The 4th International Conference of the Association for the Study of Australia in Asia (ASAA) was a rare opportunity for Sri Lankan academics and writers to join a forum of this kind in their country, said Dr. Ms. Cynthia Vanden Driesen ASAA President at the conclusion of the conference at Hotel Suisse, Kandy.

Academics, authors researchers and writers from Australia, India, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and several other countries in the Asian region presented papers, research findings and criticism of books and other creative literature at this forum.

A paper by Prof. Driesen of the Edith Cowan University, Australia traced some aspects of the changes in literary representations of the Australian aborigine.

In the 1940s - still decades away from the emancipatory grant to indigenous people of the right to vote-literary works emerged that constructed the indigenous figure as a visionary artist and pulative saint, it noted.

Professor Ian Vanden Driesen, University of Western Australia in his work - An iconic figure of change in Sinhala drama - Reminiscences of Ediriweera Sarachchandra, identified Prof. Sarachchandra as a legend in his own time.

The writer has recalled how he shared a home with Sarachchandra in Mahakanda in close proximity to the University of Peradeniya.

Prof. Ian Driesen was a university Don of the Peradeniya Campus.

Dr. Ms. Julia Gross, Faculty Librarian in the Faculty of Education and Arts at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia in her paper titled Australian Literary blogs and bloggers explored the emergence of the Australian literary "blogosphere" and offered a review of the fast changing world of literary blogs and bloggers.

Creative works of Prof. Ranjan Goonatilake of the University of Kelaniya, Ms. Sandhaya Gotswami, University of New Delhi, Dr. Aparna Halpe, University of Torronto, Dr. R. S. Jayasinghe, University of Peradeniya, Prof. Ashley Halpe, University of Peradeniya, Dr. Robert Imre, University of Newcastle, Dr. Carol Leon, University of Malaysia, Dr. Isabel Alonso-Breto, University of Barcelona, Spain were among those listed to be studied at the forum.

Dr. Ms. Pat Lowe British born psychologist having migrated to Australia and taken much interest in the life of Australia’s aborigines attended the world forum as a writer and publisher of a host of books on varying topics for adults and children.

The highest attraction was the presentations by Pampils Hanson Boxer, a descendent of the aborigines of Australia.

Boxer an accomplished indigenous musician and traditional dancer displayed his inherent talents by singing and playing musical instruments new to the audience.