In the late 1990s in Indonesia, momentum for change was building. As an economic crisis gripped the country, students began meeting underground, reading, debating, and sharing their grievances with Indonesia’s authoritarian political system. They hid their books and kept their pro-democracy discussions secret, carefully expanding their movement.

In 1998, the momentum spilled over.

“We prepared for everything. We even said goodbye to our parents,” said Ichal Supraidi, who was on the frontlines of the student movement. “Finally, when the time came, everybody jumped into the streets.”

Authorities beat the student demonstrators with tear gas, batons, and sometimes, live bullets. However, simultaneous and persistent demonstrations across multiple cities eventually brought an end to the 32-year-long authoritarian regime’s rule, creating an opportunity for Indonesia to hold democratic elections for the first time since the 1950s.

“That changed everything,” Supraidi explained. “The demonstrations were successful because they weren’t siloed, disparate groups leveraged their mutual networks to push for change.”

Building on the experience of the legislative elections in 1999 in Indonesia, Supriadi spent the next 12 years working with the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) monitoring elections in Asia. Through this work, Supriadi had the opportunity to connect with civil society leaders across Asia – together they started to identify the need for coordinated mechanisms to support pro-democracy and human rights movements beyond election cycles.

During the 7th World Movement for Democracy Global Assembly in 2012 in Lima, Peru, Asian civil society actors began developing the concept of the Asian Democracy Network (ADN) as a platform to promote and defend democracy in the region. ADN was officially launched in 2013 in Seoul, South Korea, with its Permanent Secretariat established there.

Supraidi now serves as ADN’s secretary general, leading efforts to strengthen democracy across Asia. The work of ADN has only become more crucial in the years since. In Asia alone, there were approximately 20 elections in 2024. But, Supraidi warned, “There were no elections that gave real change–most extended or renewed chapters of authoritarianism.”

The learning and exchange fostered by the World Movement is crucial in this current moment of global democratic backsliding, Supraidi said. “There is no way anymore that we fight alone, we have to break the silos,” he continues. “Many people are realizing we are better when we work together.”

The World Movement has been key in bringing about new ideas for ADN’s work, Supraidi said. The focus on youth empowerment at the 2022 Global Assembly in Taiwan provided the ADN with an opportunity to learn from youth activists from all over the world and inspired ADN to focus on youth in their own work.

“It’s not only about the connection but also learning and exchange,” Supraidi remarked.

And while authoritarianism in Asia has made a resurgence, Supraidi believes that the resilience of civil society in Asia will continue to preserve the space for independent voices to push for democratic renewal: “I keep encouraging my colleagues to prepare space for the new generation of youth, so that they’re ready when the time comes.”