Watch our top five favorite moments from the Struggle for Freedom event including remarks from Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, President George W. Bush, and experts.
1. Democracy in Taiwan
“And the Taiwanese people have never shied away from utilizing their skills and expertise to counter authoritarian interference. For Taiwan, democracy is more than a fundamental value that unites our people; it is also a critical asset in addressing major challenges. Taiwan is now in the position to share its experience with the world and create alliances, allowing democracies to more effectively deal with crises, and counter the threats of authoritarianism.”
— Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen
2. United States’ leadership and supporting Ukraine
“If the United States does not lead, the world will not follow. If the United States doesn’t keep the lead on Ukraine, it’s less likely that European nations will want to support the Ukrainians. Our leadership is indispensable for collective action against autocracy.”
— President George W. Bush
3. Combating disinformation
“Disinformation is a huge issue. I think the issue is not just in how much misinformation we are seeing coming out of authoritarian governments, but we are also seeing a weaponization against technology in general.”
— Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, The Kelly and David Pfeil Fellow, George W. Bush Institute; Executive Vice President, Freedom House
4. Activists on democracy
“We are at a place where we need the voices of ordinary people to stand up… It’s an opportunity for people to free themselves, that is if people are empowered to stand up and speak truth to power.”
— Pastor Evan Mawarire, Zimbabwean Democracy Activist; Director of Education for Renew Democracy Initiative in the U.S.
5. The bravery of Iranian women
“The Iranian women have been tirelessly a thorn in the side of the Iranian regime…Iranian women are fighters not just because they have to be, but because they expect the best of themselves.”
— Goli Ameri, Co-Founder and CEO of Startitup; Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs and Under Secretary for Humanitarian Diplomacy at the International Federation of Red Cross
