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A Call to Defend Democracy

June 25, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic threatens more than the lives and the livelihoods of people throughout the world. It is also a political crisis that threatens the future of liberal democracy.

A Call to Defend Democracy

25 June 2020

está disponible en español.

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens more than the lives and the livelihoods of people throughout the world. It is also a political crisis that threatens the future of liberal democracy.

Authoritarian regimes, not surprisingly, are using the crisis to silence critics and tighten their political grip. But even some democratically elected governments are fighting the pandemic by amassing emergency powers that restrict human rights and enhance state surveillance without regard to legal constraints, parliamentary oversight, or timeframes for the restoration of constitutional order. Parliaments are being sidelined, journalists are being arrested and harassed, minorities are being scapegoated, and the most vulnerable sectors of the population face alarming new dangers as the economic lockdowns ravage the very fabric of societies everywhere.

Repression will not help to control the pandemic. Silencing free speech, jailing peaceful dissenters, suppressing legislative oversight, and indefinitely canceling elections all do nothing to protect public health. On the contrary, these assaults on freedom, transparency, and democracy will make it more difficult for societies to respond quickly and effectively to the crisis through both government and civic action.

It is not a coincidence that the current pandemic began in a country where the free flow of information is stifled and where the government punished those warning about the dangers of the virus—warnings that were seen as spreading rumors harmful to the prestige of the state. When voices of responsible citizens are suppressed, the results can be deadly, not for just one country but for the entire world.

Democracy is not just a cherished ideal. It is the system of government best suited to addressing a crisis of the magnitude and complexity of COVID-19. In contrast to the self-serving claims of authoritarian propaganda, credible and free flows of information, fact-based debate about policy options, the voluntary self-organization of civil society, and open engagement between government and society are all vital assets in combating the pandemic. And they are all key elements of liberal democracy.

It is only through democracy that societies can build the social trust that enables them to persevere in a crisis, maintain national resilience in the face of hardship, heal deep societal divisions through inclusive participation and dialogue, and retain confidence that sacrifice will be shared and the rights of all citizens respected.

It is only through democracy that independent civil society, including women and young people, can be empowered to partner with public institutions, to assist in the delivery of services, to help citizens stay informed and engaged, and to bolster social morale and a sense of common purpose.

It is only though democracy that free media can play their role of informing people so that they can make sound personal and family decisions, scrutinize government and public institutions, and counter disinformation that seeks to tear societies apart.

It is only through democracy that society can strike a sustainable balance between competing needs and priorities – between combatting the spread of the virus and protecting economic security; and between implementing an effective response to the crisis and protecting people’s civil and political rights in accordance with constitutional norms and guarantees.

It is only in democracies that the rule of law can protect individual liberties from state intrusion and constraint well beyond what is necessary to contain a pandemic.

It is only in democracies that systems of public accountability can monitor and circumscribe emergency government powers, and terminate them when they are no longer needed.

It is only in democracies that government data on the scope and health-impact of the pandemic can be believed.

Democracy does not guarantee competent leadership and effective governance. While democracies predominate among the countries that have acted most effectively to contain the virus, other democracies have functioned poorly in responding to the pandemic and have paid a very high price in human life and economic security. Democracies that perform poorly further weaken society and create openings for authoritarians.

But the greatest strength of democracy is its capacity for self-correction. The COVID-19 crisis is an alarming wake-up call, an urgent warning that the freedoms we cherish are at risk and that we must not take them for granted. Through democracy, citizens and their elected leaders can learn and grow. Never has it been more important for them to do that.

The current pandemic represents a formidable global challenge to democracy. Authoritarians around the world see the COVID-19 crisis as a new political battleground in their fight to stigmatize democracy as feeble and reverse its dramatic gains of the past few decades. Democracy is under threat, and people who care about it must summon the will, the discipline, and the solidarity to defend it. At stake are the freedom, health, and dignity of people everywhere.

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Read the Policy Paper: Global Democracy & COVID-19: Upgrading International Support

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View and download the 'Call for Democracy' PDF letter in one of the languages below.

View a video message from International IDEA Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora.

