CYPA 2025 Ignites, Inspires, and Innovates a New Generation of Leaders

Under the theme “Ignite, Inspire, Innovate” and reflecting the spirit of learning from the past, acting in the present, and preparing for the future, this year’s CYPA 2025 aimed to empower youth leaders, both from political parties and civil society organizations, to defend democracy and harness technology for good. The overarching theme reflected the transformative journey envisioned for the youth participants, providing them with the knowledge, skills, and networks to lead effectively in both traditional political arenas and digital platforms.

CYPA 2025 kicked off with a session on The Thinking Environment led by CALD Youth Chair Jeremiah Tomas, where delegates were given a space for listening, reflection, connection, and leadership. As Tomas shared, “The quality of our listening determines the quality of each other’s thinking. And as youth leaders, we must learn how to truly listen to build relationships. Listening without interruption is a powerful act of respect and active listening gives partners the space to develop ideas.” This first session set a collaborative tone, emphasizing that strong leadership begins with a meaningful dialogue.

A TED-style talk followed, delivered by Wu Cheng, spokesperson of the Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan (DPP), on the challenges and importance of youth participation in politics and civil society. He spoke of the power of persistence and the strength of community. “Being the one who wants to change our society, there’s a lot of possibilities laying in front of you. We might all face setbacks, but there is eventually triumph at the end of the road. You have to stick with it, believe in your goal, choose your teammates, and let them be your backup when you face challenges.”

“Each one of us is like a spark. A spark can go up or down, but if we stick together, we can push our country in the direction we want to pursue,” Cheng added.

This year’s CYPA was also graced by the presence of Taiwan’s Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, who praised CALD’s efforts to strengthen democracy in Asia and emphasized the critical role of youth. She connected deeply with the event’s theme, stating that igniting, inspiring, and innovating is precisely what this generation needs. “In the age of AI new technology, tools and the inspiration that is driven by modern innovation, and how young people are using these tools to augment the voices craving for freedom, to expand and amplify our hopes and our dreams, it is just so impressive and so empowering. I’m constantly inspired, and I feel it’s a continuing learning process. I thank CALD and our DPP colleagues for holding this event at such a critical time in geopolitics, to bring together young Asians to compare notes, inspire each other, and plan our next steps in facing hybrid challenges to our future.”

A session was also conducted by Ximena Docarmo, Head of the Better Politics Accelerator, who flew in from Germany to share the key components of political talent incubators and accelerators designed to support innovators within political parties. Participants gained practical tools and insights into identifying emerging talent, designing transformative learning journeys, and guiding decision-makers from early-stage ideas to lasting impact, all through the lens of the Political Leadership Impact Path framework. This was followed by the Island of Resilience Seminar: Defending Democracy’s Front Lines; Taiwan, the Philippines, and the Fight Against Authoritarian Interference, organized by the DPP International Affairs Department, featuring honorable speakers such as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan Ming-Chi Chen, Philippine Senator Kiko Pangilinan and Taiwan Information Environment Research Center Co-Director Chihhao Yu, moderated by the President of the Prospect Foundation I-chung Lai.

The final day started with the session Bridging the Gap: Youth Activism Meets Party Politics, a panel discussion on how youth-led movements and traditional political parties can work together, not apart. The session explored ways to bridge divides, align goals, and create meaningful pathways for youth participation within formal political structures, with perspectives from Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom. Speakers included Leader of the Protem Committee of the Young Democrats of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Aqmal Haris, Deputy Director of the Youth Development Department of DPP Michelle Wu, and Asia Programme Member of International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) Arthur Wu. Haris noted that in Singapore, nearly half of the youth population (48.6%) remain undecided on taking a political stance, adding the need for youth to be involved either in civic or political participation, “You may not be interested in politics, but politics is always interested in you.”

The day concluded with the FNF Global Innovation Hub ‘s AI in Election Campaign Workshop led by Professor Richy Li, where participants examined the gender, cultural, political, racial, and historical biases that persist in many AI models. They learned how to detect, evaluate, and select the most effective AI tools for campaign purposes. Through hands on exercises and live discussions, they gained practical skills in AI application, gender and cultural mainstreaming, and campaign innovation.

Closing CYPA 2025, Tomas thanked participants, emphasizing that every voice had added depth to the shared understanding of what it means to fight for democracy in each unique context. He reminded everyone why CALD and CALD Youth hold this academy every year, “Creating spaces for the youth where ideas meet action, where strangers become allies, and where the future of democracy feels just a little bit brighter because of the people in the room.”

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This post was written by CALD