Youth leaders discuss disaster preparedness, community resilience during the ASEAN-EU Summer School 2025

The ASEAN-EU Summer School 2025, organised by STEAR in cooperation with the University of the Philippines Tacloban and On Think Tanks.

Around 35 young leaders from Europe and Southeast Asia have participated in the ASEAN-EU Summer School from July 28 to August 2, 2025 held online and in person at the University of the Philippines (UP) Tacloban.

The inaugural conference featured a multidisciplinary panel of experts in discussing the complexities of environmental justice, including Asia-Europe Foundation Project Lead for Education and Innovation Jyoti Rahaman; UP Mindanao Associate Professor Dennis John Sumaylo, PhD; Help Build Hope, Inc. Consultant Mar Bagtong Jr.; Philippine Movement for Climate Justice Legal Head Atty. Aaron Pedrosa; San Carlos City (Pangasinan) Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office Department Head Bernabe Bacani; and Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation Executive Director Dr. Alan H. Yang.

Participants also visited key sites in the City of Tacloban, a city defined by its recovery following the 2013 Super Typhoon Haiyan (local name “Yolanda”). Notable areas include mangrove ecopark, heritage churches and memorial sites including the M/V Eva Jocelyn shrine, Surge of Hope monument and the Holy Cross Memorial Garden.

STEAR was represented by President Yusril Nurhidayat in the event, facilitating the participants' discussion on youth leadership and organisation in communities. 

The ASEAN-EU Summer School 2025 is organised by STEAR, powered by the UP Tacloban and On Think Tanks. 

The initiative was made possible through the support of the Asia-Europe Foundation, Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation, Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice and the San Carlos City (Pangasinan) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.