Keep democracy alive amid COVID-19

Organizations
  • African Movement for Democracy
  • African Network of Constitutional Lawyers (ANCL)
  • Alianza Universitaria Nicaraguense (AUN)
  • Al-Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center
  • Alliance of Democracies Foundation
  • American Russian-speaking Association for Civil & Human Rights (ARA)
  • Asia Democracy Network
  • Asian Network For Free Elections (ANFREL)
  • Association Béninoise de Droit Constitutionnel (ABDC)
  • Association for Participatory Democracy (ADEPT)
  • Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)
  • Christian Democratic International Center
  • Coalition for Dialogue in Africa (CODA)
  • Colectivo Ciudadano Ecuador
  • Council for Global Equality
  • Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA)
  • Defend Democracy
  • Democracy International
  • Democracy Reporting International (DRI)
  • European Endowment for Democracy
  • European Network of Political Foundations (ENoP)
  • European Partnership for Democracy
  • Forum 2000
  • Freedom House
  • Fundación Nuevas Generaciones
  • Fundación Paraguaya de Cooperación y Desarrollo
  • Fundación Salvadoreña para el Desarrollo Económico y Social (FUSADES)
  • Human Rights Campaign
  • Human Rights House Foundation
  • Institute for Democratic Governance
  • Instituto para Democracia Multipartidária
  • Instituto Venezolano de Estudios Sociales y Políticos (INVESP)
  • International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL)
  • International IDEA
  • International Republican Institute
  • JuventudLAC
  • Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA)
  • National Democratic Institute
  • National Endowment for Democracy
  • Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD)
  • Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy El Salvador
  • Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy Guatemala
  • Olof Palme International Center
  • Parliamentary Center of Canada
  • Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA)
  • PAX for Peace International
  • PEN America
  • Political Parties of Finland for Democracy – Demo Finland
  • Prague Civil Society Centre
  • Program on Democratic Resilience and Development, IDC Herzliya
  • Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights
  • Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe por la Democracia (REDLAD)
  • Solidarity Center
  • Swedish International Liberal Center (SILC)
  • Taiwan Foundation for Democracy
  • The Carter Center
  • The Center Party's International Foundation (CIS)
  • The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA)
  • The Foreign Policy Centre
  • The George W. Bush Institute
  • The Inter American Institute of Human Rights (IIDH)
  • The International Democrat Union (IDU)
  • The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
  • The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Organization
  • The Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation
  • The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS)
  • The McCain Institute for International Leadership
  • The Nadav Foundation
  • The Oslo Center
  • The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida
  • Transparency International
  • Unión de Partidos Latinoamericanos (UPLA)
  • V-Dem Institute
  • West Africa Centre for Democracy and Development
  • West Africa Civil Society Institute
  • Westminster Foundation for Democracy
  • World Movement for Democracy
  • World Uyghur Congress
  • World Youth Movement for Democracy
Individual Signatories
Surname Name Affiliation Country
Abat Ninet Antoni Professor of Constitutional Law, the University of Copenhagen Denmark
Abente Brun Diego Former Senator and Minister of Justice and Labor of Paraguay Paraguay
Abiola Rinsola Advocate for gender equity and youth inclusion in politics; Member of the Board of Directors of Young Women in Politics Forum Nigeria
Abramowitz Michael President, Freedom House USA
Aden-Osman Souad Executive Director, Coalition for Dialogue in Africa (CODA) Ethiopia
Adomenas Mantas Member of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Lithuania
Adrian Tamara Member of National Assembly of Venezuela Venezuela
Aflecailor Alina Human Rights Educator, Greenpeace Romania Romania
Agrell Edvard Secretary-General, Christian Democratic International Center Sweden
Aguayo Sergio Professor, Colegio de Mexico, Visiting Scientist, Harvard University Mexico
Aivo Federic Joel Chair, Association Béninoise de Droit Constitutionnel (ABDC) Benin
Akwetey Emmanuel Executive Director, Institute for Democratic Governance Ghana
Alam Shahidul Photojournalist and social activist Bangladesh
Al-Bahadli Fatima Executive Director, the Iraqi al-Firdaws Society Iraq
Albanez de Escobar Ana Vilma Former Vice President of El Salvador El Salvador
Albright Madeleine Former United States Secretary of State USA
Alexander Paige CEO, The Carter Center USA
Alexievich Svetlana Nobel Laureate in Literature Belarus
Alieva Leila President, Center for National and International Studies Azerbaijan
Al-Jarba Abdalaziz Younis Chairman, Al-Tahreer Association for Development Iraq
Almagro Luis Secretary-General, Organization of American States Uruguay
Alonso Laura Former Member of Chamber of Deputies; Former Executive Director, Poder Ciudadano; Former Head of Argentine Anti-Corruption Office Argentina
Al-Rantawi Oraib General Director, Al Quds Center for Political Studies Jordan
Altmann Josette Secretary-General, FLACSO Costa Rica
Ängeby Martin Secretary-General, Swedish International Liberal Center (SILC) Sweden
Anggraini Titi Executive Director, Perludem Indonesia
Ansari Mohammad Hamid Former Vice President of India; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation; Former Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations India
Antholis William J. Director, the Miller Center for Public Affairs at the University of Virginia USA
Arias Sanchez Oscar Nobel Peace Laureate; Founder, Grameen Bank Costa Rica
Arteaga Serrano Rosalía Former President of Ecuador Ecuador
Assiri Yahya Founder, ALQST Saudi Arabia
Atkinson Rick Journalist USA
Atwood Brian Former USAID Administrator USA
Avineri Shlomo Professor, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities Israel
Axworthy Lloyd Former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Chair, World Refugee Council Canada
Ayotte Kelly Former United States Senator; Board Member, International Republican Institute USA
Bader-Blau Shawna Executive Director, Solidarity Center USA
Balcerowicz Leszek Former Deputy Prime Minister of Poland and Minister of Finance Poland
Balkenende Jan Peter Former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Netherlands
Banbury Anthony President and CEO, The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) USA
Baran Yaroslav Vice-Chair, the Parliamentary Centre of Canada; Managing Partner, Earnscliffe Strategy Group; Fellow, Clayton Riddell School of Political Management, Carleton University Canada
Bareiro Line Founder, Centro de Documentación y Estudios (CDE-Paraguay); Former Member, the United Nations Committee for the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Paraguay
Bathily Abdoulaye Former Member and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Senegal; Former United Nations Under-Secretary General Senegal
Batres Susan Executive Director, Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy Guatemala Guatemala
Bayaraa Sanjaasuren Special Advisor, the Zorig Foundation; Former Ambassador of Mongolia to India Mongolia
Bell Christine Founder and Director, Global Justice Academy; Professor of Constitutional Law and Assistant Principal, University of Edinburgh Ireland
Bellamy Carol Former Executive Director, UNICEF USA
Benabdallaoui Mokhtar Professor of Islamic Studies, Hassan II University Morocco
