GovernanceRespect for human rights, rule of law, effective participation, and accountability of public institutions are some areas that lay the foundation for good governance. ASEF encourages informal, open and non-confrontational dialogue between government and civil society representatives in this field, through its current project series on human rights and public diplomacy.
We encourage informal, open, and non-confrontational dialogue among representatives of governments and civil societies in Asia and Europe.
For more information about our activities in this area, please contact us or click on one of our related programmes.
19th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights: "Human Rights Education & Training"
The 19th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights will take place on 4-6 November 2019 in Tromso, Norway, on the theme of “Human Rights Education & Training”. The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an intergovernmental forum for dialogue and...
18th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights - Training
The Training is a Follow-up to the 18th Informal ASEM Seminar on “Human Rights and the Prevention of Violent Extremism”. Since 2017 the Training functions as a capacity building component on human rights to support the Seminar’s overall...
7th ASEF Public Diplomacy Training
BACKGROUND Public diplomacy involves strategies and activities aimed at influencing both the foreign and domestic public, understanding their attitudes towards foreign policy and shaping their views on related issues. These efforts help establish a dialogue...
In 2017, the co-organisers introduced a capacity-building component on human rights to support the Seminar’s overall objective of promoting mutual understanding and cooperation on human rights issues in ASEM. Capacity-building will be delivered via...
Call for Proposals - Review of the Human Rights Project Series
The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), together with its Partners – the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI), the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs...
6th Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative 2018
BACKGROUND Public diplomacy involves strategies and activities aimed at influencing both the foreign and domestic public, understanding their attitudes towards foreign policy and shaping their views on related issues. These efforts help establish...
18th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights: “Human Rights and Prevention of Violent Extremism”
The 18th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights took place on 5-8 November 2018 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on the theme of “Human Rights and Prevention of Violent Extremism”. The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an intergovernmental...
Training on “Human Rights and Children”
The Training is a newly established component under the framework of the Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights series. It was introduced in 2017 to support the series' overall objective of promoting mutual understanding and cooperation on human rights...
17th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights: "Human Rights and Children"
The 17th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights took place on 7-9 November 2017 in Sofia, Bulgaria, on the theme of "Human Rights and Children". Participation in the 17th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights took place in three simultaneous...
Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative 2017 - 5th Face-to-face Training
Overview Established in 2013, the Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative is a joint collaboration between the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the DiploFoundation of Switzerland, and the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE)...
Policy Briefing on Human Rights and Trafficking in Persons
Based on the outcomes of the 15th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights "Human Rights and Trafficking", ASEF will organise a policy briefing in Europe to Exchange best practices and lessons learnt from across Asia and Europe for taking a...
Policy Briefing on Human Rights and Persons with Disabilities
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) promotes, protects and ensures “the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect...
Annual Human Rights Training: "Human Rights and Persons with Disabilities"
The Annual Human Rights Training is a newly established component under the framework of the Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights series. It was introduced to support the series' overall objective of promoting mutual understanding and cooperation on...
Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative 2017 - 5th Online Course
Overview Established in 2013, the Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative is a joint collaboration between the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the DiploFoundation of Switzerland, and the National Centre for Research on Europe (NCRE)...
Call for Proposals: Training Design and Delivery on the Topic of Human Rights and Children
The Informal Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Seminar on Human Rights promotes mutual understanding and co-operation between Europe and Asia in the area of political dialogue, particularly on human rights issues, and encourages an open and non-confrontational...
In collaboration with the International Disability Alliance and CBM, ASEF organised a side-event to the 10th Conference of State Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP10) that took place on 13-15 June 2017...
ASEF hosts European Parliament Delegation Visit & Human Rights Roundtable
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Delegation, visited the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) on Monday, 22 May 2017. The European Parliament's ASEAN Delegation visit was co-organised with the...
Policy Briefings on Human Rights and Persons with Disabilities
The Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights is an annual human rights dialogue that takes place at the ASEM level, bringing senior civil society experts and government representatives from ASEM Partners. The 16th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights...
Call for Proposals: Training Design and Delivery on the Topic of Human Rights and Disabilities
The Informal Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Seminar on Human Rights promotes mutual understanding and co-operation between Europe and Asia in the area of political dialogue, particularly on human rights issues, and encourages an open and non-confrontational...
Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative 2016
The Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative aims at improving the relations between Asia and Europe by enhancing public diplomacy efforts among the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Partners. It provides practical skills-oriented training with toolkits...
16th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights: "Persons with Disabilities and Human Rights"
The 16th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights was held on 8th-10th November 2016 in Beijing, China, on the theme of “Persons with Disabilities and Human Rights”. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that about 1 billion people (15...
