Dear friends of STEAR,

 

As I look back on this term, I feel deeply grateful and incredibly proud of how far our community has come. The 2024-2025 year was one of steady growth, renewed purpose, and tangible impact. What began as a youth initiative driven by curiosity has evolved into a credible, cross-continental think tank shaping real conversations about the future of Europe-Asia relations.

 

This year, our publications reached wider audiences and gained growing recognition across policy and academic circles. For the first time, STEAR’s work was cited by the Austrian Parliament and referenced in several scholarly publications. This is truly an affirmation that youth-led research can meaningfully inform public dialogue.

 

The 2024–2025 term has been STEAR’s Year of External Affairs and Organizational Development, a period marked by stronger collaborations and new opportunities for exchange. We deepened our partnerships with leading institutions including the University of the Philippines Tacloban College, the European Institute for Asian Studies, the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation. These collaborations allowed us to translate our ideas into concrete initiatives; from the

ASEAN-EU Summer School in Tacloban to the Asia-Europe Youth Forum in Brussels where dialogue and learning flowed in both directions.

 

STEAR was also honored to receive the Building for the Future Initiative by On Think Tanks, supported by the Open Society Foundations, which selects only four youth-led think tanks worldwide each year for their innovation and impact. In addition, we were recognized as one of the “100 Actions of the World Youth Development Forum,” a distinction celebrating youth initiatives that drive sustainable global development.

 

Internally, we have made remarkable progress in strengthening our people. Through the STEAR Mentorship Program, Professional Development Workshop, and Career Talks, we empowered our members to cultivate the professional skills and confidence they sought. In 2024-2025, we proudly worked with 92 volunteers, young professionals, and students from 31 countries across Europe and Asia; each contributing to the rich diversity and inclusiveness that define STEAR.

 

As we move forward to the 2025-2026 term, we do so with the same enthusiasm and spirit that have carried us here - ready to celebrate STEAR’s fifth anniversary and to continue building a more connected, collaborative, and compassionate Europe-Asia community.

 

To all our staff members, volunteers, partners, and my fellow STEAR Board members -Thank you. Your dedication, trust, and hard work are what make STEAR not only a think tank, but a family of changemakers united by purpose.

 

 

With gratitude and excitement for what lies ahead,

 

Yusril Nurhidayat

President, STEAR Think Tank

On behalf of the 2024-2025 Board