The Asian Pacific League for Freedom and Democracy (APLFD) was founded in 1954 in Chinhae, South Korea with the support of the governments of the Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan. [(ROC)]. The APLFD is a non-proft international organization for interchanges among the Asians for peace and prosperity of the region.
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The APLFD was founded in the same year and under the same international background as the forming of the South East Asia Treaty Organization(SEATO), or the Manila Pact, did in 1954, when the Second World War was concluded not a long while ago. However, while the SEATO (1954-1977) was sort of an Asian Nato in nature, the APLFD is a people's organization trying to secure peace and prosperity through ideas and convictions and friendship.
The Secretariat of the APLFD was first based in Saigon, Vietnam (1957-1964), then in Manila, the Philippines(1965-1967), then returned to Saigon (1967-1975), and now is in Taipei, Taiwan (1976- )
The APLFD has 18 member nations including: Australia, Fiji, Guam, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Palau, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan(ROC), Thailand, USA, Vietnam, Laos and Burma. They are for freedom,human rights,humanitarian,prosperity and world peace.
The APLFD holds an annual conference every year. Since its founding, the APLFD has organized its conferences in those leading cities as follows: Chinhae (South Korea), Manila (the Philippines), Saigon (Vietnam), Bangkok (Thailand), Seoul (South Korea), Taipei (Taiwan), Tokyo (Japan), Kyoto (Japan), Quezon City (Philippines), Guam, Honolulu (USA), Perth (Australia), Nadi (Fiji), Nukualofa (Tonga), Koror (Palau), Auckland (New Zealand), Melbourne (Australia), Bangalore (India), Brisbane (Australia), Bali (Indonesia), Vancouver (BC, Canada), Santa Clara (California, USA), Portland (Oregon, USA).
Distinguished spearks at the APLFD meetings, among others, included: President Carlos P. Garcia of the Philippines (1961); Mr. Nobusuke Kishi (1962, as former Prime Minister of Japan); General Jesus Vargas (1969, as Secretary General of SEATO); Mr.Kim Jong-Pil (1972, as Prime Minister of South Korea); President Fidel V. Ramos (1990, as Defence Secretary of the Philippines); Justice A.C. Ahmadi (1995, as Chief Justice of India); Mr. Don McKinnon (1996, as Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand); Mr. Bob Halverson (1997, as Speaker of Parliament of Australia); President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (1998, as Vice Prescient of the Philippines); Mr.Phil Goff (2001, as Foreign Minister of New Zealand); Mr. Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi (2005, as Vice President of Fiji); Mr. Winston Peters (2006, as Foreign Minister of New Zealand); Mr. Eduardo R. Ermita (2009, as Executive Secretary of the Office of the President of the Philippines).
And under the auspices of the APLFD Secretariat, a forum named the Asia Pacific Round Table was formed in 2003. The round table forum is a meeting for a small group of professionals from various fields from Asia Pacific countries for more understandings on the latest development in the region. In recent years, the development of ASEAN in the economic area was a major theme of the forum.
Since 2003, the Asia Pacific Round Table meeting has been held in Seattle,USA (2003); Sapporo,Japan,(2004); Johannesburg,South Africa (2005); Nagoya,Japan (2006); Brussels,Belgium (2007); Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2010); Phnom Penh,Cambodia (2011); and Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam (2012).
History
The organisation was formed in 1954 as the Asian People's Anti Communist League. The APLFD Secretariat was first established in Saigon, Vietnam in 1957; then the Secretariat moved to Manila in 1964. Three years later, the Secretariat moved back again to Saigon until its fall in 1975. After some compromise and a resolution, the APLFD Secretariat was re-established in Taipei, Taiwan in 1976 where it remains active.
In 1983, at its conference in Fiji, it changed its name to the Asian Pacific Democratic League.
The 39th Conference (1993) was held in Melbourne, Australia under the Chairmanship of Bruce Skeggs.
The 41st Conference (1995) Conference was held in Bangalore, India. Participants included Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde, Ram Jethmalani, Bruce Skeggs and Victor Perton.
The 43rd Conference (1997) was held in Melbourne, Australia under the Chairmanship of Bruce Skeggs.
The 44th Conference (1998) was held in Manila, Philippines. Attending the Conference were the representatives of Australia, Republic of China (Taiwan), Guam, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Laos, Palau, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam.
The 45th Conference (1999) was held in Brisbane, Australia under the Chairmanship of Bruce Skeggs.
The 50th Annual Conference (2004) was held in Santa Clara, California under the banner question “Rethinking Freedom and Democracy in a Rapidly Changing World.”
The 2010 APLFD General Conference was held in Korea with the slogan, "A New Vision for Progress in Freedom and Democracy."
Communiques
44th Conference, December 17 – 20, 1998, Manila, Philippines