Book Promotion: “From the Third World to the First, Singapore Story: 1965-2000, Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew” (Iz trećeg svijeta u prvi, Singapurska priča: 1965-2000, Memoari Lee Kuan Yewa) (18 October 2021)
On Tuesday, October 19, the Zagreb School of Economics and Management (ZSEM) and the publishing house MATE Marketing technology organized the promotion of the book “From the Third World to the First, Singapore Story: 1965-2000. Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew”.
The promotion of the book was opened by the Dean of ZSEM dr. sc. Mato Njavro by greeting all present distinguished guests from the Croatian Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, the Croatian Diplomatic Club, the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, and the special advisor to the Dean for International Projects Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović. He also thanked the team of the publishing house MATE Marketing Technologies, and to the translator of the book, Mr. Josip Lušić.
Together with Mato Njavro, the book was discussed by the Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to the Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Timor-Leste, Republic of Philippines, Republic of Singapore and Kingdom of Thailand Nebojša Koharović, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore Mr. George Yeo and the Minister of Justice and Administration of the Republic of Croatia Ivan Malenica.
Mr. George Yeo said in his online address: “Singapore has succeeded because it has found its unique story. He has built good relations with the United States and at the same time good relations with China. I deeply believe that Croatia, as a small country, can create its own unique story.” Ambassador Koharović, who also participated in the book promotion online, shared his vision of the rule of Lee Kuan Yew. “Singapore is so successful because regional significance has been established and the revival of that part of Asia has been initiated,” said Ambassador Koharović. Assessing Lee Kuan Yew’s contributions to Singapore, Minister Malenica stated: “Lee Kuan Yewa wrote memoirs to show that the whole development of Singapore did not come by chance. He devoted himself to us perhaps unimportant things. He was systematic. He carefully planned his every step and the book clearly shows the elements of a modern leader who managed to create Singapore with his team as a successful modern state as we know it today. After resigning from the post of Prime Minister and leaving the leadership to the younger generations, he caused great respect among the people,”
As the President of the ZSEM’s Management Board dr. sc. Đuro Njavro emphasized, Lee Kuan Yew also paid great attention to education. He invested in the education of his people at the world’s best universities and applied their acquired knowledge in the development of public administration, the economy and the education system. Therefore, ZSEM works closely with universities in Singapore, which gives students the opportunity to exchange students, and brings students from Singapore to study at ZSEM.
Following the “The Modi Doctrine: New Paradigms in India's Foreign Policy”, “The Silk Roads: A New History of the World”, “The Great Game, 1856–1907: Russo-British Relations in Central and East Asia”, etc., the translation of the book “From the Third World to the First”, ZSEM and MATE technologies continued to fill its group of publications on Asia, and thus helping in furthering of Croatian knowledge on that part of the world.