A Rights-Based Approach to Anti-Trafficking: Lessons from Asia and Europe
Trafficking in persons is considered to be the fastest growing, global illegal enterprise in the 21st century, second to drug trafficking. The Palermo Protocol promotes international cooperation on counter-trafficking, criminalising trafficking...
Asia-Europe News Media Connectivity: Collaborating on Digital Journalism
Journalists from Asia and Europe attended 2 intensive ASEF Journalists’ Workshops, in Brussels, Belgium, January 2016 and in Guangzhou, China, May 2016. These workshops focused on the themes of connectivity and collaboration between Asia and Europe,...
The 8th ASEF Editors’ Roundtable (ERT8) was organised in conjunction with the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit (ASEM11) in July 2016 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The theme for this edition of the Editors’ Roundtable focused on connectivity between...
ASEF Journalists' Workshop (Asia)
The Journalists’ Workshop offer an opportunity for 20 journalists to come together to share their professional media experiences and perspectives from national and regional levels, in a direct exchange with their regional counterparts. Using the Asia-Europe...
Call for Proposal: Review of the Asia-Europe Migration Project
The Asia-Europe Migration Project was a 2-year project (2013-2014) that explored how migrants in Asia and Europe are received in their new "homes". It was co-organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Office...
ASEF Journalists' Workshop (Europe)
The Journalists’ Workshop offer an opportunity for 20 journalists to come together to share their professional media experiences and perspectives from national and regional levels, in a direct exchange with their regional counterparts. Using the Asia-Europe...
Call for Proposals: Mid-Term Review of the Human Rights Project Series
The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), together with its partners – the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI), the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development, and the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs – have been organising regular...
15th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights: "Human Rights and Trafficking in Persons"
The 15th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights was held on 24-26 November 2015 in Montreux, Switzerland, on the theme “Human Rights and Trafficking in Persons”. The Seminar gathered about 125 civil society experts, private...
Celebrating SG50 at Heng Mui Keng Terrace
Over 100 guests from 10 international organisations and think-tanks in Singapore located along Heng Mui Keng Terrace gathered at the ASEF premises to celebrate the 50th founding year of Singapore. Professor Tommy KOH, Ambassador-at-Large from the Ministry...
The Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative 2015
The Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative aimed at improving the relations between Asia and Europe by enhancing public diplomacy efforts among the members of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). It provided a practical skills-oriented training with...
14th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights: "Human Rights and Businesses"
The 14th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights was held on 18-20 November 2014 in Hanoi, Viet Nam, on the topic 'Human Rights and Businesses'. With over 125 international representatives participating, the Seminar addressed the relationship between corporate...
ENVforum Conference: 29 – 30 September 2014
In September 2014, the Asia-Europe Environment Forum (ENVforum) hosted a high-profile Conference in Brussels, Belgium that examined the most pressing issues in the post-2015 development agenda. The key focus of the high-level event was on innovative...
Panel Discussion on 'The Role of Businesses in protecting Environment and Human Rights'
The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and Ecosphere organised a panel discussion on "The Role of Businesses in protecting Environment and Human Rights" on Wednesday, 09 July 2014 in Brussels, Belgium. The objective of this discussion was to share Asian...
Climate Change Negotiation for Policy Makers from ASEAN Member Countries
The workshop Climate Change Negotiation for Policy Makers from ASEAN Member Countries took place on 18-19 June 2014 in Hanoi, Viet Nam. The event was a part of the series of workshops contributing to the Asia-Europe dialogue on climate change issues...
The Asia-Europe Environment Forum (ENVforum) contributed to two back-to-back high-profile events centred on Sustainable Development. The first annual Sustainable Development Transition Forum (SDTF) and the Sustainable Development Planning Network for...
ASEF Outlook Report 2014/2015 – Facts & Perspectives
In 2012, the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) developed an “Outlook Report” that set out to offer an analysis of the future of Asia-Europe relations and its implications on the ASEM process. The two-volume publication included both quantitative...
Side-Event at the United Nations 5th Open Working Group Meeting
Fifth session of the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals took place on 25-27 November 2013 in New York City. During the meeting the Asia-Europe Environment Forum (ENVforum) organised a side event on 26 November titled “Sustainable...
Asia-Europe Democratisation and Justice (AEDJ) - Political Parties and the Citizen Workshop
The "Political Parties and the Citizen” project focused on examining how political parties in Asia and Europe interact with citizens and citizen movements. The project consists of two components, (i) research and (ii) a workshop. The...
Green Growth and Sustainable Development Goals - A Development Agenda for Post-2015
The Asia-Europe Environment Forum (ENVforum) organised the conference as part of a contribution to a world-wide effort to discuss and support sustainable development as an answer to sustainable development implementation challenges. The main...