BERMAN Howard Former U.S. Member of Congress USA
Berman Thijs Executive Director, Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) Netherlands
Berman Howard Former Congressman; Former Chairman, the House Foreign Affairs Committee USA
Bernard Antoine Senior Advisor, Reporters sans frontières (RSF); Faculty, PSIA/SciencesPo France
Bernstein Tom Chair, the Human Freedom Advisory Council of the George W. Bush Presidential Center USA
Berschinski Rob Senior Vice President for Policy, Human Rights First USA
Bialiatski Ales Founder, The Human Rights Center “Viasna” Belarus
Bildt Carl Former Prime Minister of Sweden Sweden
Birkavs Valdis Former Prime Minister of Latvia Latvia
Biserko Sonja Chair, the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights Serbia
Bitar Sergio President, the Chilean Council for Strategy and Foresight Chile
Bjornlund Eric President, Democracy International USA
Blair Dennis C. Admiral; Former United States Director of National Intelligence USA
Boadi E. Gyimah Executive Director, AfroBarometer Ghana
Bodnar Adam Commissioner for Human Rights of Poland Poland
Bolaños Geye Enrique José Former President of Nicaragua Nicaragua
Bondevik Kjell Magne Former Prime Minister of Norway; Founder and Executive Chair, the Oslo Center Norway
Bongiovanni Gerardo President, Fundacion Libertad Argentina
Boniadi Nazanin Artist; Board Member, the Center for Human Rights in Iran Iran
Boroumand Ladan Co-founder, Abdorrahman Boroumand Foundation for the Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy in Iran Iran
Börzel Tanja A. Professor of Political Science, Freie University, Berlin Germany
Botan Igor Executive Director, Association for Participatory Democracy (ADEPT) Moldova
Botero Catalina Dean, the Law School of the University of Los Andes, Bogotá; Former Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Inter American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR) Colombia
Bozkurt Emine Former Member of the European Parliament Netherlands
Brauchli Marcus Former Editor, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal USA
Brinkhorst Laurens Jan Former Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands Netherlands
Brito Joel Executive Director, the International Group for Corporate Social Responsibility in Cuba Cuba
Brkan Darko President, CA Why Not Bosnia & Herzegovina
Brok Elmar Former Member of the European Parliament; Former Chairman, the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Germany
Bromley Mark Executive Director, Council for Global Equality USA
Bruton John Former Prime Minister of Ireland; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation; Former EU Ambassador to the United States Ireland
Buchanan Vern Member of the United States House of Representatives for Florida USA
Bullrich Patricia Former Minister of Security of Argentina Argentina
Bummel Andreas Executive Director, Democracy Without Borders Germany
Buquicchio Gianni President, The Venice Commission of the Council of Europe Italy
Burns William J. Former United States Deputy Secretary of State USA
Burt Martin Executive Director, Fundación Paraguaya de Cooperación y Desarrollo Paraguay
Bush Jeb Former Governor of Florida USA
Butora Martin Honorary Chairman, Institute for Public Affairs Slovakia
Buzek Jerzy Member of the European Parliament and Former Prime Minister of Poland Poland
Calmy-Rey Micheline Former President of the Swiss Confederation; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation; Former President of the Council of Europe Switzerland
Cantón Santiago Secretary of Human Rights for the Province of Buenos Aires Argentina
Card Andrew Chairman, the National Endowment for Democracy USA
Cardoso Fernando Henrique Former President of Brazil Brazil
Carothers Thomas Senior Fellow, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace USA
Carroll Sean President and CEO, Anera and Advisor, the World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid USA
Carson Johnnie Former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs USA
Casanova Jean-Claude Former President, Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques France
Casas-Zamora Kevin Secretary-General, International IDEA Sweden
Castañeda Jorge Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico Mexico
Castellanos Julieta Former Rector of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras Honduras
Caxton Ateki Seta Chair, African Movement for Democracy Cameroon
Çetin Hikmet Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation; Former NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan Turkey
Chachava Ketevan Executive Director, Center for Development and Democracy Georgia
Chalker Lynda Baroness; Former Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Founding Member, the Global Leadership Foundation; Founder and President, Africa Matters Limited United Kingdom
Chamorro Carlos Fernando Editor, Confidencial Nicaragua
Chamorro Cristiana Founder, the Violeta Chamorro Foundation Nicaragua
Changachirere Glanis Founding Director, Institute for Young Women Development Zimbabwe
Chen Ketty W. Acting President, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy Taiwan
Chertoff Michael Former Second United States Secretary of Homeland Security; Chairman, Freedom House USA
Chinchilla Laura Former President of Costa Rica Costa Rica
Chissano Joaquim Alberto Former President of the Republic of Mozambique; Chairperson, the Joaquim Chissano Foundation Mozambique
Chukwuma Innocent Founder, the Center for Law Enforcement Education Nigeria
Clark Charles Joseph Former Prime Minister of Canada; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation Canada
Clark Helen Former Prime Minister of New Zealand; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation; Former Deputy Prime Minister; Former Administrator of the UNDP New Zealand
Coomaraswamy Radhika Former Under Secretary General and the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict Sri Lanka
Corell Hans Former Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and the Legal Counsel of the United Nations   Sweden
Corke Susan Executive Director, Transatlantic Democracy Working Group, German Marshall Fund USA
Cormier Thomas CEO, Parliamentary Center of Canada Canada
Cotler Irwin Founder and Chair, Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights Canada
Couchepin Pascal Former President of the Swiss Confederation; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation; Former President of the Ministerial Assembly of the World Trade Organisation Switzerland
Crnjanski Vukosava Director, Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability Serbia
Crocker Chester A. Former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation USA
Cseh Katka Member of the European Parliament; Co-founder, Momentum Movement Hungary
Cyrille Touré (aka Thiat) Cheikh Oumar Co-founder of Y’en a Marre Senegal
Dahle Maria Director, Human Rights House Foundation Norway
Daly Tom Gerald Director, Democratic Decay & Renewal (DEM-DEC) Australia
Dammert Lucia Professor, University of Santiago of Chile Peru
Dan Wang Founder and Executive Director, Dialogue China China
Danby Michael Former Member of Parliament; Chair, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Australia
Darmanovic Srdjan Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro Montenegro
Darusman Marzuki Former Attorney General of Indonesia and Member of the House of Representatives; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation Indonesia
Daschle Thomas Former United States Senate Majority Leader USA
Davidson Charles Co-founder, The American Interest USA
de Bethune Sabine Baroness and Member of the Senate of Belgium Belgium
de Klerk F.W. Nobel Peace Laureate and Former President of South Africa; Founder, the Global Leadership Foundation South Africa
