The 11th Auckland Lantern Festival, organised by Asia:NZ in partnership with Auckland City Council, takes place in downtown Albert Park this weekend 26 to 28 February. Highlights of the festival, which attracted a record crowds 2009, include one of Shanghai's top music ensembles, Mongolian throat singers, rolling lantern folk dancers from South China as well as Lantern making masters and other artists. View programme.

The results of our latest Perceptions of Asia survey are available now. Conducted by Colmar Brunton in August and September 2009, it can be downloaded here. In the latest survey, four out of five New Zealanders see the Asian region as important to New Zealand’s future. Compared to 2008, more New Zealanders now think FTAs and imports from Asia will have a positive impact on New Zealand’s future.

Asia:NZ hosted prominent Indian MP Rahul Gandhi on 16 February as part of his visit to Wellington as the inaugural recipient of the Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship. Mr Gandhi engaged with a number of members of Asia:NZ’s Young Leaders Network and recruits from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This was followed by a Track II meeting with leading New Zealand academics and commentators.

In our Regional Matters section, we will analyse the latest issues and developments across Asia. In our latest article, Thailand’s Royal Politics, Asia:NZ contributor Vaughan Yarwood delicately assesses the role of former leader Thaksin Shinawatra and concerns around the health of the King in the increasing political tension in Thailand.

Lisa Onland began her degree in journalism at Hong Kong University in September 2009 with the support of our media programme. Her latest blog recounts festivities in Hong Kong's Che Kung Temple around Chinese New Year. "The din is certainly an assault on the ears. Expecting a peaceful and serene religious ceremony, I was instead confronted by a cacophony of noise and commotion."

We've just announced a series of Asia Knowledge and the New Zealand Curriculum Workshops to take place in Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin during May and June 2010. They are an opportunity to explore why Asia is critically important to young New Zealanders. Also note the upcoming deadlines for the Asia:NZ /AFS three-week teaching scholarships in Southeast Asia and for the 2010 Korean Studies Workshop.

And just a quick reminder that you can now keep up to date with the Foundation's work through Twitter and Facebook.