In these tumultuous times, when conflict rages from Eastern Europe to the Middle East and tensions simmer across the waters of Asia, dialogue can feel like a fragile luxury. And yet, for those of us who have spent our lives building political bridges, we know that dialogue remains our most powerful instrument for peace.

It was in this spirit that we in the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), now with 350 member-parties across the region, joined hands with the European People’s Party (EPP), the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR), and the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (ACRE) to launch the Asia Europe Political Forum (AEPF) in Seoul in July 2017.

At the time, we could not have imagined how swiftly the world would enter a more dangerous era. From the war in Ukraine, to the escalating conflicts in the Middle East, to the rising friction in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, the international community now faces overlapping crises that test old alliances and strain new partnerships.

Against this backdrop, the 6th Asia Europe Political Forum (AEPF) in Budapest on Nov. 27–29 takes on a special urgency. Under the theme “Peace and Democracy in Eurasia,” we gather not merely to exchange opinions but to confront the weight of our shared moment in history.

Our first five meetings — in Seoul, London, Colombo, Prague, and Kathmandu — were built on optimism. We spoke of climate change, terrorism, and economic growth. We discussed the pace of technological transformation and the promise of globalization. Today, however, we meet in a world where full-scale war has returned to Europe, where proxy conflicts widen in the Middle East, and where Asia stands at the fault lines of increasingly assertive powers.

The purpose of the Budapest meeting is straightforward but profound: to understand the shifting security landscape across Eurasia and to identify practical ways political parties can help restore trust, cooperation, and stability. While governments and diplomats negotiate at official tables, political parties — rooted in the hopes and anxieties of ordinary people — are uniquely positioned to nurture the long-term foundations of peace.

In a multipolar world, the partnership between Asia and Europe is no longer optional. It is necessary. Our regions face the same storms: energy insecurity, disinformation, food shortages, migration pressures, and rising nationalism. But we also share the same aspirations: to preserve peace, to strengthen democracy, and to ensure that future generations inherit societies governed not by fear, but by fairness and opportunity.

When we launched the AEPF in 2017, we spoke about the diversity of political traditions represented in the room — those on the right and left, reformists and conservatives, advocates of rapid change and guardians of gradual evolution. We reminded the gathering that throughout history, political differences had sparked civil wars. But in our era, we believed, and still believe, that the ability to disagree without hatred may be the most powerful force we can bring to the table.

Our differences are not obstacles; they are precisely why dialogue is necessary. They compel us to listen, to empathize, and to search for common ground.

At the heart of AEPF is a simple idea: Building Bridges Across Continents. Bridges that stretch from east to west, north to south, and across every divide — political, cultural, economic, or historical. Bridges that allow us to share experiences, temper mistrust, and mobilize collective action on humanity’s greatest challenges.

As political parties of Asia and Europe meet in Budapest, the Asia Europe Political Forum (AEPF) carry forward the same conviction we held in Seoul eight years ago — that political parties, when united in purpose, can help steer nations away from confrontation and toward coexistence. And in an age marked by wars and geopolitical rivalries, this mission is not only relevant. It is indispensable.