Over the years the Asia Pacific ICT Awards has been the breeding grounds for many friendships across countries and continents. Sometimes we meet as judges on the same panel, inspired by the brilliance of candidates we are evaluating. Before we were judges a number of us met as fellow contestants. And some of us, the very special ones, do such an outstanding job of organizing, hosting and sharing their country’s participation at the awards that lasting friendship is but a natural result.
This post goes out to all of the special friends we have made over the years at the Asia Pacific ICT Awards. Who says an ICT competition is only about technology. As we have learnt over the years, it’s actually about working together and building relationships that span years and geographical boundaries. A special thanks to Rabia Garib at ToffeeTV.com for capturing some of these magical moments.
Each of these pictures is a story in itself. Perhaps one of these days I will sit down and put together a pen and paper portrait to go together with these digital memories.
Figure 1 Bill Lui from Singapore and Jawwad Farid from Pakistan
Figure 2 Ian (Singapore), Badar (Pakistan), Jim (Australia)
Figure 3 Jehan (Pakistan) and Mic the Microphone (Thailand)
Figure 4 Jehan and Stephen Lau (Hong Kong)
Figure 5 The team that delivered APICTA Thailand (Suwipa (middle) and Mic)
Figure 6 Badar (Pakistan) and Nancy (Malaysia)
Figure 7 Zafar Khan (Pakistan) and Ruwan (Sri Lanka)
Figure 8 Jawwad and Atif (sometimes we make friends from the same city)
Figure 9 Jawwad and Mic post the awards night
Figure 10 The P@SHARAZZI Trio from Pakistan
Figure 11 The oldest couple in the room – An APICTA friendship dating back to 2005 as co contestants. Somkiat (Thailand) and Jawwad (Pakistan)