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“The right to protest is not an absolute right. You're not allowed to do whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want, but the state should allow you to exercise that right peacefully and provide the conditions for that to happen”, says Tamara Taraciuk Broner in this week's #Forum2000online Chat with Hernán Alberro. Ms. Taraciuk is the Acting Director of the Americas Division at Human Rights Watch, USA. Mr. Alberro is an Associate Fellow at the Forum 2000, Czechia. What do the protests in Latin America show us about the tensions between the right to demonstrate and the democratic order? How are the authorities responding? What are the most important concerns in the region?   According to Tamara Taraciuk, you will learn that:

The study of kleptocracy as a global phenomenon typically focuses on individuals who steal money from the state for personal gain. In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, John Zemko and Andréa Ngombet joined Jessica Ludwig, Director of Freedom and Democracy at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, USA, to look at a broader issue of kleptocratic behavior channeled through public institutions and foreign governments as well as through individual kleptocrats. They explain what kleptocracy is, what corrosive capital is, and what the main strategies used by kleptocrats are as well as their impact and consequences. John Zemko is the Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) in Washington, D.C. Andréa Ngombet is the founder of the Sassoufit Collective, a Paris-based organization advocating for democracy, human rights, and anti-corruption in the Republic of the Congo and elsewhere in Africa. This interview was recorded on January 23, 2023, and it is tied to the paper Kleptocracy and its Global Impact on Markets and Democracy. It is the result of a cooperation between Forum 2000, the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) and the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights who met during the 26th Forum 2000 Conference in Prague. Read the full document here: https://www.forum2000.cz/en/news/kleptocracy-its-global-impact-on-markets-and-democracy  For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: ▲ Web: https://www.forum2000.cz ▲ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 ▲ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

After deep public dissatisfaction with the country's strict controls and mass protests against restrictions, the Chinese regime suddenly relaxed its zero-Covid policy steadfastly held throughout last three years. In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Xiao Qiang and Parsifal D'Sola joined journalist Kateřina Procházková, analyst at Sinopsis, a project of the Institute of East Asian Studies at Charles University in Prague, Czechia, to discuss the current situation in China, the significance of the protests and Beijing's actions, and the most likely scenarios. Xiao Qiang is a Research Scientist at the School of Information, UC Berkeley, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of China Digital Times. Parsifal D'Sola is the CEO of the Andrés Bello Foundation–China Latina America Research Center in Bogotá, Colombia. This interview was recorded on January 10, 2023.

“It's kind of a feminist revolution. I would say it's the first feminist revolution of the Middle East”, says Ramin Jahanbegloo in this week's #Forum2000online Chat. Mr. Jahanbegloo, an Iranian political philosopher, professor at the Jindal Global University, and ICDR Member, joined Azerbaijani journalist and member of the Forum 2000 Program Council Arzu Geybulla, to talk about the situation in Iran. Is this the beginning of the end for the ayatollahs? According to Ramin Jahanbegloo, you will learn that:

“You cannot have a successful physical reconstruction in any sustainable, durable way without having well-functioning pluralistic institutions”, says Richard Youngs in this week's #Forum2000online Chat. Mr. Youngs, a Senior Fellow in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program at Carnegie Europe and an ICDR Member, joined Martin Ehl, journalist and author working at Czech Economic daily Hospodářské noviny, to talk about the democracy-related priorities from among the large number of issues that future support to Ukraine will need to encompass. According to Richard Youngs, you will learn that:

“Housing, education, and health care are particularly problematic right now”, says Masha Volynsky in this week's #Forum2000online Chat. Ms. Volynsky, from the Agency for Migration and Adaption AMIGA, Czechia, joined Hrishabh Sandilya, a Senior Programme Manager with the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM), to talk about the key issues that policymakers, philanthropy and civil society should consider as they continue to support Ukrainian refugees in Central and Eastern Europe. According to Masha Volynsky, you will learn that:

“There is this legitimate fear against the reaction of the government because they are convinced the regime will crush you and they have succeeded at doing that in the past. Maybe it comes from a position of love but I also feel like it comes a lot from a position of lack of courage and a position of cowardice”, says Farida Nabourema in this week's #Forum2000online Chat. Ms. Nabourema, Executive Director of the Togolese Civil League, Togo, joined Hasler Iglesias, a Venezuelan activist and a member of the Forum 2000 ICDR, to talk about oppression and the dangerous consequences of silence. According to Farida Nabourema and her personal experience, you will learn that:

