CALD & FNF Participate in Community of Democracies Forum

The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) participated in the Civil Society Forum held in conjunction with the 7^th Ministerial Conference of Community of Democracies in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 27-29 April 2013.

The forum aimed “to discuss issues and challenges Civil Society Organizations face worldwide and to actively and constructively participate in a dialogue with colleagues and government representatives from around the world on governance, democracy education, assistance to emerging democracies and fight with corruption.”

Honorary CALD Individual Member Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also came to the ministerial conference at the invitation of the Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj.  The Nobel laureate was awarded the Geremek Award for her lifetime struggle to bring democracy in Burma by the Polish Geremek Foundation.

From the Liberal Party of the Philippines, Philippine Undersecretary for Political Affairs Chito Gascon, a CALD Executive Committee member, also attended to liaise on the role of CALD in the formation of the Asia Democracy Network, which is scheduled to be launched officially at the Korean Democracy Forum in October this year.

Mongolian President Elbegdorj and Community of Democracies Secretary General Maria Leissner praised the formation of ADN as an unprecedented platform for regional cooperation for democracy.  In the same vein, the Civil Society Forum resolution welcomed the creation of such network, and encouraged the formation and strengthening of regional democracy networks in other parts of the world.