de la Calle Humberto Former Vice President of Colombia Colombia
de la Fuente Gloria President, Fundacion Chile 21 Chile
De Riz Liliana Professor, Centro para la Apertura y el Desarrollo Argentina
De Silva Ravindra Co-founder and Executive Director, AFRIEL Youth Network Sri Lanka
Dean Howard Former Governor of Vermont; Chair, DNC USA
Debeuf Koert Writer and Editor in Chief, EUobserver Belgium
Deibert Ronald Director, Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto Canada
Deo Neelam Director, Gateway House Mumbai India
Diamond Larry Senior Fellow, Stanford University Hoover Institution & Freeman Spogli Institute USA
Dijsselbloem Jeroen Former Minister of Finance of the Netherlands; Former President, Eurogroup Netherlands
Djakupova Cholpon Idinovna Director, Legal Clinic “Adilet” Kyrgyzstan
Djakupova Cholpon Idinovna Director, Legal Clinic “Adilet” Kyrgyzstan
Dobrev Klara Vice President of the European Parliament Hungary
Donahoe Eileen Executive Director, Stanford Global Digital Policy Incubator USA
Dongfang Han Executive Director, China Labor Bulletin China
Dunne Michele Director, Middle East Program, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace USA
Đurić Ivan Coordinator, the World Youth Movement for Democracy Serbia
Dutkiewicz Rafal Former Mayor of Wroclaw Poland
Dutour Nassera President, Federation Against Enforced Disappearances (FEMED) Algeria
Ebadi Shirin Nobel Peace Laureate; Founder, Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran Iran
Edelman Eric Former United States Under Secretary of Defense for Policy USA
Ehrt Julia Program Director, The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Organization Switzerland
Eisen Norman Senior Fellow, the Brookings Institution USA
Ejigu Bilen Asrat Executive Director, Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations Forum Ethiopia
Engesland Bjørn Secretary-General, Norwegian Helsinki Committee Norway
Eoseewong Nidhi Historian and Recipient of the Fukuoka Asian Cultural Prize Thailand
Ertürk Yakin Former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women Turkey
Escobar Mejia Claudia Former Judge, Legal Specialist on Anti-corruption Policies Guatemala
Espada Joao Carlos Director, the Institute of Political Studies, Catholic University of Lisbon Portugal
Espinal Rosario Professor, College of Liberal Arts, Department of Sociology, Temple University Dominican Republic
Essex Aleksander Associate Professor of Cybersecurity, Western University Canada
Evans Gareth Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia and Leader of the Government in the Senate; President Emeritus, the International Crisis Group; Former Dean of Australian National University Australia
Evgenidze Nino Executive Director, Economic Policy Research Center Georgia
Fahrenkopf Frank J. Founding Member, the International Republican Institute; Co-chair, the Commission on the Presidential Debates USA
Fajemirokun Ayodeji Chair, West Africa Civil Society Institute Ghana
Farouk Ahmad Founder and Director, the Islamic Renaissance Front (IFR) Malaysia
Feinstein Lee Former Ambassador to Poland USA
Feltman Jeffrey Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs USA
Ferguson Niall Historian and Milbank Family Senior Fellow, the Hoover Institution at Stanford University USA
Fernández Leonel Former President of the Dominican Republic; President, the World Federation of United Nations Associations Dominican Republic
Ferreira Rubio Delia Chair, Transparency International Argentina
Fischer Jan Former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Czech Republic
Fishere Ezzedine Choukri Writer and Academic Egypt
Fontaine Richard CEO, Center for a New American Security (CNAS) USA
Franco Gómez Federico Former President of Paraguay Paraguay
Franssen Cindy Member of the European Parliament Belgium
Fréchette Louise Former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation Canada
Freedberg Jean Deputy Director, Human Rights Campaign USA
Freidenberg Flavia Professor, the Institute of Legal Research of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Argentina
Fücks Ralf Former Deputy Mayor and Senator for Urban Development and Environmental Protection; Founder, Zentrum Liberale Moderne Germany
Fukuyama Francis Director, the Center for Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, Stanford University USA
Funabashi Yoichi Chairman, Asia Pacific Initiative; Award Winning Journalist and Author Japan
Fussner Chris Assistant Chairman, International Democratic Union; Board Member, International Republican Institute USA
Gabel Chelsea Chair, Indigenous Well-Being, Community Engagement and Innovation Research Canada Canada
Galston William A. Senior Fellow, the Brookings Institution USA
Garcé Adolfo Professor, the Political Science Institute, Universidad de la República in Montevideo Uruguay
Garton Ash Timothy Professor of European Studies, Oxford University and Senior Fellow, the Hoover Institution, Stanford University United Kingdom
Gascon Chito Chairperson, Commission on Human Rights Philippines
Gatsha Dumiso Founder, Success Capital Organisation Botswana
Gaviria Cesar Former President of Colombia Colombia
Gbowee Leymah R. Nobel Peace Laureate and Former President of Costa Rica Liberia
Gedmin Jeffrey Editor-in-Chief and CEO, The American Interest USA
Gejdenson Sam Former Congressman USA
Gephardt Richard Former House Majority Leader; Former Chairman, NED USA
Gere Richard Founder, the Gere Foundation; Chairman, The International Campaign for Tibet USA
Gershman Carl President, National Endowment for Democracy USA
Ghali Amine Director, Al Kawakibi Democracy Transition Center Tunisia
Gigauri Eka Executive Director, Transparency International Georgia Georgia
Gil Laura Journalist and Director, Dialogos and Estrategias Colombia
Gísladóttir Ingibjörg Sólrún Director, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights; Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland Iceland
Glinski Dmitri Daniel Co-Chair Board of Directors, American Russian-speaking Association for Civil & Human Rights (ARA) USA
Glover Audrey Chairman of the Board of Trustees, The Foreign Policy Centre UK
Godfrey Ken Executive Director, European Partnership for Democracy Belgium
Goiz William Regional Coordinator, Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) Philippines
Goldfield David Former Board Member, the Parliamentary Center of Canada Canada
Gomes Ana Former Member of the European Parliament Portugal
Gonzi Lawrence Former Prime Minister of Malta; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation Malta
Goodman Nicole Director, the Centre for e-Democracy; Associate Professor, Brock University Canada
Gorriti Gustavo Journalist and Director, IDL-Reporter Peru
Gozman Leonid President, Union of Right Forces (SPS) Russia
Green Mark Executive Director, McCain Institute for International Leadership USA
Green Mike Former Senior Director, National Security Council USA
Gudziak Borys President, the Ukrainian Catholic University Ukraine
Guéhenno Jean-Marie Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations France
Gusenbauer Alfred Former Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria Austria
Gustavsson Eva Managing Director, The Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation Sweden
Habib Adam Vice-Chancellor and Principal, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg South Africa
Halvorssen Thor President, the Oslo Freedom Forum Norway
Hamada Maxine Tanya Corporate Secretary, iLEAD Philippines
Hamati Juela President, European Democracy Youth Network Albania
Hamzawy Amr Former Member of the People’s Assembly of Egypt; Senior research scholar, the Center for Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford University Egypt
Han Sung-Joo Former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Chairman, Asan Institute for Policy Studies Republic of Korea
