Liberal International

Liberal International (LI) is a worldwide federation of liberal political parties, organisations and associated individuals. It connects liberal and progressive democratic movements across Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe, providing a forum for political cooperation, policy exchange and advocacy on issues associated with liberal democracy. Its stated principles include personal liberty, personal responsibility, social justice, human rights, free and fair elections, multiparty democracy, tolerance, market economics, free trade, environmental sustainability and international solidarity. The organisation emerged from efforts to rebuild international liberal cooperation after the Second World War. In June 1946, representatives of liberal and radical democratic parties met in Brussels and adopted a declaration calling for a global liberal organisation. The organisation was formed in November 1946 and was constitutionally established in April 1947, when representatives of 19 political parties meeting at Wadham College, Oxford, adopted the Oxford Manifesto. The manifesto, influenced in part by the work of William Beveridge and associated particularly with Salvador de Madariaga, set out the principles that would guide the new international. It later became one of the most influential twentieth-century statements of liberal political values. LI is not a political party and does not contest elections itself. Its role is to support cooperation among member parties and organisations, facilitate the exchange of information and political experience, articulate shared positions, and draw international attention to threats to freedom and democratic institutions. Its governing bureau is elected by congress delegates at intervals of approximately 18 months. The organisation also works through thematic bodies, including its human rights committee, and convenes a near-annual congress or conference for liberal parties and individuals. The federation has periodically updated its political framework. In 1997, it returned to Oxford for the adoption of The Liberal Agenda for the 21st Century, a supplement that developed the original manifesto for contemporary conditions. In 2017, during its seventieth-anniversary activities, it adopted the Andorra Liberal Manifesto for the twenty-first century. The latter followed a multi-year consultation process initiated under president Juli Minoves and was intended to express liberal policy priorities in a changing international environment. Beyond political networking, LI communicates through human-rights publications and thematic policy documents. Its Human Rights Bulletin is issued three times a year and contains commentary, interviews and material related to the work of the human rights committee. The organisation also publishes occasional texts addressing subjects such as freedom of belief and the international responsibility to protect. LI presents awards to individuals associated with the defence of freedom and liberal values. Its Prize for Freedom, awarded annually since 1984, is described as its leading human-rights honour. Its Medal of Liberalism recognises contributions to liberal principles at local, national or international level. Award recipients have included Václav Havel, Raif Badawi, Leila de Lima, Maria Corina Machado, Waris Dirie, Alassane Ouattara, Xavier Bettel and Tsai Ing-wen. The organisation's constitutional membership includes full members, observer parties, individual members and cooperating organisations. Its network has been described as comprising more than one hundred parties and organisations, although membership totals can change. Liberal International remains an active transnational political network whose principal functions are representation, advocacy, policy coordination, democratic solidarity and the dissemination of liberal ideas.

Liberal International developed from the pre-war liberal and radical democratic tradition and the post-war effort to restore international political cooperation. The International Entente of Radical and Similar Democratic Parties had ceased functioning during the Second World War. On 16 June 1946, representatives of liberal and radical parties from Belgium, Britain, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy and the Spanish liberal exile community met in Brussels. Their Declaration of Brussels called for the creation of a new worldwide liberal organisation. The organisation was formed in November 1946 and received its defining constitutional foundation in April 1947. At a meeting at Wadham College, Oxford, representatives of 19 parties from countries including South Africa, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Spain, Estonia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia and Turkey adopted the Oxford Manifesto. Salvador de Madariaga played a leading role in shaping the document. Drawing partly on the ideas of William Beveridge, the manifesto set out a liberal vision centred on individual freedom, democratic institutions, social responsibility and international peace. Over subsequent decades, Liberal International became a permanent network for liberal political parties and associated organisations. It did not seek to replace national parties or operate as an electoral organisation. Instead, it offered a structure through which members could exchange information, coordinate positions and express solidarity with democratic and human-rights movements. Its membership expanded across several continents, while its constitutional categories came to include full members, observers, individual members and cooperating organisations. The organisation's purposes were later codified in its constitution, including the promotion of liberal principles, the development of a free society based on personal liberty, personal responsibility and social justice, and the facilitation of cooperation among member organisations and people who share those values. Its stated principles encompass free and fair elections, multiparty democracy, tolerance, market economics, free trade, environmental sustainability and international solidarity. Liberal International has maintained a programme of congresses and conferences, generally held on a recurring basis, where delegates debate political priorities and elect the bureau. It has also developed human-rights and policy activities. Its human rights committee supports advocacy and produces the Human Rights Bulletin, while the organisation issues occasional thematic publications on questions including freedom of belief and the international responsibility to protect. The federation has used manifestos to revisit its principles in light of changing political circumstances. In 1997, fifty years after the original Oxford meeting, it returned to Oxford and adopted The Liberal Agenda for the 21st Century. In 2017, it marked its seventieth anniversary with the Andorra Liberal Manifesto for the twenty-first century. The latter followed a three-year consultation process initiated under president Juli Minoves and was intended to bring together perspectives from liberal actors across different regions. Awards have become another visible part of the organisation's work. The Prize for Freedom has been presented annually since 1984 to individuals regarded as having made significant contributions to freedom and human rights. The Medal of Liberalism recognises contributions to liberal values at local, national or international level. Recipients have included Václav Havel, Raif Badawi, Leila de Lima, Maria Corina Machado, Waris Dirie, Alassane Ouattara, Xavier Bettel and Tsai Ing-wen. The organisation's headquarters are located at the National Liberal Club in London. Its bureau is elected by congress delegates, and its leadership has included politicians from Europe, Africa and other regions. Liberal International continues to operate as a transnational federation seeking to strengthen liberal democracy, human rights and cooperation among politically diverse member organisations.

