June 18th-(TDI): Today marks the 19th anniversary of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, a continent-wide forum that was the first of its kind in Asia. ACD was inaugurated on 18th June 2002, in Cha-Am, Thailand when 18 foreign ministers of Asia held a meeting together for the very first time. The purpose of ACD is to link up Asia by including every Asian country and by building a more strengthened Asian community without replication of other international organizations or the creation of a bloc against any other.
In their first meeting, Asian Foreign Ministers decided to develop two dimensions of ACD: dialogue and projects. The former aims at promoting more communication and participation of ACD Ministers. The latter encourages countries to volunteer to develop projects in the interests of Asian countries. Another main agenda that it follows is to make use of Asian strengths and secure its competitiveness by growing Asia’s resources. The values practiced by ACD include positive thinking, voluntarism, transparency, respect for diversity, non-institutionalization and creation of comfort for its member countries to promote the evolution of ACD itself.
