Journeys for peace and international cooperation

It was in the beautiful city of Sankt Augustin, Germany in 1998 when we addressed a forum organized by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (Foundation), which is affiliated with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), where we first espoused the idea of an “Asian Dialogue” and which would engage the mainstream political parties of our continent on matters of peace, security, and development up to now.

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The Christian Democratic Union is a democratic and conservative political party in Germany which produced great post-war leaders like Konrad Adenauer, Helmut Kohl, and Angela Merkel.

Chancellor Helmut Kohl, a towering figure in German politics and the first leader of a reunified Germany, became our friend and was very supportive of close political and economic relations with Asia.

Angela Merkel, a quantum chemist, was the first woman Chancellor of Germany and the first woman and first non-Catholic to lead the Christian Democratic Union. She was considered by many as the de facto leader of Europe during her time. Notably, another great woman leader of Europe was also a chemist and the first woman prime minister not just of her country but in Europe, the late Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom.