CALD Execom, SRP, FNF honor outgoing Executive Director

(September 16, 2007/ Phnom Penh) The Executive Committee of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) and the Regional Office for East and Southeast Asia of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) hosted last night a Dinner Reception in honor of Mr. John Joseph S. Coronel, outgoing CALD Executive Director at the Foreign Correspondents Club, a landmark in the Cambodian capital.

The event, chaired by CALD and Liberal Party of the Philippines Secretary General, Dr. J.R. Nereus Acosta, was attended by SRP officials including Hon. Sam Rainsy, MP, former CALD Chairman and leader of the Cambodian opposition, and fellow parliamentarians Mesdames Saumura Tioulong and Mardi Seng.

Other guests included former CALD Interim Chair and head of the Sri Lankan peace secretariat, Dr. Rajiva Wijesinha of the Liberal Party;  Liberal International Vice President and former CALD Secretary General Hon. Bi-Khim Hsiao, MP, of the Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan;  CALD Women’s Caucus head, former MP, Henedina Abad of the Liberal Party (Phils.); former Thai Ambassador to the United States and the United Nations, H.E. Kasit Piromya of the Democrat Party; Hon. Ruffino Biazon, MP, of the Liberal Party of the Philippines;

Also in attendance were Mr. Hubertus von Welck, FNF Regional Director for East and South East Asia Office and Mr. Siegfried Herzog, Resident Representative of the FNF Philippine Office.

Other guests included Dr. Carina Chotiware of the Chulalongkorn University, former CALD intern Matt Sherwin of Yale University, and Atty. Gladys Nebab-Zamora.

The tribute started with a multi-media presentation on the life and work of Mr. Coronel at CALD, which was produced and presented by CALD Program Officers, Messrs. Paolo Zamora and Carlo Religioso. Mr. Coronel was appointed CALD Program Officer in January, 1999 and assumed the post as the first Executive Director of CALD’s Permanent Secretariat in November, 1999.

A Plaque of Appreciation was awarded to Mr. Coronel. The plaque read: Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats expresses its deep appreciation to John Joseph S. Coronel in recognition of his exemplaty performance and dedicated service as Executive Director from January, 199 to October 2007 and for his invaluable contributions and for his dev

The plaque was signed by incumbent CALD Chairman, Hon. Franklin Drilon, immediate past President of the Philippine Senate and former CALD chairmen, Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian,  Prince Sukhumbhand Paribatra, former Thai Deputy Foreign Minister and MP; Hon. Sam Rainsy, MP; Dr. Rajiva Wijesinha, former Philippine Education Secretary, Florencio “Butch” Abad;  and former Thai Foreign Minister and Secretary General-Designate of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Dr. Surin Pitsuwan.

Please click here for the text of testimonials given and the response of Mr. Coronel.

Categorised in: News Article

This post was written by CALD