Hannig Nunez Sascha Journalist; Author; Researcher, Fundacion Para el Progreso Chile
Haqqani Husain Director, South and Central Asia, The Hudson Institute; Former Ambassador to the United States Pakistan
Haraszti Miklos Former OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media; Resident Fellow, Center for Media, Central European University Hungary
Hardh Robert Member, Steering Committee of the World Movement for Democracy Sweden
Harper Stephen Former Prime Minister of Canada Canada
Hart Gary Former United States Senator USA
Harutyunyan Haykuhi Chairperson, Corruption Prevention Commission Armenia
Harymurti Bambang Former CEO and Editor in Chief, Tempo Magazine Indonesia
Hassan Bahey Director, the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies; Human rights advocate Egypt
Hautala Heidi Vice President of the European Parliament; Former Minister of International Development of Finland Finland
Havel Ivan Miloš Researcher and Former Director of the Center for Theoretical Studies Czech Republic
Helgesen Vidar Former Secretary-General, International IDEA Norway
Heyzer Noeleen Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations; Advisor, the World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid ; Former United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Timor-Leste Singapore
Hijazi Aya Founder, Belady foundation for Street Children Egypt
Hoff Rachel Policy Director, Ronald Reagan Institute USA
Hojsik Martin Member of the European Parliament Slovakia
Hole Theodore Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Benin; Former President of the Constitutional Court Benin
Holland Agnieszka Film Director Poland
Holtz Uwe Professor of Political Science, University of Bonn; Former Member, the German Bundestag and Chairman, Parliamentary Committee for Economic Cooperation and Development; Former Member, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Germany
Hřib Zdeněk Mayor of Prague Czech Republic
Hurtado Osvaldo Former President of Ecuador Ecuador
Hwangbo Seung-hee Member of National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Republic of Korea
IBRAHIM Dato Seri Anwar President of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People's Justice Party), Parliament Malaysia
Ibrahim Jibrin Senior Fellow, Center for Democracy and Development Abuja Nigeria
Ichihara Maiko Associate Professor of International Relations, Hitotsubashi University Japan
Iglesias Hasler Youth Coordinator, Voluntad Popular Venezuela
Ilves Toomas Henrik Former President of Estonia Estonia
Insulza Jose Miguel Member of the Senate of the Republic of Chile; Former Secretary-General, the Organization of American States Chile
Isa Dolkun President, World Uyghur Congress Germany
Isakovna Otunbayeva Roza Former President of Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan
Isakovna Catherine Secretary-General, The Center Party's International Foundation (CIS) Sweden
Ismail Gulalai Founder and Chairperson, Aware Girl Pakistan
Ismayilova Khadija Former Political Prisoner and Investigative Journalist Azerbaijan
Itodo Samson Executive Director, YIAGA and Initiator of the Not Too Young to Run campaign Nigeria
Jácome Francine Executive Director, Instituto Venezolano de Estudios Sociales y Políticos (INVESP) Venezuela
Jahanbegloo Ramin Director, Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Peace, Jindal Global University Iran
Jahjaga Atifete Former President of Kosovo Kosovo
Jämtin Carin Director-General, The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida Sweden
Jarle Rode Finn Executive Director, The Oslo Center Norway
Jarquín Edmundo Former Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Nicaragua; Former Presidential and Vice Presidential Candidate of Nicaragua; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation Nicaragua
Jarwolo Eddie D. Executive Director, Naymote Partners for Democratic Development Liberia
Jerez Max Political Coordinator, Alianza Universitaria Nicaragüense (AUN) Nicaragua
Ji Seong-ho Member of National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and North Korean defector Republic of Korea
Jianli Yang Founder and President, Citizen Power Initiatives for China China
John Shattuck John Former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; President Emeritus, the Central European University USA
Jonen Ryota Director, World Movement for Democracy USA
Jones Jerry Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, ACXIOM; Advisor, the World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid USA
Joon Oh Former South Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Republic of Korea
Josipovic Ivo Former President of Croatia Croatia
Juvonen Anu Executive Director, Political Parties of Finland for Democracy – Demo Finland Finland
Kadima Denis Executive Director, The Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) South Africa
Kaljurand Marina Member of the European Parliament; Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Estonia
Kandić Natasa Founder, Humanitarian Law Center Serbia
Kara-Murza Vladimir Chairman, Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom Russia
Karlson Nils President and CEO, the The Ratio Institute Sweden
Karman Tawakkol Nobel Peace Laureate; Founder, Women Journalists Without Chains Yemen
kasich John Former Governor of Ohio USA
Kasparov Garry Chairman, Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI); Chairman, the Human Rights Foundation; Former World Chess Champion, Writer, and Political Activist Russia
Kassem Hisham Political Commentator and Former Chairman, the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights Egypt
Keum Tae-Sup Ranking Member of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly Republic of Korea
Khan Zafarullah CEO, Civic Concerns Pakistan
Khodorkovsky Mikhail Former Political Prisoner and Opposition Leader Russia
Kingsley Jean-Pierre Former Chief Electoral Officer of Elections Canada Canada
Kitenge Dismas President, LOTUS Group Republic of Congo
Kiu Arnold Chung Chin Founding Member, Demosisto Hong-Kong
Klepal Jakub Executive Director, Forum 2000 Czech Republic
Kodmani Bassma Former Executive Director, the Arab Reform Initiative Syria
Kolbe Jim Former Congressman; Senior Transatlantic Fellow, German Marshall Fund of the United States; Board Member, International Republican Institute USA
Koroma Ernest Bai Former President of Sierra Leone Sierra Leone
Kovacevic Milica President, Center for Democratic Transision Montenegro
Kramer David J. Former United States Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor; Senior Fellow, Vaclav Havel Program on Human Rights and Diplomacy, Florida International University; Board Member, International Republican Institute USA
Krastev Ivan Chairman, the Centre for Liberal Strategies; Founder, the European Council on Foreign Relations Bulgaria
Krauze Enrique Historian and Editor, Letras Libres Mexico
Kreko Peter Director, Political Capital Institute, Europe’s Futures Fellow, IWM/ERSTE Stiftung Hungary
Kristol William Director, Defending Democracy Together USA
Kubilius Andrius Member of the European Parliament; Former Prime Minister of Lithuania Lithuania
Kurlantzick Joshua Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations USA
Kwasniewski Aleksander Former President of Poland Poland
Lafer Celso Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil; Former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Brazil to the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Brazil
Lagumdzija Zlatko Former Prime Minister of Bosnia & Herzegovina Bosnia & Herzegovina
Lambertz Karl-Heinz Speaker of the Parliament of the German-Speaking Community; Former President of the European Committee of the Regions; Former Minister-President of the German-Speaking Community of Belgium Belgium
Lammert Norbert Chairman, The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Germany
