On behalf of Pacific Neighborhood Consortium（PNC）, it is my privilege to welcome all of you to PNC 2023 Annual Conference and Joint Meetings.

This year, PNC is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and it is our tremendous honor to have this grand conference jointly organized by the University of the Ryukyus and Academia Sinica. We also receive immense support from co-hosts and technical sponsors, including Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative (ECAI), IEEE Fukuoka Section, and Taiwan’s Ministry of Education. On behalf of Academia Sinica and PNC, I would like to express our deepest gratitude to all the sponsors and partners for their enthusiasm and support.

In the post-pandemic era, the world bounces back to a new reality. While we are picking up the pieces and getting back on track, the world has already been going down a road to revival and the new normal. As Albert Einstein put it: “In the midst of every crisis lies great opportunity.” In times of COVID-19, our resilience and creativity take our technology to the next level: cloud service, AI, extended reality (XR), and the application of distance technology in many fields, such as education, telemedicine, etc. Since we have experienced transformations almost in every field on so many levels, now it is the best time we collect ourselves and hence comes the PNC conference with the main theme: “Sea Change: Renewal, Reform and Resolve in Global Arts, Sciences, and Business.” “Sea change,” which originates from William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, refers to “a complete change” in modern times. We believe this phrase can both indicate changes in many areas in the post-pandemic era and also match the general impression of Okinawa.

The conference brings together exceptional researchers and scholars from many fields, including information technology, humanities, and social sciences, to explore a wide array of topics. Meanwhile, the conference program consists of thought-provoking keynote speeches, panel presentations, thematic workshops, as well as a poster session on various topics. In addition, I would like to encourage all participants to join the reception, the evening banquet and the excursion to embrace cultural diversity and the Japanese cuisine of Okinawa. Last but not least, I would also like to express our deepest appreciation to the local organizer, Kume Sōseikai, and the staff of the University of the Ryukyus. Without their great dedication and efforts in organizing the event, the PNC conference could never come to fruition.

Thank you for joining us, and I wish you all a stimulating and enjoyable time at the PNC 2023!

The Pacific Neighborhood Consortium (PNC) is an organization that aims to promote communications and exchanges among academic and educational institutions in the Pacific Rim, and to collaborate in research and development using science and technology, as well as in the preservation, research, and management of cultural assets.

Typically, the conference and joint meetings are held once a year. The Annual Conference has been convened 24 times in various locations such as Taiwan, the United States, Mexico, Hawaii, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and more. To commemorate its 30th anniversary, the Pacific Neighborhood Consortium will hold its 2023 Annual Conference and Joint Meetings at the University of the Ryukyus. The conference will be jointly sponsored by the PNC and the Department of Ryukyuan and Asian Studies at the University of the Ryukyus, with the support of Meio University as the local organizer and the Kume Soseikai as a co-sponsor.

During World War II, the U.S. military landed on the main island of Okinawa in April 1945, leading a fierce ground war that caused devastating damage to historical sites and documents. Many cultural treasures, including ancient capital city of Shuri and the city of Naha were either greatly suffered or lost.

The collections currently housed at institutions such as the Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum, the Naha City Museum of History, the Urasoe Art Museum, the Okinawa Prefectural Archives, the Okinawa Prefectural Library, and the University of the Ryukyus Library consist of artifacts that survived the war within Okinawa Prefecture or were later recovered from other parts in Japan or overseas.

Since the war, Okinawa has been diligently working on restoring cultural properties, including the reconstruction of Shuri Castle, and has been engaging in research and the collection of documentary materials. Universities, museums, art museums, and archives, including the University of the Ryukyus, have made substantial efforts to digitalize and share the information.

By holding this conference in Okinawa, we would like to raise awareness among researchers in the Pacific Rim region about Okinawa’s remarkable journey of cultural heritage recovery after the devastating effects of World War II. We hope to demonstrate how this recovery has paved the way for innovations in academic research and information dissemination through the use of science and technology, as evidenced by the experiences and reports from the Okinawan perspective. We hope this will reach not only researchers in the Pacific Rim region but also a global audience.

There will be about 120 honorable guests, researchers and scholars from 7 different countries attending this 3-day event. I believe with all the inspiring talks, workshops and presentations, PNC 2023 conference will definitely be a hearty knowledge feast! I wish you success and hope everything is going well!

I am pleased to again welcome you to the Annual Meeting of the Pacific Neighborhood Consortium and the Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative. These two organizations have been a source of great help over the years, as we have faced the growth of digital technology and new ways of communication. Today, our world is changing at a speed previously unexperienced.  Added to the mix has been the impact of a microbe pandemic that came upon us unexpectedly and with a powerful and deadly force. Both PNC and ECAI are needed more than ever, to help us deal with resulting issues that are without guiding precedence. There is a need to provide a platform for communication among those who are creating and using these newest digital tools. They are far advanced, such as Artificial Intelligence. With AI there was no time for reflection about how to make the best use, since it appeared and spread to a vast community of users within weeks. History tells us that the introduction of new technology is followed by a later development of an ethic for its use. Because of the speed of adoption of AI, we have not yet been able to put in place an acceptable guideline for its development. Disciplinary boundaries will not be effective, we need the entire scholarly world to be involved. In effect, we need the model of PNC and ECAI where all disciplines are welcomed to every meeting.

I want to take this opportunity to thank both organizations for their contribution to my life and work.  This year, at 91, I have retired from the office of Director of ECAI.  It is a great pleasure to introduce you to Professor Wayne de Fremery of Dominican University, California who has been appointed the new Director. You will find him to be a great resource for all the issues that need to be addressed. He has had a major influence on my work and that of ECAI. We are fortunate to have his continued leadership.