“The kind of AI [Artificial Intelligence] that we see in Terminator is nowhere near possible at present. We are very far from achieving any form of Artificial General Intelligence”, says Trisha Ray in this week's #Forum2000online Chat. Ms. Ray, a Deputy Director of the Centre for Security, Strategy and Technology at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), India, joined Arzu Geybulla, a journalist and member of the Forum 2000 Program Council and the ICDR, to talk about technology, privacy, power and how to manage risks. According to Trisha Ray, you will learn that:

What Putin has created was essentially a sort of feudal system”, says Rostislav Valvoda in this week's #Forum2000online Chat. Mr. Valvoda, Director of the Prague Civil Society Centre, Czechia, joined Jessica Ludwig, Director of Freedom and Democracy at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, USA, to talk about kleptocracy. Is kleptocracy the same as corruption? Why is it a security issue? How can kleptocracy be countered? According to Rostislav Valvoda, you will learn that:

“Politics today is much more about the circus than about the bread˝”, says Péter Krekó in this week's #Forum2000online Chat. Mr. Krekó, Director of the Political Capital Institute, joined Sascha Hannig, a journalist and Research Assistant at the Institute for Global Governance Research (GGR), Hitotsubashi University, Japan, to talk about Hungary, Viktor Orbán and the “informational autocracy”. Why are the losers of the regime the most enthusiastic supporters? Why is Orbán a model for illiberals in the world? According to Péter Krekó, you will learn that: The concept of “informational autocracy” or “spin dictatorship” has been coined by Sergei Guriyev and Daniel Treisman. The key to such regimes is the manipulation of information.  Modern dictators tend to use information today more than violence and direct repression to keep themselves in power. There are no mass imprisonments, no killed journalists or political opponents, no banned political parties. Rather than terrorizing the population, the rulers use the official media as a “highly efficient brainwashing machinery” that practically can bring citizens to a different reality. There are more and more autocrats that look like democrats. They wear suits and not military uniforms, but at the same time can aggressively distort reality. In countries like Hungary, the losers of the regime —those who sometimes have no jobs, no social benefits, no flat— are the most enthusiastic supporters. The regime can give them some kind of symbolic reward (national pride, entertainment through the clashes with the EU and the big globalist forces). “Politics today is much more about the circus than about the bread˝. Upper middle classes are less happy about Orbán's regime than the losers because they have more and better information and higher education. Autocrats learn much more from each other than democrats do. The “autocratic international” of the populist forces works well. Victor Orbán is increasingly a model for illiberals in the world because he shows the way to success. Donald Trump is still a great inspiration for many people. If citizens do not have access to the basic information and live in an Orwellian world, in a totally distorted information environment, they cannot make informed decisions. And without informed decisions we cannot talk about democracy. Regarding the situation in Ukraine, there are two stages in the reaction of the European politics to the war. The first stage was about sympathy, condemning Russia and moral outrage due to the genocide, but we are entering the second stage where interest about Ukraine is declining and energy prices and inflation are high. This gives more room for politicians such as Orbán, Salvini, Meloni or Le Pen who say “let's stop the sanctions, let's stop supporting Ukraine, let's defend our own people” The interview was recorded in Prague on September 1, 2022, at the 26th Forum 2000 Conference. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

Rebuilding what is being materially damaged or destroyed by Vladimir Putin's bombs will be an arduous, costly, long-term effort that will require vast amounts of money. But rebuilding or recovering democratic institutions, the social fabric, trust and peace could be even more challenging…and it will require much more than money. What challenges do the Ukrainians have ahead to recover the nation? Will old problems and vices such as corruption and bureaucracy be insurmountable obstacles? What will coexistence between Ukrainians and Russians be like after the war? In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Hanna Hopko, a former member of the parliament and former Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada, joined Niroshini Nugawela, attorney-at-law and Human Rights Advocate from Sri Lanka, to talk about the challenge of rebuilding Ukraine. “[Victory] is an existential issue for us”, says Ms. Hopko According to Hanna Hopko, you will learn that: It is important that Ukrainians and the world demand justice. War crimes are documented; there are camps similar to the ones the Nazis had during World War II. This is unacceptable in the 21st century. A complete Ukrainian victory is in the interest of the whole world. The priorities are: Ukraine's military victory, international criminal justice, compensation for families, economic recovery, and reconstruction of what was damaged. It is important to discuss the legal mechanisms for receiving compensation and what to do with Russian state and private assets, including those of the oligarchs. Ukrainians are united to win Russia's genocidal war, but the people demand an end to all bad practices that have existed in Ukrainian society, such as corruption. The priorities of this agenda are the rule of law, judicial reform, transparency and accountability at all levels, national and local. After the war, how will Russians and Ukrainians coexist? It is too early to ask this question because the Russian society is part of this genocide against Ukraine. It will be remembered for not stopping Putin's regime and preventing the atrocities it has committed. Russian society, as the Germans did in the past, must pay reparations. Without victory, the Ukrainians will have no country. It is an existential issue. That is why weapons are so important today. Surviving is not enough. Victory is crucial. The interview was recorded in Prague on September 1, 2022, at the 26th Forum 2000 Conference. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

