HONG KONG—Some 170 people took part in a regional conference of the International Society for the Study of Chinese Overseas (ISSCO) held here June 21-22. The event, held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, drew participants from China—including this former British colonial enclave—and countries across Southeast Asia, the Pacific, North America, and Europe.

Numerous panels during the two-day conference—some in English and others in Chinese—discussed the history and evolution of the Chinese living in virtually every country. The various and changing religious practices that predominate in the Chinese diaspora were a focus of the gathering. The next issue of the Militant will report on discussions at the event.

Shown above is the opening session of the conference and one of the panels on “Religion and Society.” The speaker is Teresita Ang See, president of the Kaisa Heritage Center in Manila, Philippines, and secretary-treasurer of ISSCO.

—MARTÍN KOPPEL