The Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC) co-sponsored the 2017 Annual Conference of the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) held on 26-28 September at Miriam College. The theme of the conference was Rethinking Communication in a Resurgent Asia.

AIJC Chairman Mel V. Velarde gave the welcome remarks while President Emeritus Dr. Florangel Rosario-Braid was one of the plenary speakers. Over 600 participants from 20 countries attended the event.

The Asian communication icons present included Dr. Shelton A. Gunaratne, Ronny Adhikarya, John Lent, Binod Agrawal, Dasho Kinley Dorji, Fr. Franz-Josef Eilers, and Ang Peng Hwa.

Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Roberdo and UNESCO Assistant Director General Frank La Rue sent their welcome messages through video.

One of the highlights was the presentation of the AMIC Asia Communication Awards 2016 and 2017 to Dr. Gunaratne and Mr. Wijayananda Jayaweera, respectively.

AIJC faculty and students participated in the annual conference as conveners (Ramon R. Tuazon and Anthony G. Roman), as session moderator (Dr. Paz H. Diaz), and as paper presenters (Ann Lourdes C. Lopez, Therese Patricia C. San Diego, Juanito “Johnny” F. Goloyugo, Sylvia T. Villalobos, and Roderick L. Cuevas).

AIJC senior consultant Dr. Crispin C. Maslog is chairman of the AMIC Board of Directors while Tuazon, AIJC president, is AMIC secretary general. AIJC became one of the consortium-hosts of AMIC after it transferred from Singapore to Manila in 2015. Philippine Women’s University forms the other half of the consortium.