1st SEA-Europe Youth Partnership for the Goals (SEYPG): Empowering Youth for Climate Resilience
On 16–17 July 2026, ASEF hosted the two-day on-site programme of the first ‘Southeast Asia–Europe Youth Partnership for the Goals (SEYPG): Empowering Youth for Climate Resilience’ in Singapore. The programme was organised by the Student Think Tank for Europe-Asia Relations (STEAR) and supported by the KU Leuven Regional Committee for Southeast Asia and ASEF. The programme brought together emerging youth leaders from Southeast Asia and Europe to co-develop climate solutions through systems thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cross-sector dialogue. ASEF was proud to be a supporting partner of the programme – Deputy Executive Director Mr ZHANG Lei delivered opening remarks to the participants on behalf of ASEF to welcome them to Singapore and ASEF’s offices.
Empowering Youth for Climate Resilience
The SEYPG aimed to equip young leaders with an introduction to systems thinking and contextual approaches for addressing complex climate challenges. By encouraging participants to recognise interdependencies, feedback loops, and multiple stakeholder perspectives, the programme sought to strengthen their capacity to develop more holistic and resilient climate solutions throughout their current and future careers.
The on-site programme hosted at ASEF marked Phase 2 of the participants learning journey. Following a series of virtual knowledge-building sessions, participants came together in Singapore to deepen their understanding through expert dialogues, collaborative workshops, and peer exchange.
Opportunities and Impact
Throughout the two-day programme, participants worked in interdisciplinary teams to identify climate challenges and develop systems-based solutions through six interactive workshops. Each team translated their ideas into visual concept posters that showcased innovative and actionable approaches to climate resilience.
By bringing together youth leaders and experts from academia, government, civil society, and industry, the programme fostered cross-sector dialogue and Asia-Europe knowledge exchange. These collaborations reflect ASEF’s commitment to strengthening Asia-Europe cooperation, empowering young leaders, and advancing sustainable development through education and dialogue.
Event Highlights
Panel Dialogue: Leading in Complexity – Systems Thinking for Climate Resilience
One of the highlights of the programme was the panel dialogue that kicked off the first day. It brought together experts from academia, government, and sustainability practice to explore how young leaders can address climate resilience as a multidimensional challenge. Speakers explored a range of themes, including the convergence of AI and sustainability and the importance of approaching complex climate conversations with evidence, empathy, and active listening. The discussion also highlighted the need to communicate climate issues effectively across different sectors, while encouraging young leaders to remain brave, courageous, and curious in driving meaningful climate action.
Panellists:
- Prof. Lawrence LOH: Director, Centre for Governance and Sustainability, NUS Business School, National University of Singapore
- Prof. Adam D. SWITZER: Principal Investigator, Earth Observatory of Singapore; Professor, Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University
- Ms. Rachel CHEANG: Senior Manager, Singapore Government Partnerships Office; Co-Founder, Energy CoLab
Leadership World Café Dialogue
On the second day, participants took part in an interactive ‘Leadership World Café Dialogue’, which began with short introductions from experts across diverse disciplines. Participants then joined small-group discussions to exchange ideas, explore climate resilience from multiple perspectives, and receive practical feedback to further refine their proposed solutions and concept posters.
Dialogue Leaders
- Dr. Yasmine GATT: Carbon, Community & Biodiversity Lead, WWF-Singapore
- Mr Jason (Kai Wei) LEE: Director, Heat Resilience and Performance Centre, National University of Singapore
- Mr Samuel CHNG: Research Assistant Professor, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design
- Mr. CHEW Shan Wei: Architect, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA)
Looking Ahead
The inaugural SEA-Europe Youth Partnership for the Goals: Empowering Youth for Climate Resilience marks the beginning of a new platform connecting young changemakers across Asia and Europe through systems thinking and collaborative leadership.
We hope participants will continue building on the knowledge, connections, and experiences gained through the programme, applying systems thinking and collaborative leadership to advance climate resilience in their communities and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Partnership with STEAR
The STEAR co-founder Mr Yusril NURHIDAYAT is an ASEF Education alumnus, while the programme moderator, Tri NGUYEN, participated in the 6th ASEF Young Leaders Summit (ASEFYLS6) in 2025. Their continued involvement reflects ASEF’s commitment to supporting its alumni and programme participants beyond their participation, empowering them to lead initiatives that strengthen collaboration and create lasting impact across Asia and Europe.
