Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats

Did you know?

Fifteen years ago, Manila made history as the first Asian city to host the 57th Congress of Liberal International in June 2011.

Hosted by the Liberal Party of the Philippines and co-organized by Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats together with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Philippine Office, the Congress gathered global leaders under the theme “Human Rights and Free Trade.”

The discussions held in Manila on democracy, human rights, free trade, and political change continue to resonate today, proving that the conversations started in 2011 remain just as important in 2026.

Read more stories from CALD’s history and democratic journey in the 2025 Annual Report: Democratic Resilience in the Age of AI.

https://bit.ly/CALDAR-2025

A delegation from the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) is attending the Forum for Democratic Cooperation in Taipei, Taiwan. Organized by Forum 2000 with the support of Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD), the forum brings together democratic actors from various sectors and countries to discuss the possibilities for stronger and more sustainable democratic cooperation.

In his final message as CALD Chairperson, Senator Mardi Seng reflected on the organization’s journey with gratitude and optimism for the future.

Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/CALDAR-2025

Liberal youth movements are not only built through protest, but also through dialogue, compromise, and consensus-building.

Michelle Wu reminds us that effective liberal activism requires both courage and responsibility — the courage to speak clearly, and the responsibility to build common ground.

“This is precisely the right time to act. Not to suppress AI, which is impossible at this point, but to steer its use and development toward humancentric goals.”

Revisit the powerful keynote address of Mayor Leni Robredo delivered during the opening session of the 15th CALD General Assembly on 30 October 2025, under the theme “AI, Inequality, and Democracy.” here: https://bit.ly/CALDAR-2025

Why “Democratic Resilience in the Age of AI”?

As democracies face growing challenges brought by rapid technological change, resilience has become more important than ever.

The theme of Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats’s 2025 Annual Report reflects the organization’s continued commitment to freedom, democracy, and human dignity across Asia and beyond.

https://bit.ly/CALDAR-2025

Welcoming the successful 2026 AWE Cohort -- 12 inspiring women leaders from across Asia coming together for the Asian Women Education CALD Mentorship Program.

Representing different countries, backgrounds, and advocacies, these mentees will officially gather for the launch of the program in Bangkok, Thailand this coming June 18–21, 2026. 🇹🇭

As they begin this journey of mentorship, leadership, and sisterhood across borders, we look forward to empowering the next generation of women changemakers in Asia.

Happy 68th anniversary, Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit!

Here’s to many more years of friendship and partnership in championing freedom and democracy in the Asian region and beyond.

Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Asia

CALD´s report presents democratic resilience as a combination of institutional reform, technological adaptation, and international cooperation. In doing so, it argues that sustaining liberal democracy in Asia will require not only defending democratic institutions, but also adapting them to confront the political and technological changes of the AI era.

Download a copy of this annual report. Link in the first comment.