13th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights: "Human Rights and the Environment"
The 13th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights took place on 21-23 October 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark, on the topic “Human Rights and the Environment”. With over 135 International representatives participating, the Seminar linked human rights...
Workshop on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for ASEAN countries
On the occasion of the last ASEM Summit in Laos in 2012, leaders and government representatives from Asian and European countries reaffirmed their commitment to promote sustainable development, believing that responsible progress is the outcome of economic...
Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative
Effective communication is one of the primary bases of the art of diplomacy. Being able to draw on different perspectives and fully understand the viewpoint of the interlocutor are skills that complement the able diplomat. In this perspective, ASEF in...
Asia Europe Relations - 30 Years in the Future
The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and the United Nations University-Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS) organised a presentation of the ASEM Outlook Report 2012 in Bangkok (Thailand) on 11 March 2013. The ASEM Outlook Report...
Small-state influence in international organizations: The case of Slovenia - Public Lecture
ASEF, in support of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the University of Ljubljana - Faculty of Social Science (UL-FSS), hosted a public lecture by Assoc. Prof. Miro Haček entitled, "Small state influence in International Organisations:...
Co-organised by ASEF and UNU-CRIS, the workshop provided a platform on which the findings of the ASEM Outlook Report and other cross-cutting issues of relevance to Asia and Europe can be discussed. The Workshop participants reviewed the Report...
12th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
The 12th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights took place on 27-29 June 2012 in Seoul, Korea, and addressed the topic of “Human Rights and Information and Communication Technology”. In recent years, the development of Information and Communication...
The 5th ASEFUAN Dialogue took place at the Clingendael Institute, The Netherlands, on 21 May 2012 at the Hague. It was entitled ”Re-emerging Asian Actors and International Law: Asian and European Perspectives on the International Criminal Court...
Improving Regional Security Architectures through an Asia-Europe Strategic Partnership
Regional cooperative mechanisms for peace and security has become a key priority for the 21st century, as witnessed by the establishment of new – and strengthening of existing – fora and institutions. The question, however, remains as to whether regional...
11th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
The 11th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights, held in Prague, The Czech Republic from 23 - 25 November 2011, was entitled “National and Regional Human Rights Mechanisms”. The Seminar was co-organised by the French Ministry of Foreign and...
The Asia Europe Roundtable series on Conflict Management has covered the whole conflict cycle – from conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peace-keeping and peace-making, to post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation. Throughout the discussions,...
Good Policing: Models, Instruments and Practices
The workshop on ‘Improving the Role of the Police in Asia and Europe’ brought specialists together to examine the existing police oversight mechanisms in Asia and Europe and to analyse the intersections between external oversight, internal disciplinary...
34th Asia-Europe Lecture Tour: Human Rights In Criminal Justice Systems
The Criminal Justice System has to carefully balance different and sometimes conflicting interests: first, the legitimate interest of the State to fight crime and maintain internal security; second, the interest of the victims of crime; and third, the...
10th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
The 10th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights, held on 7-9 July 2010 in Manila, the Philippines, addressed the topic of "Human Rights and Gender Equality". This Seminar, the 10th in the series, was hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs of...
Overview The Asia-Europe Roundtable (AER) series which was launched in 2001, is an important forum for Asia-Europe dialogue on international relations, and since 2003, on conflict management. The series aims to examine the nature of Asia and Europe,...
Thirteen years after the launch of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and with the recent addition of Russia and Australia, the informal dialogue process now involves 45 countries that represent more than half the world’s GDP and two regional institutions,...
Rapporteurs' Meeting 10th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
In preparation of the upcoming 10th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights, to be held on 7-9 July 2010 in Manila, the Philippines, two identified main rapporteurs will be meeting in Singapore together with the partners of the seminar series to discuss...
Asia-Europe Democratisation And Justice Series
The third Advisory Group meeting was held to discuss the direction of the Asia-Europe Democratisation and Justice Series, as well as partnership possibilities for future activities. In addition, the meeting focused on creating a new structural design...
Political financing regulation is a body of principles, rules, and procedures through which parties attempt to limit the undue influence of money in politics. In most countries state bodies such as governmental departments, national electoral commissions,...
International Conventions for Women’s Rights
* NOTICE: This event has been cancelled due to Professor Flinterman's schedule. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. * The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is the international human rights treaty...
31st Asia-Europe Lecture Tour: The Establishment Of An Ombudsman Institution
After Sweden in 1809 and Finland in 1919, Denmark in 1955 became the third country in the world to acquire an ombudsman. And it was from Denmark that the ombudsman institution gained a footing all over the world. From that point onwards, the institution...
Meeting: Developing A Best Practices Handbook For Policing
At the workshop on “Improving the Role of the Police in Asia and Europe,” participants discussed safeguards and oversight bodies as well as the relationship between the police and community. One of the main recommendations at this workshop was the...
Thirty-five practitioners and experts from Asia and Europe gathered in Letterkenny and Derry, Ireland, for a dialogue on the different types of minority conflicts, focusing in particular on “frozen conflicts” -- cases where the cessation of open...
10th Human Rights Steering Committee Meeting
The Steering Committee, which is composed of representatives from the organisers as well as the governments of China, Indonesia and the European Commission, met in Singapore to set-up and design the main architecture for the 10th event in the series,...
Asia-Europe Training For Youth Leaders
This training course was designed to develop the competences of 30 youth trainers, leaders, and workers in developing Asia-Europe youth projects with a human rights education component. COURSE - Experiential learning - Taking into account participants'...
9th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
The 9th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights, entitled “Human Rights in Criminal Justice Systems”, was held in Strasbourg, France, 18th-20th February, 2009. Criminal justice plays a key role in safeguarding the rule of law protecting human rights....
13th Talks On The Hill: Ethnicity, Race And Politics
The majority of countries in Asia and Europe are ethnically heterogeneous, in the sense that minorities constitute more than five per-cent of the total population. Even in countries with relative ethnic homogeneity, the last 20 years of rapid globalisation...
Workshop: Improving The Role Of The Police
As part of the Asia-Europe Democratisation and Justice Series of workshops, this event was held to deepen discussions on safeguards and oversight bodies, as well as the relationship between the police and the community. Participants from oversight institutions...
Fighting Corruption In Asia-Pacific: Strategies For Business, Government, And Civil Society
This conference provided an opportunity to address the supply of corruption, from the perspectives of the public sector, the private sector, and civil society. Participants consisted of experts from the region, and through a combination of plenary sessions...
27th and 28th Asia-Europe Lecture Tour: Perspectives On Freedom Of Expression
The 8th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights held in September 2008 in Siem Reap, Cambodia centred on the theme “Freedom of Expression.” Countries in Asia and Europe are converging around the principle of freedom of expression, recognising not...
26th Asia-Europe Lecture Tour: Stories From Borders And Stories Of Borders
In the 26th Asia-Europe Lecture Tour series, academic and human rights activist Sriprapha Petcharamesree shared true-life stories from Asia and Europe, and reflected on the concepts of borders and frontiers both from legal and political perspectives....
Workshop On Protecting The Whistleblowers: Asian And European Perspectives
For action against corruption to be successful, the involvement of the community and non-governmental actors is crucial. Debates in parliaments over legal protection for whistleblowers are growing across Asia and Europe. Persecution of whistleblowers...
6th Asia-Europe Roundtable: Evaluation Meeting
This meeting brought together 10 experts to discuss and evaluate the Asia-Europe Roundtable (AER) series in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. The evaluation was outsourced to an external consultant and the findings—along with suggestions for...
12th Talks On The Hill: Co-Ordinating An Asia-Europe Response To Troubled States
Asia and Europe have on occasion taken divergent approaches towards governments that have been labelled uncooperative or "recalcitrant" by the international community. These troubled states are often characterised by authoritarian leaderships, with...
Symposium: "The New Asian Hemisphere"
In his book "The New Asian Hemisphere," academic Kishore Mahbubani argued that Asia is returning to the position that it occupied on the world stage before the rise of the West, and called for a new global partnership. His controversial book has attracted...
by Prof. Dr. Vitit Muntarbhorn, Co-Chair of the Civil Society Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and Maruah Singapore organised the lecture "An ASEAN Human Rights body: A Milestone in the 60 years of the...
24th Asia-Europe Lecture Tour: An Assessment of EU Policy Towards Asia
The 24th Asia-Europe Lecture Tour series was delivered by Fraser Cameron, a former European Commission advisor and well-known policy analyst, author, and commentator on EU affairs. KEY ISSUES Dr Cameron outlined the EU’s collective approach towards...
23rd Asia-Europe Lecture Tour: Transitional Justice And Human Rights
The 23rd Asia-Europe Lecture Tour was delivered by Kassie Neou, President of the Peace and Development Institute in Cambodia. The lecture focused on approaches of transitional justice in Cambodia and the present status of such a process. The talk addressed...
The Impact Of Ageing: A Common Challenge For Europe And Asia
The Asia Research Institute and the ASEF jointly launched the book "The Impact of Ageing - A Common Challenge for Europe and Asia" by Gabriele Sinigoj and Gavin Jones at the ASEF premises. In a rare European-Asian interdisciplinary collaboration, world-renowned...
