Building bridges through the Asian political parties

There are moments in one’s life, and in the life of nations, that begin as fragile dreams yet grow into enduring realities.

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For us, one such moment was September 2000 in Manila, when we first dared to gather political parties of every persuasion—ruling and opposition, left and right—under one roof.

Many said that it could not be done. They reminded us that our continent had known centuries of conquest and conflict, that Asia’s histories and ideologies were too divided, its wounds too deep. But we believed, as did a handful of colleagues, that if we could not begin the long journey toward dialogue, then Asia would forever remain imprisoned by its divisions.