Lamounier Bolivar Director, Augurium Consultores and Advisor, the World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid Brazil
Lamsal Pragya Development professional and women's rights activist Nepal
Landsbergis Vytautas Former President of Lithuania Lithuania
Larok Arthur Director, Federation Development, ActionAid International Uganda
Lebedev Greg Chairman, the Center for International Private Enterprise USA
Lee Cheuk-Yan Former Member of the Legislative Council; Secretary-General, Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions Hong-Kong
Lee Hong-koo Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Republic of Korea
Lee Martin Founder, Democratic Party Hong-Kong
Lee Sook Jong Trustee, East Asia Institute; Professor, Sungkyunkwan University Republic of Korea
Letta Enrico Former Prime Minister of Italy; Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po, Paris Italy
Lévy Bernard-Henri Philosopher, Author, Filmmaker, Activist France
Liekis Sarunas Chair, The Vilnius Institute for Policy Analysis Lithuania
Likhotal Alexander Professor, the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations; Advisor, the World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid; Former President, Green Cross International Russia
Lindberg Tod Senior Fellow, the Hudson Institute USA
Lindberg Staffan I. Director, V-Dem Institute Sweden
Liu Xia Artist and Widow of Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo China
Livardjani Mana Executive Director, European Network of Political Foundations (ENoP) Belgium
Lloyd Lindsay Bradford M. Freeman Director of the Human Freedom Initiative, The George W. Bush Institute USA
Lodici Claudio Coordinator, Biennial Conference on the State of Democracy, Loyola University Chicago USA
Machel Graca Founder, Graca Machel Trust; Executive Chair, Mandele Institute for Development Studies in Johannesburg South Africa
Macri Mauricio Former President of Argentina Argentina
MacKay Peter Former Minister for Foreign Affairs, National Defence, Justice and Attorney General Canada
Madonsela Thuli Former Public Protector of South Africa; Founder, Thuma Foundation for Democracy Leadership and Literacy South Africa
Magen Amichai Director, Program on Democratic Resilience and Development, IDC Herzliya Israel
Magyar Bálint Former Minister of Education of Hungary Hungary
Malcorra Susana Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina; Former Chef de Cabinet to the Executive Office at the United Nations Argentina
Maliqi Aagon Program Director, Sbunker Kosovo
Malmström Cecilia Former Member of the European Commission; Visiting Professor, the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg Sweden
Mammadli Anar Chairman, the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center; Former Political Prisoner; Recipient of the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize of the Parliamentary Center of the Council of Europe Azerbaijan
Manzano Cristina Director, esGlobal Spain
Margvelashvili Giorgi Former President of Georgia Georgia
Marques de Morais Rafael Founder, Maka Angola Angola
Marshall Catherine Director, the Agora Research Center, CY Cergy Paris University USA
Martinez Mel Former United States Senator USA
Marynovych Myroslav Vice-rector, the Ukrainian Catholic University Ukraine
Masbah Mohammed Director, Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis Morocco
Masmoudi Radwan A. Executive Director, the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy; Civil society activist Tunisia
May Cliff President, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies USA
Mbow Penda Historian and President, Mouvement Citoyen Senegal
McCain Cindy Chair, Board of Trustees of the McCain Institute for International Leadership USA
McFaul Michael Director, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies USA
McKinnon Don Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand New Zealand
McMaster H.R. Board Member, International Republican Institute USA
Mecacci Matteo Former Member of Parliament; President, International Campaign for Tibet Italy
Meckel Markus Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of the Bundestag Germany
Meidani Rexhep Former President of Albania Albania
Meister Stefan Director, South Caucasus Office, Heinrich Boell Foundation Germany
Meléndez Juan Executive Director, Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy El Salvador El Salvador
Melia Thomas Washington Director, PEN America; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor USA
Menchú Rigoberta Nobel Peace Laureate Guatemala
Meridor Dan Former Deputy Prime Minister of Israel and Minister of Finance Israel
Merino Beatriz The President of the Council of Ministers of Peru and National Ombudswoman Peru
Mesa Carlos Former President of Bolivia Bolivia
Meyer-Resende Michael Executive Director, Democracy Reporting International (DRI) Germany
Mikulski Barbara Former United States Senator USA
Miletic Goran Director for Europe, Civil Rights Defenders USA
Miller Robert C. President, the Hurford Foundation USA
Mitchell Derek President, National Democratic Institute USA
Mitov Daniel Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria Bulgaria
Mondale Walter Former Vice President of the United States USA
Montaner Carlos Alberto Writer and Journalist Cuba
Montes Leonidas Director, Centro de Estudios Públicos Chile
Moradian Davood General Director, Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies Afghanistan
Moreno Wilson President, Colectivo Ciudadano Ecuador Ecuador
Morlino Leonardo President, the International Center on Democracy and Democratisation (ICEDD) and Emeritus Professor of Political Science, LUISS University in Rome Italy
Muasher Marwan Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan Jordan
Muchaidze Giorgi Executive Director, Atlantic Council, Georgia Georgia
Mudgal Vipul Director, Common Cause India
Mulcair Thomas Former Member of Parliament; Senior Fellow, Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights Canada
Mulhovo Hermenegildo Executive Director, Instituto para Democracia Multipartidária Mozambique
Muna Akere Chair, International Anti-Corruption Conference Council Cameroon
Mungiu-Pippidi Alina Democracy Chair, Hertie School of Governance Romania
Munshi Surendra Sociologist India
Muravchik Josh Author and Adjunct Professor, The Institute of World Politics USA
Murunga Godwin Executive Secretary, Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) Senegal
Nafisi Azar Former Fellow, the Foreign Policy Institute of Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS); New York Times Best-Seller Author Iran
Naim Moises Senior Fellow, the Carnegie Endowment for Peace USA
Nanuashvili Ucha Director, Democracy Research Institute (DRI) Georgia
Natsios Andrew Director, Scowcroft Institute of international affairs, Bush School of Government, Texas A&M University USA
Nayyem Mustafa Former Member of Parliament Ukraine
Nemtsova Zhanna Co-founder, Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom; Journalist and Social Activist Russia
Nevzlin Leonid Founder, The Nadav Foundation Israel
Newman Constance Former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs USA
Ngombet Andrea Director, Anti-Kleptocracy Strategy of Sassoufit Collective Republic of Congo
Nodia Ghia Chairman, Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy, and Development Georgia
Norris Pippa Paul F. McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University United Kingdom
Nosov Andrej Founder, Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR) Serbia
Nossel Suzanne CEO, PEN America USA
Novak Ray Vice Chair, The International Democrat Union (IDU) Germany
Nu Wai Wai Executive Director, Women’s Peace Network; Rohingya Human Rights Activist Burma
Nuland Victoria Former Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs USA
