Thursday, February 23, 2012

When Lester Brown left on his trip to Japan and China two weeks ago, he was just about the only member of the staff who wasn’t fighting or down with a cold, flu, or some other illness. Being a world traveler, he is fortunate to have a strong constitution.

His first stop was Tokyo where he launched the Japanese edition of World on the Edge. The publisher is Diamond Inc., which has a long tradition of publishing books by Lester.

Other than media interviews, the main event in Tokyo was the symposium, World on the Edge, sponsored by Japan for Sustainability, headed by long-term associate Junko Edahiro, Aijinomoto, and Nippon Koa Insurance. Lester gave the keynote to a standing room only (and then some) crowd. We heard later that the feedback from the audience was “overwhelmingly positive.”

Click for larger image.

Lester then went on to Kyoto where he and Klaus Topfer were inducted into the prestigious Earth Hall of Fame Kyoto (see previous blog). The response to his presence in Kyoto was that every bookstore in Kyoto sold out of the Japanese edition of World on the Edge.

From Kyoto, Lester headed to Beijing to launch the Chinese edition of World on the Edge, published by Shanghai Scientific & Technological Education. His first stop was to keynote a conference on alternative fuels at Beihang University’s Energy and Environment International Center, where he was appointed an advisor. Afterwards, he was interviewed by CCTV News. 

In what has become a routine stop for Lester when in Beijing, he gave a presentation at Bookworm Bookstore, one of the gathering places for expats.

Concluding his time in Beijing, Lester spoke to the Foreign Correspondents Club of China at The Netherlands Embassy. His talk, which was well received by the correspondents, was on why food prices may keep rising.

Lester is now back at work on two books, one planned for release this September is entitled Full Planet, Empty Plates.

So stay in touch!

Sincerely,

Reah Janise Kauffman

P.S. JUST IN! The Spanish edition of World on the Edge is available. Copies can be ordered from the Centre of Studies for Sustainable Development (CEID), Carrera 7 # 237 – 04, Bogotá, Colombia Email: [email protected]