CALD Youth Marks a New Era

CALD Youth reached a new milestone in its history with the very first turnover of the CALD Youth Chair and CALD Youth Secretary General positions. In elections held last 23 June 2013 on the sidelines of CALD Youth Festival in Bangkok, Thailand, the member-parties elected Mr. Nant Thananan (Democrat Party, Thailand) and Ms. Bulgan Bayasgalant (Civil Will Green Party, Mongolia) as new officials of CALD’s youth wing. Mr. Thananan took over from founding CALD Youth Chair, Ms. Selyna Peiris (Liberal Party, Sri Lanka), while Ms. Bayasgalant replaced Mr. Herminio Bagro, III (Liberal Party, Philippines) as Secretary General. They will both serve a term of two years.

“We need to work more towards creating a stronger and wider network of youth groups within our respective countries, including those outside the political circle, in order to truly represent a wider spectrum of youth issues and concerns at CALD Youth Conferences”, said Mr. Thananan. “This wider network will allow liberal and democratic values to spread among the youth of our countries and make CALD Youth not just a representative of our mother parties, but a true voice of the youth in Asia.”

Reflecting on her vision for CALD Youth, Ms. Bayasgalant said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. CALD Youth itself is a young organization that has a lot to achieve and many others to lead. As the guardians of this eternal young soul, we will make sure that CALD Youth will blossom, grow and prosper along with all the young liberals who are united under the creed.”

CALD Youth was founded in Kaohsiung, Taiwan in August 2010. It comprises of youth wings or departments of ten (10) CALD member-parties. Observers include young members of the Democratic Party of Hong Kong and the National League for Democracy of Burma.