At a time when many question the effectiveness of international processes, it is refreshing to discover a major intergovernmental dialogue without a formal structure. The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is a forum to promote dialogue and cooperation among 49 states, the ASEAN Secretariat and the European Commission on all issues of common interest to Asia and Europe. Summit meetings of Heads of State and Government are held every two years, with other meetings at ministerial level, and informal seminars and projects cover fields such as economy, environment, public health, arts and culture, education, human rights and governance, and intercommunal dialogue. The only formal structure is the Asia-Europe Foundation (http://www.asef.org/) which helps to implement specific projects.

The European Center for Peace and Development (ECPD), affiliated with the University for Peace established by the United Nations, celebrated the 30th anniversary of its creation by the UN General Assembly in 1983 at its Ninth ECPD International Conference in the City Hall in Belgrade, Serbia, on 11-12 October 2013. The IEF has been a partner of ECPD for a number of years and IEF President Arthur Dahl sits on its Academic Council. The 190 participants included many diplomats and professors from across the Western Balkans and around the world.

"Breaking Down the Silos: Integrating Environmental Sustainability in the Post-2015 Agenda", the final report of the Global Consultation on Environmental Sustainability in the Post-2015 Development Agenda led by UNDP and UNEP, was released on 9 September 2013.

IEF members Onno Vinkhuyzen and Sylvia Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen have had their paper "The role of moral leadership for sustainable production and consumption" accepted for publication by the Journal of Cleaner Production (2013) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.06.045. If you are interested, you can write Onno Vinkhuyzen for a copy (onno @ ebbf.org).

The Wilmette Institute is again offering its popular three month on-line course on "Sustainable Development and the Prosperity of Humankind" starting September 20th.

The UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service facilitated a consultation up to 12 July to gather critical analysis from civil society on four post-2015 reports submitted to the Secretary-General:
1) High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda (Post-2015 HLP)
2) UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)
3) UN Global Compact (UNGC)
4) UN Development Group (UNDG): The Global Conversation Begins