An HTML-version of this newsletter is available at http://www.fnf.org.ph/enewsletter/ltm042005.htm
************************************************************** Liberal Times Manila A monthly newsletter of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation’s Philippine Office ************************************************************** Dear friends of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, 29/4/2005 The protection of human rights is a core element of the liberal agenda, and consequently, programs aimed at forwarding the cause of human rights traditionally have a high priority for the liberal Foundation. While various strategies may be used to promote human rights there exists a general understanding that education plays a crucial role in the overall effort. It is with this in mind that the Friedrich Naumann Foundation assisted the Osaka-based HURIGHTS group, an Asia-Pacific human rights information center, in the production of a series of training manuals to be used for developing human rights based curricula for schools. The publication entitled Human Rights Lesson Plans for South East Asian Schools has been formally launched in Manila on April 5, 2005. Aside from an English version, which can be downloaded from our Website at www.fnf.org.ph, the human rights lesson plans have also been printed in Khmer, Bahasa Indonesia, Vietnamese and Mandarin. Speaking of important books: Liberalism – A Primer has been successfully launched on April 12, 2005 in a well-attended seminar in Quezon City organized by the National Institute for Policy Studies (NIPS) and co-sponsored by the liberal Foundation. The 24-page primer may seem a little book, but as we say in German: “The spice lies in the brevity.” NIPS intends to use the publication in all its training seminars and distribute it to members of the Liberal Party (LP). The primer may prove useful for discussions aimed at developing liberal programmatic positions for pressing challenges of the country. “One crucial condition for programmatic work in the political party is the knowledge of common ideological roots. This is where the primer comes in,” I said in my speech on the occasion of the book launch, excerpts of which are attached to this note. NIPS and the liberal Foundation are jointly working on the translation of the primer into Filipino and Cebuano. In an effort to strengthen the liberal forces in the Southern Philippines, NIPS with the support of the liberal Foundation has kicked off a series of seminars in Mindanao. Reflecting the strategic importance of Mindanao in Philippine politics, the workshops have been termed the liberal think tank’s first systematic effort to mobilize the growing number of liberals in that part of the country interested in joining the expanding liberal camp. Check out www.fnf.org.ph for more information on “Promoting Liberalism in Mindanao.” In the many years I have served the Foundation, working with young liberals and their organizations has always been a favourite occupation. In an earlier newsletter, I informed you about efforts to strengthen the Young Liberals and Democrats of Asia (YLDA) who have set up their base in the premises we share with the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) in Makati City. With an energetic program officer on board and the help of our intern from the Philippine Young Liberals (Kalipi), YLDA is in the final stages of organizing their upcoming workshop in Yogyakarta (Indonesia) entitled “Running a Successful Political Campaign.” More information on this is available on their Website at www.yldasia.org. We will celebrate the establishment of the YLDA-secretariat when we get back from Yogyakarta at a reception in the evening of May 18, 2005. Should we miss to send you your personal invitation, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thank you and kind regards (Dr. Ronald Meinardus) ************************************************************* The monthly Liberal Times Manila newsletter informs about activities of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in the Philippines and beyond. This issue has been sent to 1612 individuals and organizations. If you do not wish to receive our messages anymore, please return this note and put “unsubscribe” in the subject. More information on recent FNF-activities is waiting for you at www.fnf.org.ph. ************************************************************** A Summary of Liberal Fundamentals (Speech delivered at the launching of the book “Liberalism – A Primer” on April 12, 2005) We have assembled to launch a book, or booklet, and this is cause of celebration. The liberalism primer may look undersized and small – compared with many other books in the market – but to use an idiom from my own language – “the spice lies in the brevity.” Many books are published, but this book has a special importance. The word primer already alludes to the fact that this is a basic, fundamental piece of literature. All along, the intention had been to come up with a book that would summarize the fundamentals of the liberal ideology or in other words: the ideological fundamentals of liberalism. I am very happy that this aim has been achieved, and liberals in the Philippines now have a point of reference and orientation. This orientation is important, yes crucial, as there continues to be a lot of uncertainty about what liberalism actually means. This is more than an academic problem. Because liberalism is contrary to dogmatism, it does not offer simple solutions to complex challenges. Often liberals of various shades take differing positions on crucial matters. This is not only the case in the Philippines but typical for all liberal organizations. I hasten to add that this openness to discussion, the opposition to dogmatism should not be misconstrued as ideological fuzziness or lack of principles. We liberals have clearly defined principles. And as the primer makes clear – some of these are not negotiable: • The freedom of the individual (combined with responsibility) • Human rights and the rule of law • Equality of opportunities and the belief in the market economy In my discussions, I often hear this is common sense. Indeed, also our political opponents from other camps have hijacked parts of the liberal program. While this is commendable on the one side, often these ideological hijackers are not sincere in their “liberalism;” they may pick certain elements of the liberal agenda and leave others aside. • A conservative may be in favor of the market economy, but at the same time a proponent of the death penalty. Is he a liberal? I would say no. • A socialist may be for human rights, but at the same time against the right to own property and the idea of a free market. Is she a liberal? I would say no. The timing of this publication is very fortunate. The primer is being launched in a period of enthusiasm and optimism in the liberal camp. In a political sense, the liberal forces are expanding. In this process, the Liberal Party (LP) has assigned a clear role to NIPS, the liberal think tank. FNF is proud to be associated with the liberal think tank for many years – and I would like to renew our commitment to support the Institute in the future in its important task of promoting the liberal agenda. This is mainly an educative effort – in which the production of printed materials (such as the primer) play a crucial role. As the representative of the liberal Foundation, I follow with admiration the developments in the liberal camp. I am impressed by the comprehensive strategic plan of the LP – and the commitment of the party leadership to come up – in step three of a four step process – with clearly defined party positions on key policy issues. In this regard, the Philippine LP is far ahead of other political parties (with the exception maybe of the parties to the left). But compared with liberal parties in other Asian countries the LP still has a long way to go before it is termed a platform-based political formation. All the more, the clear commitment to work in this direction should be highlighted. One crucial condition for programmatic work and discussions in the political party is the knowledge of the common ideological roots. Unlike in other parties, this is very well available in the liberal camp. This is where the primer comes in. I hope that it will not only be considered by those who have set out to reformulate the LP’s platform of government – an effort that the Foundation has expressed its intention to cosponsor – but also by many, many Filipinos who are not (yet) attached to the liberal family. The more people read the booklet the better. In my three years in the Philippines, I have come to understand that a majority of Filipinos treasure liberal values. In my eyes, strategically this popularity of the liberal paradigm is the single most important condition for the growth of organized liberalism in this country. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Internet and Democracy Across Asia: MAY 2001 Online Trends in Governance, Civil Society and Media More information at: http://www.e-democracy.org/do Rule: No more than two posts a day per participant. To SUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNSUBSCRIBE, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/do-asia/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
