The
Centrist Democrat International was until 2001 the
Christian Democrat International (
CDI) and before that the
Christian Democrat and People's Parties International (until 1999) (this earlier name is, since October 2000, still sometimes used colloquially). This
political international was created in 1961 in
Santiago, Chile as the
Christian Democrat World Union, building on the legacy of other Christian Democrat internationals who tried to create a Christian-inspired
third way alternative to the socialist internationals; in 1982 it was renamed for the first time
Christian Democrat International. The name officially changed due to the participation of groups of various faiths. It is the global international political group dedicated to the promotion of
Christian democracy. Although it gathers parties from around the globe, its members are drawn principally from Europe and Latin America. Some of them are also members of the
International Democrat Union, although the CDI is closer to the
political centre and more
communitarian than the IDU.