Democratisation And Justice Series: Advisory Group Meeting
This first meeting of the Asia-Europe Democratisation And Justice series involved experts from non-government organisations, think tanks, the academe, and regional institutions, as well as former policy makers. Participants explored how best to promote...
21st Asia-Europe Lecture Tour: Access To Justice And Public Empowerment
This instalment of the Asia-Europe Lecture Tour series addressed the issue of citizens' access to justice as a prerequisite for the proper functioning of a democratic society. Participants were given an insight to the Central European experience of...
ASEM Education Hub Thematic Network on Regionalism Studies (RASEM): Inaugural Conference
This conference consisted of an international colloquium on regionalism, regionalisation, development, and transition in the EU and in Asia, as well as a business meeting to discuss the network's structure and future directions. The key objectives...
8th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
The 8th Informal Seminar on Human Rights, entitled “Freedom of Expression”, was held in Siem Reap, Cambodia from 26t-28th September, 2007. Countries in Asia and Europe are converging around the principle of freedom of expression, recognising not only...
Ethics and Values in a Digital Age
Ethics and Values in a Digital Age
ASEM Education Hub Thematic Network On Peace And Conflict Studies
For its meeting, the Network's Advisory Board gathered a select group of academic experts and resource persons to outline a roadmap for the Network's projects and activities. Participants were asked to develop a strategy towards a growing partnership...
4th Asia-Europe Journalists' Seminar
This instalment of the Asia-Europe Journalists' Seminar was one of the ASEF's 10th anniversary events. The seminar brought together 25 foreign desk editors, correspondents, and reporters from 21 Asian and European countries. Among the journalists invited...
5th Asia-Europe Roundtable: Sustaining The Peace Through Post-Conflict Reconstruction
In the resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations and agreements are necessary for lasting peace. However, co-ordinated and participatory post-conflict reconstruction efforts are required to ensure that the peace process does not revert to conflict. The...
This lecture highlighted the stony path from the Nuremberg Trial 60 years ago -- when some of those primarily responsible for the war and war crimes in Germany had to answer for their actions -- to the establishment of the International Criminal Court...
This was the inaugural lecture of the ASEF's Democratisation And Justice Series; the lecture topic was timely because it coincided with the drafting of the ASEAN Charter. Speaker Kevin Boyle discussed the link between human rights protection and other...
In this lecture, speaker IIze Brands Kehris discussed how migration for both humanitarian and economic reasons was accelerating the pace of demographic change in various countries. She also provided an analysis of policies tailored towards illegal and...
The 19th and 20th instalments of the Lecture Tour series featured two high-profile speakers who travelled and delivered their presentations in tandem in Asian and European cities. Bernhard Zepter provided the European perspective, and his lecture explained...
The Talks on the Hill meeting series adopts a closed-door, intensive brainstorming meeting format, run on a set of ground rules aimed at encouraging open and frank discussion. More important, this series brings together participants from different professional...
1st Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights and the Rule of Law
The 1st Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights and the Rule of Law, entitled ‘Administration of Justice,’ was conducted in Lund, Sweden from 11th-13th December, 1997. It was organized in conjunction with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (Sweden) and...
8th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
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This conference gathered 60 representatives from NGOs, the business sector, the academe, media, youth organisations, and research institutes to review the state of Asia-Europe relations with a focus on civil society partnerships and business links. It...
This lecture addressed the reasons behind Asian and European state actors’ development of common soft power capabilities, the concepts and interests that guide the projection of European and Asian soft power, and the consequences of this approach...
Delivered by journalist Richard Werly, this lecture focused on the challenges that lay ahead for the next United Nations Secretary-General. Based on his observations and discussions with various sources, Werly asserted that one of the most important...
5th Asia-Europe Roundtable: Preparatory Meeting
Eleven experts from ASEM countries met to discuss the question: “How do regional communities in Europe and East Asia help to build/rebuild democracy in post-conflict countries?†This had been suggested as a possible topic for the 5th Asia-Europe...
ASEF Lecture: The Aceh Monitoring Mission Experience
For this lecture, speaker Pieter Feith provided a first-hand account of the experience of leading the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) following the 2005 peace agreement between the Aceh separatist group Free Aceh Movement and the Indonesian government....
At this lecture, speaker David Celdran used a comparative study of the media experience in selected Southeast Asian countries to show how deregulated media environments and unbridled commercialisation of the press threatened to trivialise public discourse...
The 8th Talks on the Hill, entitled “Re-righting Intellectual Property: Economic and Social policy challenges in Asia and Europe” took place at ASEF, Singapore from 7th-9th May, 2006. Bringing together 13-15 experts on the subhject from Asia and...