Is Taiwan in real danger? After the visit of Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Chinese military movements have increased around the Taiwan Strait, leading to a discussion about a potential military invasion or economic blockade and the possible repercussions. Although military exercises have been carried out for years, after the invasion of Ukraine the alarms are set due to a potential Chinese aggression against the democratically-ruled island. According to J. Michael Cole, you will learn that: The Taiwanese are constantly threatened, intimidated, and suffer aggressions by the Chinese Government and Army. The recent increase of air incursions by the Chinese military aviation and other movements are being used as a deterrence tactic against the U.S. support to Taiwan. The Chinese action is accompanied by a diplomatic strategy to justify the military movements. However, these movements are not new. A blockade has been one of the main options of China against Taiwan. However, sustaining an embargo around Taiwan is a difficult proposition because of the economic interdependence between Taiwan and other regional powers. The blockade would cause great affection to third actors, which will provoke a high pressure to break the blockade. Therefore, considering this action overstates the capacity of China to maintain it. Among the possible actions of China are seizure of some islands, sabotage, and misinformation campaigns. However, the first movement will allow Taiwan to prepare a strong defense. Sabotage and misinformation campaigns are already running to undermine the belief in the Taiwanese democratic institutions and government. Nonetheless, the Taiwanese have developed a big resistance to these campaigns and their morale is not strongly affected. Washington has developed a strong commitment to and bipartisan support with the Taiwan affair by understanding the major role of Taiwan in the international fight against authoritarian regimes. The main role of the EU is to keep a united response in case of any Chinese aggression. A common response means a big challenge since China has been good at exploiting differences among the EU member states. The EU needs to seek internal cohesion and sent a clear signal that there will be a major cost both politically and economically in case of aggression. The EU should support regional powers to send a message of deterrence and take China away from the idea of an invasion. China is paying close attention to the situation in Ukraine. If China concludes that Taiwan will be ensured with a similar strong and common response from the international community, that will contribute to deterrence against China. On the other hand, China could learn that, in case of invasion, a stronger first strike than that of Russia against Ukraine should be done, because it will limit Taiwan's response. Although a major strike would be catastrophic due to the limited terrain and density features, which could be detrimental for Chinese interests. Due to this, even though military options are on the table, they carry big costs that China might not want to assume. The interview was recorded on August 15, 2022.   For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Yana Gorokhovskaia, senior research analyst at Freedom House and a coauthor of “Defending Democracy in Exile”, joined Hasler Iglesias, Venezuelan democracy activist and member of the National Committee of Voluntad Popular, to talk about the findings of the report on transnational repression published last June. According to Yana Gorokhovskaia, you will learn that:  Transnational repression is a set of wide universe of tactics that governments use to reach across borders in order to silence dissent. It can take the form of physical tactics (assassinations, detentions, assaults, kidnappings, etc.) or non- physical or indirect tactics (pressure on family members, harassment online, etc.). Authoritarian regimes need to silence those who would speak out against them, not only inside their own borders but increasingly outside of their borders. To silence dissent is effective in a lot of cases, especially when it comes to people's family members. Potential targets do not travel or only travel to a few places in the world because they are worried about being kidnapped. The people who are being targeted do not have access to any special government, military or scientific information. They are being targeted not because it would give some kind of advantage to the targeting state in the classic kind of cold war espionage situation. They are being targeted because they are speaking out for fundamental human rights. There are people who continue their activism in spite of being targeted. There are mitigation measures that involve digital hygiene (not sharing location or information about immediate family, being careful with devices). Some companies offer technological solutions to people who need protection. Fighting transnational repression requires mitigating harassment and actions against dissidents and preventing or deterring authoritarian states from applying their tactics. Sanctions, visa bans, and looking at diplomatic staff that is stationed in a country to make sure that they are not perpetrating transnational repression are useful measures. Another strong signal is limiting security and financial assistance to governments that engage in transnational repression. Sometimes democratic governments reject people who are seeking asylum. This is a practice that puts them in danger because potential targets are less safe in non-democratic countries. In a globalized world, what happens within authoritarian states in their own territories is not limited to just that territory. It extends far beyond. Transnational repression endangers the quality of our freedoms and rights and also threatens our institutions and national security. This is an issue for all of us, whether or not we are living in exile and whether or not we ourselves come from an authoritarian state.   For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

Did Michelle Bachelet, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the United Nations fail the Uyghurs in China? How? Why? In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Rushan Abbas, the founder and executive director of Campaign for Uyghurs based in Washington D.C., U.S., joined Kateřina Procházková, analyst at Sinopsis, a project of the Institute of East Asian Studies at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, to talk about the current situation in Xinjiang and to answer these questions. According to Rushan Abbas, you will learn that: Millions of people are missing and the current situation is very bad. A genocide is taking place and innocent people are sent to concentration camps and forced labor facilities. Uyghur women are victims of sterilizations and forced abortions. Children are taken from their families and sent to state-run orphanages. The regime operates a surveillance system with social credit, tracking devices on vehicles and QR scanning codes on homes. Beijing operates combining ultra-nationalistic policies with racism and cutting-edges technology. Michelle Bachelet failed her own office and her responsibility as a High Commissioner for Human Rights. Her visit legitimized the Chinese government's genocide perpetrated against the Uyghurs and her comments served the Chinese Communist Party propaganda machine and narrative. For the Chinese regime, “human rights” are not universal. Human rights “with Chinese characteristics” are whatever the Chinese government decides they are. The regime basically treats Uyghurs as secondary citizens in their own homeland. China is the second largest donor to the UN. It has the power to influence who is going to be the head of which council. In addition, the trade threats, the Belt and Road Initiative and the debt trap diplomacy are important factors to be considered. The Human Rights Council is not only disappointing the Uyghurs and failing to protect them, but also failing the founding principles of the United Nations. This jeopardizes freedom and democracy in the world. Democratic nations must stop the violation of human rights and apply the necessary sanctions. The interview was recorded on July 11, 2022, and moderated by Kateřina Procházková, analyst at Sinopsis, a project of the Institute of East Asian Studies at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. In cooperation with Sinopsis. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