Nwankwo Clement Founding Chairman, the Transition Monitoring Group Nigeria
Nwauche Enyinna Chair, African Network of Constitutional Lawyers (ANCL) South Africa
Obasanjo Olusegun Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Nigeria
Obe Ayo Legal Practitioner and Former Chairperson, Steering Committee of the World Movement for Democracy Nigeria
Obiglio Julián Martín LPresident, Fundación Nuevas Generaciones Argentina
Okail Nancy Former Director, the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy Egypt
Opiyo Nicholas Excutive Director, Chapter Four Uganda
Ortiz Óscar President, Unión de Partidos Latinoamericanos (UPLA) Chile
Pachano Simón Professor, Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO) Ecuador
Palacio Ana Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain Spain
Palous Martin Director, Vaclav Havel Program for Human Rights and Diplomacy, Florida International University Czech Republic
Panek Simon Director, People in Need Czech Republic
Parello-Plesner Jonas Executive Director, Alliance of Democracies Foundation Denmark
Pastrana Andres Former President of Colombia Colombia
Patterson P.J. Former Prime Minister of Jamaica; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation; Former Chair of the United Nations Security Council Jamaica
Pavilionis Zygimantas Deputy Chair, European Affairs Committee of the Parliament Lithuania
Paya Rosa Maria President, the Latin American Youth Network for Democracy Cuba
Peeters Kris Member of the European Parliament; Former Minister-President of Flanders and Former Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium Belgium
Piccone Ted Chief Engagement Officer, World Justice Project USA
Pilip Ivan Former Minister of Finance of the Czech Republic; Former Vice President, the European Investment Bank Czech Republic
Pinto-Duschinsky Michael Founder Governor, Westminster Foundation for Democracy United Kingdom
Piontkovsky Andrei Writer and Visiting Fellow, the Hudson Institute Russia
Piri Kati Member of the European Parliament Netherlands
Plattner Marc Coeditor Emeritus, Journal of Democracy USA
Plokhii Serhii Professor of History, Harvard University USA
Ploumen Lilianne Member of Parliament; Former Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Netherlands Netherlands
Pokharel Bhoj Raj Former Chief Election Commissioner of Nepal Nepal
Pollak Peter Member of the European Parliament Slovakia
Pomianowski Jerzy Executive Director, European Endowment for Democracy Belgium
Pradhan Sanjay CEO, Open Government Partnership (OGP) India
Price David E. Member of the United States House of Representatives for North Carolina USA
Przywara Danuta President, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights Poland
Puddington Arch Distinguished Fellow for Democracy Studies and Former Editor, Survey of Freedom in the World, Freedom House; Writer with publications in Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, National Interest, and Journal of Democracy USA
Pusić Vesna Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia Croatia
Qiang Xiao Director, the Counter-Power Lab; Former Executive Director of Human Rights in China; Former Vice-chairman of the steering committee of the World Movement for Democracy China
Qisa'i Ahmad Program Director for Democratic Justice Governance and Regionalization, Kemitraan Indonesia
Quang A Nguyen Chairman, the Civil Society Forum Vietnam
Quintos-Deles Teresita Chairperson, INCITEGov Philippines
Quiroga Jorge Former President of Bolivia Bolivia
Quraishi S.Y. Former Chief Election Commissioner of India India
Radicova Iveta Former Prime Minister of Slovakia Slovakia
Rae Bob Former Member of Parliament; Senior Fellow, Forum of Federations and Professor, University of Toronto Canada
Ramos-Horta Jose Nobel Peace Laureate and Former President of East Timor Timor Leste
Redmond Fred Vice President, United Steelworkers Union USA
Ressa Maria CEO and Executive Editor, Rappler Philippines
Rhodes Benjamin President, National Security Action; Former Deputy National Security Advisor USA
Riabchuk Mykola Honorary President, Ukrainian PEN Center Ukraine
Richardson Bill Former Governor of New Mexico; Former Ambassador to the United Nnations USA
Rifkind Malcolm Former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs United Kingdom
Rincón Rafael Director, Fundación Para el Progreso Chile
Rivarola Milda Member of the Academia Paraguaya de la Historia Paraguay
Robertson George Lord and Former Secretary-General, NATO; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation United Kingdom
Rock Allan Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada; President Emeritus, the University of Ottawa Canada
Rodriguez Miguel Ángel Former President of Costa Rica Costa Rica
Rojas-Aravena Francisco Rector, the University for Peace (UPEACE) Chile
Roman Petre Former Prime Minister of Romania Romania
Roman Jatzel Executive Director, JuventudLAC Dominican Republic
Romero Gina Executive Director, Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe por la Democracia (REDLAD) Colombia
Roznai Yaniv Professor of Law at theRadzyner School of Law, IDC Herzliya Israel
Rubinstein Elyakim Former Attorney General of Israel and Deputy President of the Supreme Court Israel
Rubio Marco Senior United States Senator for Florida USA
Rudd Kevin Former Prime Minister of Australia; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation Australia
Ruiz Massieu Claudia Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico Mexico
Rupnik Jacques Professor, Center for International Studies at SciencesPo in Paris France
Ruszkowski Jean-Paul Former President and CEO, Parliamentary Center of Canada Canada
Rutzen Douglas President and CEO, International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) USA
Saif Ibrahim Former Minister of Energy and Minister of Planning of Jordan Jordan
Salem Walid Palestinian Intellectual Palestine
Sandu Maia Former Prime Minister of Moldova Moldova
Sangay Lobsang President, Central Tibet Administration Tibet
Santos Juan Manuel Nobel Peace Laureate and Former President of Colombia Colombia
Sarlo Beatriz Journalist Argentina
Saunders Cheryl Laureate Emeritus Professor, Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne; Former Vice Chair of International IDEA Board of Advisors Australia
Säve-Söderbergh Bengt Former Secretary-General, International IDEA Sweden
Scheunemann Randy Vice Chairman, Board of Directors, the International Republican Institute USA
Schrayer Liz President and CEO, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition USA
Sebihogo Gilbert Executive Director, Network of African National Human Rights Institutions Kenya
Sedaca Nicole Bibbins Chair, Global Politics and Security Concentration; Professor of the Practice of International Affairs, Georgetown University USA
Segal Hugh Mathews Fellow in Global Public Policy, Queen's School of Policy Studies; Former Chair, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs Canada
Selimbegovic Vildana Editor-in-Chief, Oslobodjenje Bosnia & Herzegovina
Serour Fatiha United Nations Deputy Special Representative for Somalia; Co-founder, Justice Impact Lab; Member, the Africa Group for Justice and Accountability Algeria
Sewanyana Livingstone Executive Director, the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative; UN Independent Expert on Promoting a Democratic and Equitable International Order Uganda
Se-Yeon Kim Member of National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Republic of Korea
Shahinian Gulnara Founder and Chair, Democracy Today Armenia
Shamsulddin Sarkawt Member of Parliament Iraq
Sharansky Natan Former Deputy Prime Minister of Israel and Minister of Housing and Construction Israel
Shettima Kole A. Chairman, West Africa Centre for Democracy and Development Nigeria
Shevtsova Lilia Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow, Robert Bosch Academy Russia