At this lecture, speaker Teo Siew Yean identified factors that have impacted gender wage differentials in Asia and Europe. Further, her lecture addressed a pertinent question: Should the focus of policy to narrow the gender wage gap be on enforcing...
7th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
In a spirit of openness and tolerance, 100 officials and civil society representatives from 36 ASEM countries convened in Budapest, Hungary from 22nd-25th February, 2006 for the 7th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights, “Human Rights and Ethnic, Linguistic...
Regional Integration Series: Forum On 10 Years Of ASEM
This conference, titled "10 Years Of Achievements And Future Challenges," was attended by 70 experts and government officials from ASEM countries. Participants reviewed a draft research report by the Japan Centre for International Exchange and the Helsinki...
This meeting brought together 15 high-level individuals from Asia and Europe to address the issue of racism and xenophobia in the two regions, with the objective of coming up with policy recommendations on improving the situation. Participants were...
A Gender Agenda: Asia-Europe Dialogue 3
Sixty participants from ASEM member countries gathered at this conference, which focused on the economic empowerment of women as a critical process for changing perspectives and the promotion of information sharing between the regions. For this conference,...
In this lecture, speaker lIaria Bottigliero used examples from both Asia and Europe to outline how a lack of basic justice or redress for victims of major crimes ultimately undermines the rule of law, human security, and the full enjoyment of human...
The Europa-Forum Neumarkt - “Das Europe der 25” convened in Neumarkt, Austria from 15th-17th April, 2005. At the meeting of European federalists in Austria, the focus was on the constitutional crisis of the EU after the referenda in France and the...
This workshop was held to identify specific issues and concrete follow-ups for international co-operation projects. Twenty-five people participated in the workshop, and this included researchers, academics, and officials from the Council of Europe,...
3rd Asia-Europe Journalists' Seminar: The Future Of ASEM
Held on the occasion of the 7th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting, this seminar brought together 27 journalists from various ASEM/ASEF countries. The programme consisted of seven interactive sessions focusing on global issues relevant to Asia and Europe....
Delivered by Djuanda Widjaya, this lecture provided an analysis of the tsunami relief efforts in Aceh, from the perspective of the local Acehnese community, the Indonesian government, and the international actors that were involved. In the discussion...
This two-day conference brought together 48 participants from 21 ASEM countries; participants consisted of representatives from civil society, including research institutes/think tanks, the academia, and NGOs, as well as government and inter-governmental...
Asia-Europe Programme For Emerging Public Sector Leaders: Leadership Through Uncertainty
This meeting brought together 34 young diplomats and emerging public sector leaders from 21 countries, including the following new ASEM member countries: - Cambodia - Hungary - Laos - Latvia - Myanmar - Poland - Slovak Republic The three-day...
The Talks On The Hill series brings together prominent activists, journalists, academics, and policy makers to explore issues in a trans-disciplinary spirit. For this dialogue, 13 high-level individuals spent two days in intensive, closed-door discussions...
7th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
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Delivered by Plamen Tonchev, this lecture tour series focused on democracy-building in post-conflict situations by looking at four case studies from Cambodia, East Timor, Bosnia, and Cyprus. Rodolfo Severino, former Secretary-General of ASEAN and Research...
In this lecture tour series, speaker Ann-Cathrine Jungar addressed the lack of gender equality in the political sphere from a theoretical as well as a comparative perspective. The tour kicked off in Singapore, where Jungar addressed a crowd of 75...
"The lecture tours turned out to be one of my most rewarding academic experiences -- I was both a producer and a consumer in the sense that I delivered a speech while also learning a lot from the discussions. Every time I encountered a different audience...
“After many kinds of experiences of international talks, I cannot help but proclaim that you have really found out an excellent method and have experience, guts and the hang of it... [The] discussions were very rewarding and secondary issues were...
The Asia-Europe Press Forum, held from 19th-21st September, 2004 in Seoul, Korea was hosted by Joong Ang IIbo and is an annual gathering of leading newspaper editors and journalists. Originally named the Asia Press Forum, it was formed in 1996 to promote...
6th ASEM informal Seminar on Human Rights
This 6th seminar focused on migration issues between and within both regions. The objective of the seminar was to highlight the need to integrate the issue of protection of the human rights of migrants into all stages of migration management. Both...
Europe-Forum Neumarkt (PR Event), or “Reformaussichten fur die erweiterte EU,” was held from 16th-18th July, 2004 in Neumarkt, Austria. Forchtenstein castle in Neumarkt, a small town in the Styrian Alps, is the seat of the regional Europe-House, the...
