CALD holds workshop with Latin American Liberals

(May 13, 2005/Sofia, Bulgaria) The Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) and Liberal Network for Latin America (RELIAL) held a workshop on “Results of and Challenges for Regional Cooperation in Asian and Latin America” during the 53rd Congress of the Liberal International at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia.

RELIAL started in 2003 with the official launch taking place in Costa Rica last November 2004. It includes almost 20 liberal institutions from 12 Latin American countries. Members of RELIAL include political parties as well as think tanks, foundations and research institutes.

CALD is a cooperating member of LI and 3 out of 8 CALD member parties, including the chairparty (DPP), are members of LI.

The workshop took the form of a Roundtable discussion between RELIAL and CALD and observers from Liberal International and FNF-South America. RELIAL was represented by eight delegates (including 5 members of parliament) from Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

They are: Mr. Julio Dario Burdman, Permanent Secretary of the Argentinean party RECREAR;  Mr. Luiz Alberto Ferla, President of the Institute of Advanced Studies and member of the national directorate of the Liberal Party of Brazil; Mr. Peter Guevara Guth, MP, of the Liberal Party of Costa Rica; Mr. Onyx Lorenzoni, MP and President of the Liberal Party of Brasil in the province of Grande do Sul; Ms. Belinda de Martinez Boquin, General Secretary of the Liberal Party of Honduras;  Mr. Cristian Estuardo Mayorga Martinez of the Reform Movement of Guatemala; Ms. Maria Eugenia Sequeira, MP, of the Liberal Party of Nicaragua; and, Mr. Martin Simonetta, Executive Director of the Atlas Foundation in Argentina.

CALD was represented by Ms. Bi-Khim Hsiao, MP, of the Democratic Progressive Party and CALD Secretary General; Dr. Neric Acosta, MP, Executive Vice President of the Liberal Party of the Philippines; and, Dr. Rajiva Wijesinha, President of the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka. The participation of the CALD delegation was supported by DPP.

RELIAL, a new organization, chose CALD to have an opportunity to exchange information and points of view with an existing successful network. Among the “best practices” shared by CALD were  (1)  how  to organize efficient networking; (2) how to involve the members;  and (3) how to share responsibilities and tasks.

The request of RELIAL is an indication that CALD has become a successful model for a regional network of political parties.

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This post was written by CALD