Shifter Michael President, the Inter-American Dialogue; Adjunct Professor of Latin American Studies, Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service USA
Shin Kak-Soo Former Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea; Fellow, Institute for Corean-American Studies; Former Ambassador; Former Deputy Permanent Representative at the Korean Mission to the United Nations Republic of Korea
Shire Hassan Chairperson, Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network Somalia
Shire Hassan Chairperson, Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network Somalia
Shoot Rebecca Senior Adviser for Democratic Renewal and Human Rights, Parliamentarians for Global Action USA
Shuler Liz Secretary-Treasurer, the AFL-CIO USA
Sierakowski Sławomir Director, Krytyka Polityczna Poland
Sikorski Radosław Member of the European Parliament; Former Foreign Minister and Minister of Defence of Poland; Chairman, the EU-USA Delegation Poland
Silverberg Kristen Former Assistant Secretary of State, Board Member, International Republican Institute USA
Simán Miguel Angel President, Fundación Salvadoreña para el Desarrollo Económico y Social (FUSADES) El Salvador
Skaggs David Former Congressman; ViceChair, the National Endowment for Democracy USA
Smith Anthony Chief Executive, Westminster Foundation for Democracy UK
Snyder Timothy Professor of History, Yale University; Permanent Fellow, the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna USA
Soliman Nagwan Affiliate Scholar, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security Egypt
Solís Rivera Luis Guillermo Former President of Costa Rica Costa Rica
Sorman Guy President, France-Amerique France
Soyinka Wole Nobel Laureate in Literature Nigeria
Spasovski Oliver President of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia North Macedonia
Stein Eduardo Former Vice President of Guatemala and Minister of Foreign Affairs Guatemala
Sumanop SASINGIAN Serena CEO, the Digicel PNG Foundation Papua New Guinea
Sundström Anna Secretary-General, Olof Palme International Center Sweden
Supriadi Ichal Secretary-General, Asia Democracy Network South Korea
Sysykova Zamira Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Res Publica; Recipient of the Courage in Journalism Award of the International Women’s Media Foundation Kyrgyzstan
Taekyung Ha Member of National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Republic of Korea
Takasu Yukio Chairman, Japan Center for International Exchange; Former Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Japan
Tang Audrey Member of the Executive Yuan Council of Taiwan as Digital Minister Taiwan
Tarasyuk Borys Director, Institute for EuroAtlantic Cooperation Ukraine
Taubina Natalia Director, Public Verdict Foundation Russia
Tawiah Esther Founder and Executive Director, Gender Centre for Empowering Development (GenCED) Ghana
Thae Yong-ho Member of National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Republic of Korea
Thomas-Greenfield Linda Former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs USA
Thompson Joseph Executive Director, The Inter American Institute of Human Rights (IIDH) Costa Rica
Timmerman Anna General Director, PAX for Peace International Netherlands
Tinatin Tinatin Former Minister of Defense of Georgia; Chairperson, Civic IDEA Georgia
Tippenhauer Hans President, Fondation Espoir; Member, World Movement for Democracy Steering Committee Haiti
Todorovid Nevena Coordinator, World Youth Movement for Democracy Serbia
Tomawis-Gutoc Samira Founder, Ako Bakwit; Former Member of the Regional Legislative Assembly Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Philippines
Tsakhia Elbegdorj Former President of Mongolia Mongolia
Tüttő Kata Deputy Mayor of Budapest Hungary
Twining Daniel President, International Republican Institute USA
Ulibarri Eduardo Journalist Costa Rica
Ungphakorn Jon Former Member of the Senate of Thailand Thailand
Usman Maryam Garba Executive Director, Center for Advocacy in Gender and Social Inclusion CAGSI Nigeria
Usupashvili Davit Former Speaker of Parliament of Georgia Georgia
Uteem Cassam Former President of Mauritius; Vice President, the World Leadership Alliance-Club de Madrid; Member, the Global Leadership Foundation Mauritius
Valvoda Rotislav Executive Director, Prague Civil Society Centre Czech Republic
Van Baalen Hans President, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Netherlands
Van Praagh Peter President, Halifax International Security Forum USA
Vandenbeld Anita Member of Parliament Canada
Vargas Llosa Mario Nobel Peace Laureate; President, The Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa Peru
Vasquez Gaddi Former Ambassador and Former Permanent Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture; Board Member, International Republican Institute USA
Verhofstadt Guy Member of the European Parliament and European Parliament Brexit Coordinator; Former Prime Minister of Belgium Belgium
Vernetti Gianni Former Italian Senator and Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs Italy
Verveer Melanne Former United States Ambassador for Global Women’s Issues USA
Vike-Freiberga Vaira Former President of Latvia; Founding Member, Club de Madrid Latvia
Villalobos Joaquín Scholar El Salvador
Villiger Kaspar Former President of the Swiss Confederation; Founding Member, the Global Leadership Foundation; Chairman, the UBS Foundation of Economics in Society Switzerland
Vivanco José Miguel Human Rights Lawyer Chile
Volker Kurt Former United States Ambassador to NATO and Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations USA
Volski Lavon Musician and Activist Belarus
Vondra Alexander Member of the European Parliament; Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Czech Republic
Wałęsa Lech Nobel Peace Laureate and Former President of Poland Poland
Wallström Margot Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Sweden
Watawala Chandanie Executive Director, Asian Network For Free Elections (ANFREL) Thailand
Weigel George William E. Simon Chair in Catholic Studies, the Ethics and Public Policy Center USA
Wieseltier Leon Editor, Liberties USA
Will George Writer and Columnist USA
Wilson Andrew Executive Director, Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) USA
Wollack Kenneth Former President, the National Democratic Institute USA
Wong Joshua Founder, Demosisto Hong-Kong
Wu Joseph Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China Taiwan
Yun Jeong-In Research Professor, Korea University Republic of Korea
Yunus Leyla Director, the Institute for Peace and Democracy Azerbaijan
Yunus Muhammad Nobel Laureate for Literature; Founder, Grameen Bank Bangladesh
Zaev Zoran Former Prime Minister of North Macedonia North Macedonia
Zakharov Yevgeniy Founder, Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group Ukraine
Zakheim Roger Director, Ronald Reagan Institute; Former Commissioner, the Commission on the National Defense Strategy of the United States; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense USA
Zakheim Dov S. Former Under Secretary of Defense USA
Zalishchuk Svitlana Former Member of Parliament and Former Advisor to Prime Minister Ukraine
Zambakhidze Nino Chairwoman, Georgian Farmers Association Georgia
Zantovsky Michael Executive Director, Vaclav Havel Library Czech Republic
Zedillo Ernesto Former President of Mexico Mexico
Zhovtis Yevgeniy Director, the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law Kazakhstan
Zimbardo Philip Founder, the Heroic Imagination Project USA
Zingeris Emanuelis Chairman, Subcommittee on Transatlantic Relations and Democracy Development, Parliament of Lithuania Lithuania
Zoltán Kész Former Member of Parliament; Honorary President, Free Market Foundation of Hungary Hungary

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