The ASEM Process was initiated in 1996 to establish and deepen the relations between Asia and Europe. The 1st ASEM Summit (ASEM1) was organised on 1-2 March 1996 in Bangkok, Thailand. Since then, the ASEM dialogue platform has been instrumental in addressing political, economic and socio-cultural issues to strengthen Asia-Europe connections in mutual respect and equal partnership. ASEF, established in 1997, is the only institution under the ASEM framework.
ASEM partners will mark the 20th Anniversary of the ASEM Process and the ASEM leaders will gather at the 11th ASEM Summit (ASEM11) in July in Mongolia to discuss and plan the future of ASEM. ASEF will contribute meaningfully to this celebration with a set of events and publications including the ASEF Photo Exhibition “On the Go” and the ASEM 20th Anniversary Publication.
The “On the Go” exhibition is a selection of photos by budding and professional photographers from ASEM countries, visualising differences and similarities between Asians and Europeans. The exhibition was launched on 4 November 2015 in partnership with the City of Luxembourg alongside the 12th ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (ASEM FMM12) in Luxembourg. Following this launch, the photographs will be exhibited in a number of partners who will use it as part of their commemorative efforts for the 20th Anniversary of ASEM.
The ASEM 20th Anniversary Publication is another special project dedicated to this significant milestone of Asia-Europe relationship. It will include a selection of articles contributed by eminent political figures and government representatives from ASEM partners, commemorating ASEM’s evolution over the past two decades as well as looking to its future development. This publication will be distributed at the 11th ASEM Summit (ASEM11) to be held in July 2016 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Click here to read the published articles from the ASEM 20th Anniversary Publication.
Press Release