University of Hawaii executive William Watchter shows a scale model of the proposed East-West Center and Technical Center to Sen. Oren E. Long, Sen. Hiram L. Fong and Rep. Daniel K. Inouye. Honolulu Advertiser library file, June 7, 1960. and Wachter.
By Chad Blair 01/31/2013

While Dan Inouye's immense impact on Hawaii is difficult to measure, his association with the East-West Center is easily one of his most significant accomplishments.

Take a close look at the photograph at right: That's a very young Inouye, then in the U.S. House of Representatives, standing with other members of the congressional delegation as they view an architectural model of the proposed East-West Center campus.

The year is 1960, and the caption in the center's Flickr photostream reads, "The delegation will go before the Senate Appropriations Committee within a few days to seek funds for the center."

Inouye would soon be elected senator himself — there is a photo of Inouye breaking ground on the center along with then Vice President Lyndon Johnson — and eventual chairman of Senate Appropriations, posts he held until his death on Dec. 17 at the age of 88.

More: http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2013/01/31/18210-outside-funding-is-helping-keep-hawaiis-east-west-center-afloat/