Regional Integration Series: 1st Connecting Civil Societies Of Asia And Europe
"Civil society organisations can make a unique contribution to the political, socio-economic and cultural development of Asia and Europe." - Bertrand Fort, conference co-ordinator. This two-day meeting brought together 200 high-level representatives...
Democratisation And Justice Series
"We have high hopes that a union of peace and prosperity which is modelled after the European Union can be realised in Asia in the not-so-distant future. In Europe, we see the future of East Asia." - Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, then-Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs...
“Again an interesting discussion that focused first around inner-European topics and then turned into a discussion about what inspiration Asia could draw from 'the European Way.' We had a very good discussion on the EU's CFSP and I was impressed...
Regional Integration Series: New Security Challenges For Asia And Europe
This two-day meeting brought together over 70 eminent scholars, researchers, and policy makers from Asia and Europe in the field of regional security to discuss the prospects of greater Asia-Europe co-operation on security. The result of the conference...
"The programme was a stimulating experience for me. Intellectual discourses are sometimes easily dominated by a western frame of reference, but I found our exploration was an attempt to go beyond the frame, with a heavy Asian presence. We are living in...
This lecture tour series was delivered by Peter Ashby, who addressed the relationship between the government and the governed, with a focus on the level of trust between the two. Over 400 people attended the lectures and contributed to the debates and...
This lecture was delivered by Ambassador Dr. P. Christian Hauswedell, who expressed his enthusiasm for the future of ASEM and its relevance, while underlining the urgent need for an ASEM Secretariat. Hauswedell has worked on political, trade, and defence...
This was the inaugural lecture tour under the Cultures And Civilisations Dialogue Programme, and it was delivered by Yeo Lay Hwee who addressed audiences in three major European cities. SPEAKER Dr. Yeo Lay Hwee, Singapore Institute of International...
6th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
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5th Asia-Europe Young Parliamentarians Meeting
Forty-two young parliamentarians from 14 ASEM countries and the European Parliament gathered to exchange views and perspectives on the meeting's theme, "Promoting Mutual Grown And Development In Asia And Europe Through Srengthened Inter-Parliamentary...
2nd Asia-Europe Journalists' Seminar
This seminar was organised to coincide with the 5th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting, and as the sequel to the Asia-EU Journalists' Seminar held in Brussels in May 2003. It brought together a diverse group of Asian and European journalists and enabled...
Europa-Forum Neumarkt: European Federalists Seminar
This forum brought together 130 people for discussions, including European federalists from current and future EU member states. Notably, participants highlighted that the EU should play a more active role in diffusing tensions between North and South...
Attended by more than 100 people, this meeting was organised to compare and contrast the historical development, current situation, and prospective future evolution of the principal regional organisations in Europe and East Asia, namely the EU, ASEAN,...
1st Asia-Europe Journalists Seminar
The inaugural Asia-Europe Journalists Seminar brought together about 20 journalists from Asia and Europe to discuss the philosophies, methods, and challenges involved in European integration. The objective was to enhance the participants' knowledge...
5th ASEM Informal Seminar on Human Rights Series
The 5th ASEM Informal Seminar on Human Rights Series, gathered a total of 55 representatives composed of civil societies from the corporate sectors, trade unions, legal agencies, NGOs and government officials. There were 2 rapporteurs (one Asian and one...
5th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
The 5th ASEM Informal Seminar on Human Rights, `Human Rights and Economic Relations Work Group II - Foreign Direct Investment,' from 22nd-23rd February, 2003 in Bangkok, Thailand was co-organised with the Centre for European Studies, Chulalongkorn University. Following...
Dialogue of Cultures and Civilisations
The New World Order Forum, `How can multi-lateral institutions respond more effectively to crises of global security?' took place in Windsor Castle from 24th-26th October, 2002 in LKondon, the United Kingdom and was the second of a four-part series. The...
A Gender Agenda: Asia-Europe Dialogue 2
This dialogue attracted about 60 participants and consisted of two study groups that addressed the following themes: - Women and men as agents of change in political decision making - Women and men as agents of change in economic life The Political...
The New Global Security Agenda: Prospects For Asia-Europe Co-operation
This two-day conference addressed the broad issues of transnational crimes, such as the trafficking of people across borders, the drug trade, and money laundering. THE ISSUES - Transnational crimes and conflict - Specific transnational crimes: assessment...
ASEF Lecture: European Union Foreign Policy And The Challenges Of Globalisation
At this lecture, the EU's Chris Patten addressed a large audience to pledge the European Union's continued strong interest and engagement in the Southeast Asian region. He cited the economic support and advice that Europe was offering to East Asian...
