Asian People's Anti-Communist League

World League for Freedom and Democracy

Logo of the World League for Freedom and Democracy
Abbreviation	WLFD
Predecessor	Asian Peoples’ Anti-Communist League
Formation	1966
Founded at	Taipei
Headquarters	Taipei
Secretary General	Chou Yujen
President	Yao Eng-chi
Budget (2017)	22 million TWD
Formerly called	World Anti-Communist League

The World League for Freedom and Democracy (WLFD), founded in 1966 as the World Anti-Communist League (WACL), is an international non-governmental organization and a member of the United Nations Department of Public Information NGO branch. The WLFD has more than a hundred national chapters around the world. On the stated principle "to advocate freedom, democracy and human rights as well as to support the cause of world peace", the WLFD states that it works in a joint endeavor to pursue freedom, democracy, and human rights for all mankind without distinction as to race, sex, language, religion, nationality, political affiliation, or occupation to preserve world peace and prosperity.

The WLFD descended from the Asian Peoples’ Anti-Communist League. To cope with the growing tension around the world, Chiang Kai-shek of the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan, Elpidio Quirino of the Republic of the Philippines, and Syngman Rhee of the Republic of Korea founded the APACL in Jinhae, the wartime capital city of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on 15 June 1954. Its first general conference was held in that city and was host to advocate and support the causes of anti-communism, anti-totalitarianism as well as anti-authoritarianism. The other participating states, including Vietnam, Thailand, Okinawa, Hong Kong, and Macao, also sent representatives.

World Freedom Day (Chinese: 世界自由日; pinyin: Shìjièzìyóurì) is a memorial day celebrated on 23 January in Taiwan and South Korea. The event marks the return of some 22,000 ex-communist war prisoners of the Korean War (1950–1953) to Taiwan, of whom 14,000 Chinese soldiers arrived at Keelung harbor on 23 January 1954, and were given the title "Anti-Communist Martyrs". The Republic of China (ROC) government subsequently declared 23 January as World Freedom Day to honor these soldiers, and created the "Anti-Communist League" (which later became the World League for Freedom and Democracy) to fight communist expansion worldwide. The league is led by President Yao Eng-Chi, a former Kuomintang-MP and Secretary-General Ger Yeong-Kuang, a Professor for political science at National Taiwan University. Every year World Freedom Day Celebrations are held in Taiwan, and the event is attended by both locals and foreign delegates from all over the world. Usually, the president of the ROC delivers a congratulatory message, and cultural performances take place.