Eight months after her appointment as CEO of the Asia Society, Josette Sheeran talks with Rebecca Lo about the organization's ideals in promoting closer ties between cultures.

Josette Sheeran recalls visiting Beijing for the first time in 1981.

"There seemed to be a million bicycles and no cars," she recalls. "There was one shop in the city, run by the government. Beijing's transformation has been incredible. Seeing China's re-emergence into the world has been phenomenal. It is the greatest story of our time. And it is a privilege to be working with China through the Asia Society."

Sheeran became the Asia Society's seventh president and CEO last June. Prior to her appointment, she was vice-chair of the World Economic Forum. Before that, she was executive director of the United Nations World Food Program.

The Princeton, New Jersey native has also worked for the United States government as US undersecretary of state for economic, business and agricultural affairs as well as deputy US trade representative.

She has been named by Forbes as the world's 30th most powerful woman. She has received numerous accolades for her work in fighting hunger and malnutrition, including Japan's Niigata International Food Award.

Along with her extensive experience in both NGOs and government, Sheeran brings a wealth of diplomatic skills to the Asia Society. She has previously negotiated with virtually every Asian nation.

She describes her new role as a dream job. "It brings together all of my interests," she says. "My passion is how to empower people through economic opportunity. Trade can transform poverty."

Sheeran had previously been a member of the Asia Society and long admired its work, though she didn't realize its global impact or how things operated within the organization until she took on her current role.

"I read (philanthropist JD) Rockefeller's diary and his original vision for the Asia Society. He traveled throughout Asia and loved it, but was disturbed by the suffering and wars that he witnessed. There were no ties between Asia and the US, and he made it his life's work to build those bridges. It was a modern vision. I believe that if the Asia Society didn't exist today, we would have to create it."

John D. Rockefeller III founded the Asia Society in 1956 as a nonpartisan organization to promote mutual understanding and strengthen relationships between Asian countries and the US. It is based on three pillars to achieve its mandate: art and culture; education; and policy.

Currently, the Asia Society has its headquarters in New York City, with permanent centers in Houston and Hong Kong.

Its global network includes centers in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC, Manila, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai and Sydney. The Tod Williams- and Billie Tsien-designed building and revitalized Hong Kong Jockey Club Former Explosives Magazine in Hong Kong serve as its Asia hub.

Sheeran continues to build upon the network established by her predecessors. She acknowledges that the differences within Asia's myriad of cultures are profound, and compares those differences to the ones present between big US cities and its heartland.

"Some feel that New York is the same as Idaho," she says. "It's not. It's impossible to learn all the nuances between Asia's countries. What's not impossible is an attitude of respect - not to fear what you don't know but to take an interest in it.

"The biggest deficit that we face is a lack of understanding. You can't force understanding. It has to come from the fabric of relationships. After more than 50 years, our network is very important. We do our work with a respect for cultures and the power of culture to build understanding."

Art is another unifying part of her work. During an exhibition of modern Iranian art held in the New York City headquarters, which concluded in January, many visitors were extremely moved by what they saw. "It helped people understand the depth of Iranian culture and Persian art," Sheeran explains.

After more than half a year as CEO, Sheeran believes that the biggest challenge she faces is meeting the demand for what the Asia Society can offer.

"We launched a dialogue between Myanmar, China and the United States, with (former US secretary of state) Madeleine Albright to co-chair policy. There have been requests for 15 more of these. We have been asked to conduct one between Japan, Korea and China. We need people committed to work through these dialogues."

Despite her relentless travel schedule on behalf of the Asia Society, Sheeran loves exploring new cultures in her spare time.

"My father had a great love for China. It's in my family's DNA to discover new villages. When we were in Myanmar, we visited traditional weaving villages by motorcycle."

Contact the writer at sundayed@chinadaily.com.cn.

Josette Sheeran (left) says understanding has to come from the fabric of relationships. Sheeran is pictured at a welcome reception for her in Hong Kong. Provided to China Daily

(China Daily 03/23/2014 page4)