Globalisation And International Migration: Asian And European Experiences
This conference was held to develop concrete migration proposals to the ASEM Ministers of Home Affairs during their meeting in Lanzarote, Spain. The conference addressed the following topics: - Migration flows - Migration communities - Integration...
Public Lecture: Terrorism And European Response
This lecture was delivered by Graham Watson, who highlighted the EU's concern that "any military action must be based purely on international law, that it must be proportionate, that it must be necessary and that it must be limited to taking out the...
Roundtable Seminar: Expansion Of The European Union And Implications For EU-Asia Relations
At this seminar, speaker Jan Kavan talked about the ongoing efforts of the Czech Republic to join the European Union, which included implementing market-based economic reforms and getting back on track to following the Czech democratic tradition prior...
The New Global Security Agenda In Asia And Europe And Prospects For Co-operation
This conference took a broad look at security trends in Asia and Europe, the role of the UN, and prospects for co-operation on security issues. About 60 participants representing 25 ASEM member countries attended the conference, where they could assess...
At this lecture, speaker Albrecht Rothacher offered insights into the EU's enlargement towards Eastern Europe, which was one of the highest priority agenda items within the EU at the time. He drew from his experience working at the European Commission,...
The 3rd instalment of the YPM examined the changing political and social scenes in Asia and Europe, and touched upon the role of governments in ensuring good corporate governance. It also created a substantive and candid dialogue, as the 50 invited...
This roundtable discussion gathered about 60 participants from 19 ASEM member countries to address the topic of governance in the context of globalisation. THE ISSUES - Gobalisation and multilevel governance - Remaking of global institutions - New...
4th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
The 4th Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights in Bali, Indonesia from 12th-13th July, 2001 was sponsored by France, the Raoul Wallenberg Institute (Sweden) and the Asia-Europe Foundation with the support of the European Commission Trust Fund. This series...
A Gender Agenda: Asia-Europe Dialogue 1
The inaugural Gender Agenda dialogue focused on social, economic, and political implications arising from gender differences. The event drew 65 participants from 20 ASEM member countries, and presentations were made on the following issues: - Challenges...
Roundtable Discussion On European Security
This event featured speaker Jukka Valtasaari, who is a recognised expert on European security matters. He talked about how security issues are seen in Europe, what is being done in the European Union regarding security and defence matters, and what...
The Role Of The Individual Vis-Ã -vis The Family, Society, And State In Asia And Europe
This symposium brought together academics and intellectuals from ASEM member countries to better understand the different values pertaining to the role of the individual in the family, society, and state. The event consisted of three sessions that...
The Way Ahead For The Asia-Europe Partnership
Held in conjunction with the Seoul 2000 Summit, this conference gathered 61 ASEM experts -- including policy makers, academics, and businessmen -- to address major issues relevant to the ASEM process. Discussions centred on the following topics: -...
3rd Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
The 3rd Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights took place from 19th-20th June, 2000 in Paris, France. For two days, 60 participants comprising NGO representatives, officials and academics from 24 ASEM member countries debated on controversial Human Rights...
2nd Asia-Europe Young Parliamentarians Meeting
This meeting was attended by 41 young parliamentarians from 20 ASEM member countries and the European Parliament. Richard Higgott, Director of the Centre for Globalisation Studies at Warwick University (UK), gave a presentation on the "Welfare State...
2nd Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
The 2nd Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights in Beijing, China from 28th-29th June, 1999 had 66 participants and speakers from 24 member countries. Participants included officials, academics and NGO staff. The seminar was launched with 6 papers, two...
2nd Colloquium for Journalists: A Preview Of The Indonesian Elections
This colloquium was held on the theme "How Can Europe Help Asia Without Provoking A Backlash?" It was attended by over 60 participants from national, regional, and international media organisations in Asia, Europe, Australia, and the US. Speakers at...
Colloquium On Human Rights And Human Responsibilities
This colloquium set out to fulfil three main objectives: - To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Declaration on Human Rights, to review the record, and to recommend practical improvements for a more effective enforcement of human rights - To give...
Labour Relations In Asia And Europe: Exchanging Experiences And Perspectives
This two-day seminar cast its eye on the similarities, differences, and interconnections between labour relations and labour policies in Europe and Asia. Discussions centred on the following themes: - Labour relations and core labour standards - The...
ASEF 1st Anniversary Asia-Europe Lecture
This lecture, titled "The Tao of Development: Economic Management and Good Governance in Asia," was the second in the Asia-Europe Lecture series. Anand Panyarachun, former Prime Minister of Thailand, delivered the lecture at the Chulalongkorn University...
1st Informal ASEM Seminar on Human Rights
Access to Justice; Regional and National Particularities in the Administration of Justice; Monitoring the Administration of Justice
