Taiwan served as the perfect host for a regional, cross-sectoral workshop that examined democratic resilience to foreign authoritarian influence. With around 60 participants from 15 countries in the Indo-Pacific, the convening spearheaded by the International Republican Institute (IRI) on 14-15
“Women’s political leadership is not only about who sits at the decision-making table. More importantly, it’s about whether that table can change what it is able to see.” This powerful message from Ngalim Tiunn, Member of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, during
On 23 June 2026, delegates from the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) joined policymakers, scholars, civil society leaders, and students at the international conference “The Shared Taiwan Dilemma: Strategic Choices for Regional Stability and Democratic Resilience” in Seoul,
For the first time in its recent history, the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) formally met with the Institute for Democracy (ID), the principal policy think tank of South Korea’s Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), at the DPK
“Leadership is not a solo journey.” This powerful reminder from CALD Women’s Caucus Vice-Chairperson Alysa Chiu during the opening ceremony set the tone for the launch of the Asian Women Education (AWE) Mentorship Program 2026, held from 18 to 21
Delegates from the CALD Youth Political Academy (CYPA), including representatives from CALD Youth and Germany’s Junge Liberale (JuLis), took part in the 58th General Assembly of the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY), held from June 11 to 14 in
Youth delegates from the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) and Junge Liberale (JuLis), the youth wing of Germany’s Free Democratic Party (FDP), gathered in Taiwan for the three-day CALD Youth Political Academy (CYPA), organized by CALD Youth and
June 10 is a significant date for South Korea. On this day, 39 years ago, the ruling military government announced a handpicked presidential appointment that would bypass constitutional reform. This led to student-led demonstrations that quickly grew into a massive
As part of their visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, CALD Women’s Caucus Chairperson, Jaslyn Go, and CALD Executive Committee Member and Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), Dr Chee Soon Juan, visited the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs
“Besides sharing common values, democratic partners must also jointly shoulder responsibilities; they must not only voice support for one another, but also establish a cooperative system for mutual support and joint response to challenges.” These words from Taiwan President Lai Ching-te captured
Is Asia democratically resilient? It appears that there is no easy answer to this question given the varying levels of democratic development in the region. It has to be said, however, that democratic resilience — defined as the ability to
“The story of democracy has never been written by institutions alone. It has always been written by people – by citizens who refuse to give up, by movements that refuse to be silenced, by generations that choose courage over fear.
“You can choose to see this as an end, or you can see this as a beginning.” This stirring invitation from former Vice President Leni Robredo, famously captured in the documentary And So It Begins, served as the guiding philosophy
Institutions are necessary, but are they sufficient to foster democratic resilience? This appears to be the central debate in the recently concluded policy roundtable organized by the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) in Makati City, the Philippines on
“Violence against women in politics is also a method…a way of shaping who gets to speak, who gets to lead, and ultimately, who gets to decide the direction of the nation.” – Rep. Leila De Lima, Philippines The powerful opening
In a regional policy roundtable held in Manila, Philippine Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan underscored the urgency of defending democratic systems among Asian counterparts while also acknowledging the realities faced by ordinary citizens. “We must also remember something that is easy to forget
“We didn’t just need another event. We needed a journey.” The Women’s Caucus of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) presented its inaugural mentorship initiative, the “Asian Women Education (AWE) Mentorship Program” at the first in-person meeting of
“We stand together in commitment to our growth, our purpose, and our shared responsibility as women leaders.” This pledge, made during the launch of the CALD Asian Women Education (AWE) Mentorship Program in Taipei, Taiwan on 8-10 August 2025, carried
“The genie is out of the bottle. AI is here to stay – for better or for worse… It has woven itself into the very fabric of economies, politics, and daily life,” said Leni Robredo, former Vice President of the
“Building sisterhood across borders.” This appears to be the maxim of the women’s wing of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) as it officially launched its first-ever Asian Women Education Mentorship Program in Taipei on 8-11 August 2025.
“We choose optimism not out of naivety, but out of conviction. We believe in progress, in people, and in the power of ideas to create real change. As liberals, we hold a simple but powerful belief: there is always a
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.” These words of French poet Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author of the novel The Little Prince, still ring true today. And the Women’s Caucus of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD)
The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) convened a high-level roundtable discussion on 4 April in Taguig, Metro Manila to examine key political and electoral developments ahead of the 2025 Philippine midterm elections. The event brought together political leaders,
The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), a regional network of liberal and democratic political parties in Asia, successfully hosted their high-profile regional conference, “South China Sea Disputes Under Trump 2.0: Finding a Common Ground Among Claimant States,” on
Danish American social reformer Jacob Riis once said: “When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at
Winning the [political] academy JAKARTA, INDONESIA — After the success of the celebrated pilot event of the CALD Youth Political Academy (CYPA) that was held in Hong Kong last March 2017, CALD Youth concludes a yet another event not just
GUMMERSBACH, GERMANY — On 15-21 September 2017, liberal youth leaders from across the globe gathered at the Theodor Heuss Academy of the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung Foundation for the International Federation of Liberal Youth or IFLRY’s second series of the Training of Trainers (TOT). Participants
“How can we say to any country in the world that it is not ready for democracy? Who are we to say that? How can we say that we are entitled to democracy and not you? Let the people of every
Bali is known for its quaint, pristine beaches complemented by its mystical culture and the warm hospitality of its people. It is the ideal place for 30 liberal youth delegates from 12 countries to convene and discuss climate change advocacy, the power
On 14-17 April 2016, the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) held its 39th General Assembly (GA) in Istanbul, Turkey. More than 80 participants from nearly 30 countries were present to convene for the GA and for a conference with the
In a few but very special occasions like the COP21, all nations convened for an inclusive, futuristic, and historic agreement that would not just benefit this generation, but the next. Last 30 November to 11 December 2015, UN member countries,
Ms. Bulgan Bayasgalant of the Civil Will Green Party, newly elected Chair of the CALD Youth. Representatives from the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats youth wing (CALD Youth) convened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 25 April 2015 for the
The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) marked another milestone in its history with the creation of CALD Youth in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Delegates to a youth workshop which took place from 17 to 21 August 2010 unanimously agreed that