Is Chile's Rewrite of the Constitution failing? Is Chilean democracy on the brink and the “Chilean Miracle” just falling apart? In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Marcel Oppliger, a Chilean journalist and editor at Diario Financiero, joined Jessica Ludwig, Director for Freedom and Democracy at the George W. Bush Institute in the U.S., to talk about the current situation and to try to answer these questions. According to Marcel Oppliger, you will learn that: In October 2019, in the midst of social unrest and violence, some groups, mostly related to the left, started pushing the idea that the way out was a change in the constitution, even though the protests had nothing to do with it. After a political negotiation in November of that year, it was agreed to have a referendum on changing the constitution under the message that the current text is “Pinochet's constitution”. That is not true because it has been amended several times in the last 30-40 years. In 2005, President Ricardo Lagos, who is a socialist, enacted important reforms and declared that finally Chile had a democratic constitution for a democratic country. The referendum agreed in November 2019 was held in October 2020 and an overwhelming majority (78%) voted to write a new constitution. As a result, there was a subsequent process to elect a constitutional convention of 155 members, most of them ordinary citizens with no expertise at all in the legal field or in the democratic process. The members of the convention has understood that their work was not to improve the institutional framework but to completely “refound” the country. Constitutional experts warn that the proposal is radical and one of them said that it sends Chile “back to the 17th century”. Other experts say that the draft of the constitution, which declares Chile a “plurinational state”, is “a copy of the Bolivian constitution”. Now, on September 4, a new referendum will be held to approve or reject the new constitution, but things have changed. According to the polls, a majority of Chileans would reject the draft. The interview was recorded on June 27, 2022, and moderated by Jessica Ludwig Director for Freedom and Democracy at the George W. Bush Institute in the U.S. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Ladan Boroumand, cofounder of the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for the Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy in Iran, joined Hasler Iglesias, a Venezuelan activist for democracy and member of the National Committee of Voluntad Popular, to talk about the current situation in the country and the Iranian freedom movement. In the interview, Dr. Boroumand explains that the ecological, economic, and political scenario is critical and that the government is “destroying the system”. “The DNA of the Islamic government is not turned to the management of the country. It's turned to God and to impose the God's will upon the world”, says Dr. Boroumand. In this context, what is the situation of the freedom movement? Are Iranians ready for democracy? What are the opportunities and challenges? According to Ladan Boroumand, you will learn that: Iran has been in turmoil for four years. There have been uprisings and protests against a government that lacks the skills and the know-how of management. The country has serious water, ecological, economic, and political problems. Today, the number of people who are against the regime is more important than the number of people who support the regime, but the latter has been very effective in imposing its narrative and using violence against the Iranian society and the world. The control of society is much more difficult today. The digital revolution has played an important role because people, by seeing each other online, notice that they have power, the “power of the powerless”. There is concern about the impact of the digital revolution on established democracies, but in totalitarian regimes digital revolution has been very helpful. The digital revolution with its means and tools, the only “weapons” Iranians have, has empowered the Iranian society. Citizens have used it in many ways building up a counternarrative and showing to Iranians and to the world that the ideal Islamic Iran portrayed by the regime's propaganda does not exist. The interaction and the articulation between virtual and real spaces have created a new dynamic that poses a challenge to the regimen because it is difficult to control. Between 1997 and 2005, there was an important development of civil society organizations, many of them focused, for example, on human and women's rights. But since 2005, the regime has been harassing activists and dissidents and destroying all these initiatives. Until 2001, Western liberal democracies ignored Iran and submitted to its official narrative. After 2001, they realized that Islamism has become a danger for democracies. Today, Iranians are culturally much more prepared for democracy than they were in 1979. The major obstacle is state violence. The interview was recorded on June 13, 2022, and moderated by Hasler Iglesias, Venezuelan activist for democracy and member of the National Committee of Voluntad Popular. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Inna Pidluska, Deputy Executive Director at the International Renaissance Foundation (IRF), Ukraine, joined Arzu Geybulla, a journalist and member of the Forum 2000 Program Council, to talk about civil society in Ukraine and the post-war future. In the interview, Inna Pidluska explains that "Ukraine is fighting the existential war for its right to be, for its right to exist as an independent European democratic nation which has the human rights values and human dignity at its core, which has the European integration ambition, which is now becoming a reality. And the civil society is really part of this process". What is the role of civil society in wartime? What are the current and post-war challenges? Is there hope for a successful reconstruction of Ukraine? According to Inna Pidluska, you will learn that: There is a lot of work that civil society is already doing and it is to respond to immediate needs. Communities are working to provide people with shelter, opportunities and support, helping them to recover from trauma and also to think about how to plan their lives. The civil society organizations are heavily involved in providing emergency assistance. At the same time, civil society organizations are moving from emergency response to long- or medium-term ideas and solutions. Ukrainians are already thinking about the future reconstruction of Ukraine in the post-war period. The international and national support and solidarity with Ukraine have been immense. That is moral and practical support: money, food, equipment. Ukrainian civil society and volunteers make sure that this aid reaches people in need in the most effective way. One of Ukraine's challenges is to repair the enormous damage caused by the Russians to cities, infrastructure, the economy and the educational system. Thousands of schools are now affected and unable to operate. Hundreds of them have been destroyed. Many school-age children had to leave their homes. There is also great damage done to the health system. The Russians have been deliberately targeting schools and hospitals. This is a war crime and civil society organizations are helping people cope with this trauma. There is a lot of work being done by civil society to document war crimes and crimes against humanity and to make sure that the perpetrators at the highest level, not just the immediate perpetrators who have been killing, raping and maiming Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied territories, be brought to justice. Civil society has a very important role to play in making sure that reconstruction is people-centred and accountable to citizens at all levels. The main goal is to rebuild a vibrant Europe and successful Ukraine. The interview was recorded on May 13, 2022, and moderated by Arzu Geybulla, a journalist and member of the Forum 2000 Program Council. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Dan Schueftan, Head of the International Graduate Program in National Security Studies at the University of Haifa, Israel, joined Martin Ehl, a journalist and Chief Analyst of Hospodářské noviny (ihned.cz), to talk about the war in Ukraine. "From the Israeli point of view, what Russia is doing in Ukraine is barbaric and is a major danger to the world order", Dr. Schueftan said. How is the war perceived in the Middle East? What is the position of Israel? What lessons can be learned globally from the Russian invasion of Ukraine? According to Dan Schueftan, you will learn that: Israel is being careful and is not seeking a military confrontation with Russia in the Middle East. "We have a strong Russian force on our border and we have a vital interest, an existential interest, in continuing to hit the Iranian bases in Syria”. If societies do not recognize that there is evil and that war is possible, then they will forget to defend themselves. Europe and democracies in general are learning now the lesson. The only way to stop the war is to deter the enemies by being strong enough. Now that Europeans, Americans and Western societies understand that it is necessary to be prepared for war, "you can better understand what is happening in the Middle East, not only from an Israeli point of view, but from everybody in the Middle East who doesn't want to be subjugated to Iran". This is a very important lesson to understand globally. When there is a bigger threat, then forces will come together that otherwise would not come together. That is why there is an Arab-Israeli coalition against Iran. Regarding the situation in Ukraine, the major change of attitude is seen on the left: in Germany, a Chancellor from the SPD is doubling the defence budget and a democrat in the US now understands that "against Russia, even if you are not going to war, at least you have to help other countries to go to war". Democracy needs also to defend itself domestically from enemies. If no meassure against them is taken, they will destroy democracy The interview was recorded on May 6, 2022, and moderated by Martin Ehl, a journalist and Chief Analyst at Hospodářské noviny (ihned.cz), Czech Republic For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, María Virginia Marín, political scientist and Executive Director and founder of ProBox, a digital observatory focused on political and social trends, joined Arzu Geybulla, a journalist and member of the Forum 2000 Program Council, to talk about authoritarianism in the digital space and how to counter it. "As we know, China has one of the world's most restrictive media environments, using censorship to control the information on the news, online, and on social media. The same happens in other countries under authoritarian regime ", says María Virginia Marín. Is it possible to monitor and counter this? How? According to María Virginia Marín, you will learn that: A 2019 Brookings Institution report defines digital authoritarianism as “the use of digital information technology by authoritarian regimes to surveil, repress, and manipulate domestic and foreign populations.” China has one of the world's most restrictive media environments and Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party have been building digital authoritarianism in China for years. Chinese big tech such as ZTE and Huawei have helped Maduro`s regime to build mechanisms of control and surveillance of the citizens in Venezuela In Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua the traditional media have been censored and persecuted. This has caused a migration of audience, as the internet has become the most important source of information for citizens, journalists, dissidents and people in exile. Censorship, manipulation and control of the information in Latin American authoritarian societies are very similar to the many restrictions applied by the Chinese government to suppress freedom of expression in China  Democratic values and freedom of expression are seriously compromised around the world by censorship and control of information online. Civil society, independent media and journalists, dissidents and the majority of the population in authoritarian societies are at a disadvantage, as they face regimes with power and resources. Platforms, decision-makers and policymakers can help by creating a safer environment and providing more support to citizens. The interview was recorded on April 20, 2022, and moderated by Arzu Geybulla, journalist and member of the Forum 2000 Program Council. The production of the interview was supported by the U.S. Embassy Prague. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Jagannath Panda, Head of the Stockholm Centre for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs (SCSA-IPA) at the Institute for Security and Development Policy (ISDP), Sweden, joined Sascha Hannig, a journalist and Research Assistant at the Institute for Global Governance Research (GGR), Hitotsubashi University, Japan, to talk about the China-India relationship and the strategic trends across the Indo-Pacific. China and India are two of the most relevant and strong actors in the region. Their role in the regional trends and in the world of the 21st century are undeniable. How important is the boundary dispute between the two nations? How do regional agreements work today? What is the Indian perspective and stance on the Ukraine-Russia crisis? According to Jagannath Panda, you will learn that: The Chinese foreign policy towards India has become quite antagonistic and that is what we are watching on the boundary dispute and other geopolitical issues. China-India relation is going to enter into a very delicate and dynamic phase. There is a consensus among the Chinese policy makers, strategic thinkers and political leaders that India is one of the strongest and competitive powers. China is also seen as a strong competitor and rival for Indian foreign policy. India's foreign policy in the Indo-Pacific, its participation in regional agreements and its alignment reflect the Indian national interest and the fact that the country is a critical and central actor with clear geo-political, geo-strategic and geo-economic goals. The QUAD is not a binding forum but more a consultative one. QUAD is going to evolve further. Regarding the war in Ukraine, India's position has to be understood in terms of Indian foreign policy strategy. India has condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine but Western actors expect India to do more. Having good relations with Russia is important in India's national security interest. Russia is not only a close defense partner, Russia is also a critical and important multilateral partner for India to balance China`s outreach. The interview was recorded on April 14, 2022. Its production was supported by the U.S. Embassy Prague. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Vladimir Rouvinski, Director of the Laboratory of Politics and International Relations (PoInt) and Associate Professor (Department of Political Studies) at Icesi University in Cali, Colombia, joined Martin Ehl, a journalist and Chief Analyst at Hospodářské noviny (ihned.cz), to talk about the Russia-China relationship in the current context. Who makes the rules? Is there a natural alliance between Russia and China against the United States? What is China watching with special attention in the Ukraine?. In the interview, Mr. Rouvinski says that Russia will become much closer to China because there are only few other options left, but "It depends on China. China will be the actor that will be defining the rules of the game, the rules of coexistence between China and Russia. Not Russia". Mr. Rouvinski explains the complexity of the relations between both powers and also offers a brief analysis of their influence in Latin America and in the world. According to Vladimir Rouvinski, you will learn that: Russia will become much closer to China because there are only few other options left, but China will be defining the rules of the game, the rules of coexistence between China and Russia, not Russia.  China does not want to rush and make any mistakes that may place into question China's relation with the West. China is taking advantage of Russia's weaker position, especially in the field of energy. Many experts believe that there is a natural alliance between Russia and China against the United States, but there are some factors that fuel certain fears and rivalries between the two powers. China is watching very carefully the performance of Russian weaponry in the Ukrainian theater. Beijing is very interested in how Russian weapons, especially the new ones, perform in a real war. There are many sectors of the economy where China can help Russia to overcome the Western pressure of the sanctions without being hit back by the US sanctions. There is a worrying alliance between Russia and China against the global liberal order and democracy. Both authoritarian regimes are seen as alternative models to liberal democracy. The interview was recorded on March 30, 2022, and moderated by Martin Ehl, a journalist and Chief Analyst at Hospodářské noviny (ihned.cz). For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Bernardo Sorj, director of the Edelstein Center for Social Research and Democratic Platform Project, joined Jessica Ludwig, Senior Program Officer of the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy (ned.org), to talk about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine from a Brazilian perspective. In the interview, Dr. Sorj explains what are the perceptions and positions of the government, politicians, public intellectuals and citizens. The war has provoked discussion and a political divide that can be seen in the media and in public debate. Dr. Sorj says that President Bolsonaro "has clearly, always, a fatal attraction for authoritarian leaders, authoritarian social movements" and does not take a clear position, but, at the same time, the minister in charge of foreign relations takes a position against Russian invasion. This makes the government look erratic and contradictory. In addition, he states that "both part of the left and the extreme right, the position is, I wouldn't say pro-Russian but anti-American”. The interview was recorded on March 18, 2022, and moderated by Jessica Ludwig, Senior Program Officer of the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy (ned.org) For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Svitlana Zalishchuk, Foreign Policy Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine on European Integration and Advisor to the CEO of Naftogaz Group, joined Martin Ehl, a journalist and Chief Analyst at Hospodářské noviny (ihned.cz), to talk about the ongoing crisis resulting from Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This war of aggression launched by the Kremlin represents much more than an attack against an independent nation like Ukraine. It is a blow to Europe and to the entire global liberal order. In the interview, Ms. Zalishchuk recounts the current situation and then explains what measures have been taken by Europe and the world and what other actions are expected. Svitlana Zalishchuk states that the counteraction to the Russian aggression must be effective enough to stop the war and that it is necessary to "mobilize all our forces to make it painful for people around Putin”. Svitlana Zalishchuk says that "Putin was very clear in his messages, in his statements, that he directs this war, that he directs this massacre in Ukraine”. The interview was recorded on March 3, 2022, and moderated by Martin Ehl, a journalist and Chief Analyst at Hospodářské noviny (ihned.cz). For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, James Lamond, the Director of the Democratic Resilience Program at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), joined Martin Ehl, a journalist and author working for Czech Economic Daily Hospodářské noviny (ihned.cz), to talk about the impact that the ongoing security crisis resulting from Russian invasion in Ukraine will have on the future of NATO and transatlantic relations in general. For now, Western leaders seem to speak a common voice expressing condemnation of Russian aggression. In the interview, J. Lamond placed the recent developments in Eastern Europe in a broader picture of the challenges the transatlantic community will have to face in the nearest future. The interview was recorded on February 22, 2022, and moderated by Martin Ehl, a journalist and author working for Czech Economic Daily Hospodářské noviny (ihned.cz). In cooperation with U.S. Embassy Prague For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Charles Edel, the Australia Chair and a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, joined Irena Kalhousová, the Head of the Herzl Center of Israel Studies at the Charles University and member of the Forum 2000 Program Council, to talk about the Summit for Democracy and other initiatives launched by Joe Biden's administration, which show that Washington — after the experience of Trump's presidency — is ready to take the leading role in promoting and defending democracy worldwide. In this interview, you will learn that: - The Trump presidency has sensitized the American elites to the dangers of democratic backsliding. - Washington can lead in promoting and defending democracy worldwide as long as it is aware of its own internal problems. - The Summit for Democracy succeeded in setting an agenda for further cooperation on discussing the state of democracy worldwide.  - Joe Biden's administration plan was not to present America as a model example, and authoritarian leaders appeared on the invitation list for a reason. - The Summit for Democracy is a part of a broader plan that aims to strengthen and protect democratic values on a global scale.  - To counter the surge of authoritarianism, the democratic community must be able to cooperate and show practical results. The interview was recorded on February 3, 2022, and moderated by Irena Kalhousová, the Head of the Herzl Center of Israel Studies at the Charles University in Prague and member of the Forum 2000 Program Council. In cooperation with U.S. Embassy Prague For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

