As we mark our 30th anniversary as the John Smith Trust we have rebranded and become Just Society Trust — a name that reflects the evolution of our mission.
Thirty years ago, the John Smith Trust (JST) fellowship was founded to support leadership during the post-Soviet democratic transition. It was timely, focused work for a defining moment in history.
That moment has passed.
Today, the erosion of the rules-based international order is driving instability and uncertainty worldwide. Polarisation, fragmentation, the climate crisis, declining trust in democratic institutions, and growing authoritarian tendencies are no longer challenges confined to one region. They are shared, systemic, and global — and they are the challenges now facing our community of 600+ Fellows, along with other leaders and change-makers across the globe.
The world the JST fellowship responds to has not stood still — and neither have we.
Why we’re changing
Maija Paasiaro, JST executive director, says: “The rebrand reflects better what the JST fellowship is now about: working in dialogue, exchange and partnership for more just, sustainable and resilient societies. We believe meaningful change doesn’t come from imposing values or institutions — it comes from trust, and from spaces where diverse leaders can work as equal partners, listening, learning, and finding solutions together.
“That is what our Fellows have built with us over three decades, and it is what Just Society Trust exists to nurture: a growing network of leaders who carry those relationships and that way of working into the challenges ahead — helping shape a new order in which people can live in a fairer world.”
This is not a departure from our roots. It’s what 30 years of fellowship programmes have taught us.
What’s ahead
We’re entering this new chapter in partnership with the University of St Andrews, opening new opportunities in international relations, conflict resolution, and leadership development.
Our engagement from Europe to Central Asia remains central to our work. We will also be exploring new opportunities in the Western Balkans and the Middle East.
None of this would be possible without the steadfast support of our long-standing partners at the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Scottish Government, and the many institutions and individuals who make our work possible.
“In an era of fracture, sustained and values-based engagement matters more than ever. We are grateful to the partners whose commitment makes this work — and the relationships it builds — possible,” says Lord John Alderdice, JST trustee.
A change in leadership
This moment of transition also marks a change in who leads us. Our founding chair, Baroness Elizabeth Smith, is retiring after 30 years of dedicated service. Elizabeth has worked tirelessly to carry her late husband’s commitment to internationalism and public service forward into a new generation of leaders from a part of the world that has always been close to her heart. We owe her an enormous debt of gratitude.
Trustee Lord John Alderdice is now serving as the new chair, and we look forward to announcing 2–3 new additions to our board in the coming months.
Looking ahead, together
We are proud of everything our network has achieved over the last 30 years. As we look to the future, we do so with renewed purpose and optimism — together with our Fellows, as we begin writing Just Society Trust’s next chapter.
Find out how you can get involved with Just Society Trust