DILA at 30: A Personal Reflection

Abstract

I seem to be getting a lot of requests for ‘reflection’ pieces these days. I’m quite sure it’s more a sign of my advancing years than because I am a legal historian. This ‘reflection’ will be partly historical and partly personal. While the Foundation for the Development of International Law in Asia (DILA) was established in December 1989, I have only been directly involved in its activities since April 1997. I have previously briefly written about the founding of DILA in the pages of this Yearbook.1 While I will try my best to avoid repetition, some material will invariably overlap with that previous reflection. I try to be as accurate as possible in my documentation of events, even if many of the views and perspectives expressed are personal.