Here is a video prepared by FNF showing Rainer in
different roles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssGAR4AHp6s
Rainer Adam needs no introduction to anyone in this group. Over the past 25 years that he has been in Asia, with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, he has built bridges among liberals and democrats across
the continent, and introduced the ideas of liberty to many new comers.
It is difficult to think of the liberal network in Asia, without Rainer. FNF has now posted Rainer to Europe. But the enduring friendship and the ideas he has planted in Asia will last a very long time.
I had met first met Rainer in 1994, when he was the FNF representative in China, and hosted the first major international free market conference in Beijing. That was my first encounter with the international group of free market, liberal and democracy scholars, activists, and policy makers. I learned about the world of think tanks, and Liberty Institute was formed about a year after that gathering in Beijing.
I still remember Beijing at that time when traffic jams during peak hours used to be caused by thousands of bicycles, and not cars as it is today!
After Beijing, Rainer was posted in India, looking after South Asia, then in Indonesia, and lastly in Bangkok, nurturing the seeds of liberalism in east and south east Asia.
Another reason I will remember Rainer is for the colourful choice of shirts, with typical Asian designs and motifs! Those shirts truly reflected Rainers personality, cheerful, helpful and always encouraging and inspiring. Rainer had adopted Asia with all its diversity as his own.
We will miss him in Asia. And I hope he would still have some opportunities to participate at the EFN Asia, and other FNF programmes in Asia.
I wish Rainer all the best in his new position in Europe. Rainer enjoys a challenge, and currently old continent has plenty to whet his appetite.
Best,
Barun
----------https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssGAR4AHp6s
Rainer Adam needs no introduction to anyone in this group. Over the past 25 years that he has been in Asia, with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, he has built bridges among liberals and democrats across
the continent, and introduced the ideas of liberty to many new comers.
It is difficult to think of the liberal network in Asia, without Rainer. FNF has now posted Rainer to Europe. But the enduring friendship and the ideas he has planted in Asia will last a very long time.
I had met first met Rainer in 1994, when he was the FNF representative in China, and hosted the first major international free market conference in Beijing. That was my first encounter with the international group of free market, liberal and democracy scholars, activists, and policy makers. I learned about the world of think tanks, and Liberty Institute was formed about a year after that gathering in Beijing.
I still remember Beijing at that time when traffic jams during peak hours used to be caused by thousands of bicycles, and not cars as it is today!
After Beijing, Rainer was posted in India, looking after South Asia, then in Indonesia, and lastly in Bangkok, nurturing the seeds of liberalism in east and south east Asia.
Another reason I will remember Rainer is for the colourful choice of shirts, with typical Asian designs and motifs! Those shirts truly reflected Rainers personality, cheerful, helpful and always encouraging and inspiring. Rainer had adopted Asia with all its diversity as his own.
We will miss him in Asia. And I hope he would still have some opportunities to participate at the EFN Asia, and other FNF programmes in Asia.
I wish Rainer all the best in his new position in Europe. Rainer enjoys a challenge, and currently old continent has plenty to whet his appetite.
Best,
Barun
Short but good and nostalgic points Barun, thanks.
Photo, Rainer with country directors and some chief of staff in the region. Also taken last October in Manila during CALD's 20th anniversary.
I have attended EFN Asia conferences in 2004-2006, 2008, 2010-2013, or 8 of the last 10 conferences so I have met Rainer on those 8 conferences. Besides, he would also visit Manila for some activities of FNF PH office and I would also meet him here.
During the FNF PH's 25th year anniversary here in Manila about two years ago, Rainer also came. Over glasses of red wine, I told him my honest opinion that FNF has done a great job in reminding and re-introducing to us the philosophy of liberalism, of individual liberty, rule of law and free market. As far as I know, FNF is the only political foundation that is doing tohis kind of political education in the Philippines and other parts of Asia.
During the EFN conference last October in Bangkok, he and Dr. Ken Schooland, author of the famous fiction story on liberty "Adventures of John Gullible", Rainer and Ken played as Lao Tzu and Confucius on a dialogue about individual freedom, markets, government, individual responsibility. Very witty story authored by another friend, Liu Junning from Beijing.
Thank you Rainer and your team. Thanks also to your great and hardworking staff, like Pett, Wimonpug and Poraporn,
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See also:
EFN Asia 31. Friends in the Asian Free Market Movement, November 07, 2013
EFN Asia 32: Day 2 of Conference 2013 in Bangkok, November 09, 2013
EFN Asia 33: Bibek Debroy on Property Rights, January 23, 2014
EFN Asia 34: Chatib Basri on Subsidy and Protectionism for the Poor, January 25, 2014
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