YLDA Takes Part in Promoting the Liberal Democratic Movement in South Asia
2007-09-18

YLDA Program Officer Pey Canlas discussing strategies with Quadir Kandhro (Pakistan), Anthony D'silva (India), and Shyamali Abeywickrama (Sri Lanka) during groupwork.

"A fellowship defined by common adherence to the promotion of freedom; friendships that know no boundaries, barriers, colors, or language; and the pride in unabashed allegiance to and practice of the liberal ideals of human rights, rule of law, and tolerance."

These, in a nutshell, describe what participants gained from the Liberal Youth South Asia (LYSA) Workshop on Basic Concepts of Liberalism: Comprehension and Reaching Out," held in Bentota, Sri Lanka from September 6 to 10, 2007.

Seventeen liberal youths including YLDA Program Officer Felipe "Pey" Canlas III attended the workshop held at the Induruwa Hotel organized by LYSA and the Institute for Democracy and Leadership - Liberal Youth Guild and sponsored by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF). The participants were chosen based on the results of their answers and contributions to a series of questions and requirements posed by the organizers to determine their orientation and commitment to liberal ideals.

Most of the participants are student leaders in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. Nonetheless, they were picked from a pool of about fifty applicants for their potential to become the next prime movers of liberal politics and advocacy in their respective country. FNF Country Representative in Sri Lanka, Miss Sagarica Delgoda expressed satisfaction on the selection process and hailed the performance of both the organizing committee and the participants. In her speech opening the workshop proper, she reiterated to the participants "the need for all liberals to reach out not only to fellow liberals but to all those who are still blinded by prevailing misconceptions about liberalism in South Asia."

Flying Without Wings: Workshop participants at the old fort in Matara facing the Indian Ocean.

In was in this context of reaching-out to fellow liberals that YLDA made its presentation to the plenary with the aim of attracting new partners in the region. The sixteen participants appreciated the short presentation prepared by YLDA discussing its history, missions, and membership compositions. With YLDA having only three member organizations in South Asia, YLDA Program Officer Pey Canlas with YLDA Executive Member Sandun Gamage invited and convinced the other four youth organizations present in the workshop to partner with YLDA in promoting liberal democratic values in Asia.

After seeing the presentation, Shourie Anand Singh of Prabodh India explains, "the relevance of YLDA lies in its fluid yet structured strategy of channeling all the variegated missions of liberal youths in Asia towards a common vision of a freer Asia for all Asians."

"YLDA stands alone as the only liberal organization that can unify youths in Asia under liberalism without alienating the cultural identity of each country," adds freedom advocate Prabhjot Sohal of India's Friends of Freedom.

LYSA Workshop Participants with Special Guests and Resource Persons at the Induruwa Hotel.

Two other non-YLDA members, Samriddhi Nepal and Center for Public Policy Research India have expressed excitement with the introduction of YLDA as a possible platform to promote their advocacies on liberal governance and policymaking. YLDA Program Officer Pey Canlas sees a fruitful partnership with these two organizations in the field of policy and economic research.

In assessing YLDA's participation in the workshop, Pey declares, "perhaps the greatest reward YLDA received for its participation lies not in the new knowledge or training on liberal values, but on the network of partners it was able to create in the region." These connections, he adds, "secured through friendships and adherence to a lifetime pledge, are permanent bonds that gives YLDA reliable partners it can share a brighter future with."

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