Distinguished Guests, Dear Colleagues and Friends,

The positive developments promoted by Asia - Europe Meeting (ASEM), the dialogue partnership between EU and ASEAN and the place held by Romania as partner in both these innovative connecting pillars of the Europe-Asia bridges for solid bilateral relations, cultures, peace and security have generated the current on-going trend of ever-strengthening relationship between Europe and Asia, ever more visible than ever.

The initiative taken by me, in partnership with Associate Professor and senior diplomat Ilie Şimon, our Vice President, to found, in May 2008, the Romanian Institute for Europe - Asia Studies (IRSEA) has been inspired by these developments.

As a personal note, I have been also stimulated by my expertise as a University acknowledged Specialist on South-East Asia and speaker of Bahasa Indonesia, graduate of the Moscow Institute for International Relations, as well as by a forty year-long diplomatic activity with an aim to leave behind a tangible legacy to the next generations.

IRSEA has been established on May 15, 2008, in accordance with the Government Ordinance Nr. 26/ 2000, modified and completed by Law 246/ 2005 and is built on the system of a think-tank dedicated to bring its contribution for promoting the values of Europe in Asia and those of Asia in Europe, being a strong believer of the reciprocal benefits of a consolidated partnership between Europe and Asia.

IRSEA is working for a more robust interaction between the two gigantic two continents.

IRSEA aims to make Romania a more cosmopolitan and global society, by enriching minds through research, policy work and public education on international affairs.

The think-tank is reaching young Professionals and Students, Governments, Experts and Educators, Civil Society, Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs.

IRSEA has been the first Central and Eastern European member of the European Alliance for Asia Studies (EAAS)and is currently a member of the Euro-Mediterranean Study Commission (EuroMeSCo). IRSEA is also in close connection with Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF), the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Foundation.

IRSEA has established partnership relationships with 43 similar organisations and think-tanks from all over Europe and Asia. Our Partners’ list is available here https://www.irsea.ro/en/Partners/

We are, as well,in partnership in Romania with the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE), University of Bucharest, University of Piteşti, Valahia University of Targoviste, The Romanian-American University, as well as other universities, institutes and think-tanks in Europe, South and Southeast Asia.

As the oldest Romanian Institute specifically established to raise awareness on the cooperation between Europe and Asia, IRSEA constantly publishes and organises webinars and round-tables on pertinent matters related to Area Studies in Europe and Asia. The IRSEA events garner the synergies of senior diplomats and professionals, academics and pundits to deliver lectures, as part of its “IRSEA Distinguished Speakers” Programme.

In terms of Research, as well as “Second Track Diplomacy” efforts, our members and fellow researchers of the Institute, have been invited as speakers and key-note speakers to attend various webinars and events exploring the ever-strengthening relations between Europe and Asia.

Benefiting a consolidated on-line presence, the Institute’s fellow researchers, as well as external pundits and professionals frequently publish thought-pieces and op-eds in its IRSEA Briefing and IRSEA Occasional Papers sections of the official website. IRSEA’s newest programme “Bridges to Asia” represents an avenue opened for High Officials, Ambassadors, partners of IRSEA and professional analysts, from both Asia and Romania. The programme is hence designed to reflect the particular importance attached to the bilateral relations between Romania and the Asian countries.

IRSEA, from the very beginning, has been and continues to be greeted in Europe and Asia, as proved by the correspondence and an important amount of messages received from the executive management of correspondent and partnering think-tanks in Europe and Asia, as well as from its friends on both continents, by signing Memoranda of Understanding to foster cooperation or entering into verbal reciprocal assurances of assistance and support with similar European and Asian organizations, Universities and representatives of mass-media. Important personalities from the Academic society, diplomacy, the world of think-tanks and mass-media have honored IRSEA’s invitation to become its Honorary Members. IRSEA’s list of Honorary Members is listed here https://www.irsea.ro/en/Honorary-Members/

Our initiative to form IRSEA got same warm welcome, at the time of its foundation, from H.E. Lazar Comanescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, H.E. Hassan Wirayuda, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Presidents, Chairmen, Executive Directors of think-tanks, high representatives from Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF) and ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN Foundation, as well as from individual political analysts. I am more than grateful to the encouragement received, as any beginner, from my two very old and close friends, starting with my first diplomatic mission abroad (1971), from Indonesia - the late Ambassador Ali Alatas, the longest serving Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, Head/ member of International Relations Branch, Advising Committee to President of Indonesia and the late Ambassador Nana Sutresna, Special Envoy of the President of Indonesia.

The on-going dialogue between IRSEA and its friends and partners in Europe and Asia further proves that our Initiative was timely in the process of constructing the new European-Asian relationship and partnership. We are truly thankful for such a kind and friendly response and encouragement.

Certainly, we realize that there is a great deal of expectations from IRSEA from the perspective of its dedicated activity and its emerging place Romania, which is an active partner in EU, ASEF, EU-ASEAN dialogue and Asia in general, where she commends a good and constructive political capital.

As a former Ambassador with four decades of active diplomatic service, including postings in European and Asian countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Cyprus, Finland and Estonia) and, directorship positions in Europe and Asia departments and divisions of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I will do my very best to employ these assets in IRSEA’s successful and stable growth as an objective, independent and well-balanced think-tank.

My multiple articles and thought pieces, reflecting my personal views on the current dynamics in International Affairs as well as the several chapters (such as “Some Considerations on the Development of Romania's Relations with Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America in the Second Half of the Twentieth Century”) in edited volumes published by the Romanian Academy are testimonies of my not-only professional, but personal dedication to the field of Diplomacy and International Affairs. In this regard, the "Grigore Gafencu" Award that I have received on behalf of the Academy of Romanian Scholars (Academia Oamenilor de Ştiinţă din România) represented not only a special moment in which my life-long commitment has been recognised, but also an opportunity to further raise awareness on the capital importance of continuing to strengthen the long-lasting bridges built across centuries of special friendship and excellent diplomatic relations between the Romanian and Asian peoples.

So far, since its foundation in 2008, IRSEA aimed and succeed to become one of the most significant Central and Eastern European think-tanks exploring Europe-Asia cooperation related topics and raising awareness on the significance of furthering and diversifying the existing relations between the two continents.

Concluding, in my capacity as President, I would like to assure you that our team here at IRSEA will continue to strive for an ever-more significant role to play within the context of the “track two diplomacy” between Europe and Asia.

Ambassador (p) Gheorghe SAVUICA,

President of IRSEA