The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) advances mutual understanding and collaboration between the people of Asia and Europe through intellectual, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges.  These exchanges include conferences, lecture tours, workshops, seminars and the use of web-based platforms. The major achievement of ASEF is the establishment of permanent bi-regional networks focussed on areas and issues that help to strengthen Asia-Europe relations.

Established in  February 1997 by the partners of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)[*], ASEF reports to a board of governors representing the ASEM partners. ASEF is the only permanent physical institution of the ASEM process. Since 1997, the Foundation has initiated projects engaging 14,000 individuals from Asia and Europe. ASEF works in partnership with other public institutions and civil society actors to ensure its work is broad-based and balanced among the partner countries.

ASEF CULTURAL EXCHANGE AT A GLANCE
1. We nurture artistic creativity and facilitate encounters among young people for future artistic cooperation and carreer opportunities;
2. We initiate or promote cultural networks as key structures for the development of sustainable links;
3. We support the Asia-Europe dimension in international festivals and cultural events;
4. We channel information and act as interface between cultural policy makers and artists, advocating policies favorable to creativity and artistic innovation at the appropriate ASEM level;
5. We facilitate exchange through online cultural information platforms

WHAT WE DO
For further information, please refer to Cultural Exchange Department's presentation and learn more about young artists' exchange, process oriented platforms for exchange; Dialogue on culture and policy and the Asia-Europe Cultural Portal, Cutlure360.

From the start, ASEF's support to cinema has been a priority. With its participation in 30 Film Festivals in Asia and Europe since 1998, the focus has clearly been placed on young and independent film directors and producers since 2002 through different types of activities:

1. ASEF Cultural Grants (temporarily suspended)

2. Series of Asia-Europe Film Meetings

3. Film Related Publications

4. SEA-Images website


*  ASEM (the Asia-Europe Meeting) is an informal process of dialogue and cooperation. It brings together Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom, Vietnam, the ASEAN Secretariat and the European Commission. http://www.aseminfoboard.org