• 2017

  Andorra Liberal Manifesto adopted

  [1]Liberal Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  A new twenty-first-century manifesto was adopted during the federation's seventieth-anniversary activities after a multi-year consultation.

• 1997

  The Liberal Agenda for the 21st Century is adopted

  [1]Liberal Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  The organisation returned to Oxford and adopted a supplement that expanded its original manifesto for contemporary liberal politics.

• 1984

  Prize for Freedom programme begins

  [1]Liberal Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Liberal International began awarding its annual Prize for Freedom to individuals associated with the defence of liberty and human rights.

• 1947

  Oxford Manifesto establishes the organisation's principles

  [1]Liberal Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Representatives of 19 liberal parties adopted the Oxford Manifesto, the foundational statement of Liberal International's political principles.

• 1946

  Declaration of Brussels

  [1]Liberal Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Liberal and radical democratic representatives meeting in Brussels endorsed the creation of a new worldwide liberal organisation.

A global convening and advocacy network for liberal and progressive democratic parties, positioned around civil liberties, human rights, pluralist democracy, social justice and international cooperation.

• Political conference

  Liberal International Congress

  The congress is the federation's principal statutory and deliberative forum. Delegates from member parties and organisations debate liberal policy, adopt declarations or manifestos, and elect the bureau. Congresses also provide opportunities for political networking and the exchange of experience among liberal movements from different regions.

• Human-rights award · 1984

  Prize for Freedom

  The Prize for Freedom is Liberal International's principal human-rights award. Presented annually since 1984, it recognises an individual associated with the defence of freedom and human rights. Past recipients have included Václav Havel, Raif Badawi, Leila de Lima, Maria Corina Machado and Waris Dirie.

• Political award

  Medal of Liberalism

  The Medal of Liberalism recognises people who have advanced liberal principles at local, national or international level. Recipients listed by the organisation include Alassane Ouattara, Xavier Bettel, Tsai Ing-wen and Graham Watson.

• Publication

  Human Rights Bulletin

  The Human Rights Bulletin is a recurring publication associated with Liberal International's human-rights work. It contains opinion material, interviews and summaries of the activities of the human rights committee, and is published three times per year according to the referenced material.

• Policy publication · 1947

  Liberal manifestos and thematic publications

  Liberal International publishes foundational manifestos and occasional policy texts that interpret liberal principles for contemporary issues. Subjects referenced in the organisation's materials include freedom of belief, democratic governance and the international responsibility to protect.

• 2017

  Adoption of the Andorra Liberal ManifestoStrategy

  Background

  Liberal International undertook a multi-year consultation to reconsider its policy framework in the context of twenty-first-century political challenges.

  Action taken

  The federation adopted the Andorra Liberal Manifesto for the twenty-first century during its seventieth-anniversary activities.

  Aftermath

  The manifesto provided an updated expression of the federation's shared liberal priorities after consultation across multiple continents.

  Source

• 1997

  Adoption of The Liberal Agenda for the 21st CenturyStrategy

  Background

  Fifty years after the original Oxford Manifesto, Liberal International sought to update its principles and policy language for a new political era.

  Action taken

  The organisation adopted a supplementary agenda at its 48th Congress in Oxford.

  Aftermath

  The document extended the original manifesto rather than replacing the organisation's foundational liberal commitments.

  Source

• 1947

  Adoption of the Oxford ManifestoStrategy

  Background

  The post-war liberal movement needed a common statement of principles capable of linking parties from different national and political settings.

  Action taken

  Representatives of 19 liberal parties adopted a manifesto centred on liberty, democracy, social responsibility and international cooperation.

  Aftermath

  The manifesto became the organisation's foundational political reference and a major statement of twentieth-century liberal principles.

  Source

• 2017

  Andorra Liberal Manifesto marks the federation's seventieth anniversary[1]Liberal Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Liberal International adopted a new manifesto following a multi-year consultation intended to update its global policy framework.

• 1997

  Liberal International returns to Oxford for a new liberal agenda[1]Liberal Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The organisation adopted The Liberal Agenda for the 21st Century as a supplement to its original manifesto.

• 1947

  Liberal International adopts the Oxford Manifesto[1]Liberal Internationalen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Representatives of liberal parties meeting in Oxford formally established the organisation's foundational principles concerning liberty, democracy and international cooperation.

1. 1Liberal Internationalen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Liberal International official websiteliberal-international.org