Hard to believe it’s just over five months since we launched PS21 on an unsuspecting world at the end of January. It’s been challenging, fascinating, and on occasion, more than a bit knackering. But we have, I think, been more successful than we ever dared reasonably expect.

In that time, we’ve held more than 25 events in London and Washington DC, as well as our first in New York in conjunction with New York University. We’ve published more than 100 items on the website, including some truly great reports, blog posts and commentary from a uniquely wide ranging group of people.

And, of course, we’ve published our own research on conflict trends which won media coverage around the world.

In the months to come, we’re aiming to build on all of these achievements. We have more research in the pipeline, more events, more interesting discussions on the great trends of the century.

None of this would have been possible without the many great people we’ve managed to draw in. Last month, we announced our new governing board, a young and eclectic crowd with experience ranging across government, media, technology and business. Then there are our global fellows, most of whom have already found themselves wrapped into panel discussions, writing and advising. And then, of course, there are the volunteers and interns without whom we would never have got the project, the website, events or anything else off the ground.

Many thanks are also due to Thomson Reuters for supporting – and continuing to pay me – through this sabbatical, particularly Editor in Chief Steve Adler, Europe, Middle East and Africa Editor Richard Mably and my outgoing immediate boss Mike Peacock, now moving to the Bank of England as Head of Communications.

We have some great plans for the next six months: new events, new partnerships and new locations. Thanks to everyone for being a part of it so far.