Asia summit, held on September 14, Te Papa, Wellington.