Dr. Eduardo Magrani, the President of the National Institute for Data Protection in Brazil and an affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, joined us for this week's #Forum2000online Chat to talk about Brazil's pioneering legislative attempts to regulate the virtual sphere, the challenges it poses for the lawmakers worldwide, as well as the broader context of what still has to be done to ensure that democracy and human rights are safe in the reality where the border between online and offline becomes more and more blurred. In this interview, you will learn that: Democracies still miss adequate law regulations for the digital sphere. While these regulations are still missing, anti-democratic forces and companies can grossly misuse digital technologies. Micro-targeting of content causes people to lock up in their own “tailored realities”, where they are vulnerable to manipulation. Spreading misinformation online is as unethical as spreading a virus.  Ensuring that democracy and human rights prevail in the digital era requires a joint effort from governments, businesses and internet users themselves. Brazil and the EU are leading in creating legislation for data governance and other issues concerning the digital world that should serve as an inspiration. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Dr. Fonteh Akum, the Executive Director of the Pretoria-based Institute of Security Studies, joined us to discuss the prospects and challenges of democratization in Africa, the role the continent can play on the international stage, as well as the recent developments in Ethiopia and Sudan.    In this interview, you will learn that: Democratization in Africa still faces many challenges, but if certain conditions are met democracy will have a chance to sustain and thrive.  African political parties should put the state's interest over their own, and civil society should hold politicians accountable.  African leaders should find a way to make the continent a subject and not an object of the global competition over resources and political influence.  Well-functioning democracy for everyone is more important than a well-functioning economy that produces wealth only for the elites and their cronies.  Only finding a consensus could put an end to the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia.  Dr Fonteh Akum is the Executive Director of the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies (ISS). He is the former Head of the Lake Chad Basin program in the Dakar office of the ISS. He joined the ISS in 2017 as a senior researcher in the Peace and Security Research Programme in Pretoria, after which he moved to ISS Dakar as a senior researcher. Before joining the ISS, he worked for the United States Department of Defense, the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa, and the Africa Program of the United Nations University for Peace. The interview was recorded on October 27, 2021, and moderated by Ladislav Garassy, a political geographer based in Prague.  For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, French political scientist and Arabist and Professor at Paris Sciences and Lettres University, Gilles Kepel, spoke about the situation in Afghanistan and the wider region now that the US have withdrew. In this interview, you will learn that: We were supposed to expect the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, but the hasty execution of it was rather surprising. Recent images of the withdrawal are reminiscent of the US defeat in Saigon in 1975. Today's Taliban shows differences from the Taliban of 1996 to 2001. Human and other rights are disappearing as if 20 years of American presence had not occurred. The international jihadist movement might seek to relocate some of its activities to Afghanistan Europe will have to take responsibility for migration and its borders.   Gilles Kepel is a French political scientist and Arabist and Professor at Paris Sciences and Lettres University (PSL) as well as the Director of the Middle East and Mediterranean Program at Ecole Normale Supérieure. His newest book „Away from Chaos: The Middle East and the Challenge to the West” was published in English translation in 2020.   This interview was recorded on October 5, 2021 and moderated by Arzu Geybulla, Azerbaijanian journalist and member of the Forum 2000 Program Council. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

This week's #Forum2000online Chat brings a very timely topic. Liana Fix, Programme Director for International Affairs at Körber-Stiftung, and Martin Ehl, Chief Analyst at Hospodářské noviny, discussed the outcome of the German elections on 26 September 2021. What type of coalition can we expect and how will it address Germany's Foreign relations in the future?   In this interview, you will learn that: Parties will form either Jamaica coalition or a Traffic light coalition Germany's ambiguous approach to Russia and China will become more difficult to pursue in the future Green party will play a crucial role in the coalition negotiations Greens are very outspoken on human rights issues and criticize loudly those who violate them Germany tends to invite all the partners to the negotiation, democratic or not Afghan crisis has embarrassed Berlin but won't mean a drastic change in the relationship with US Germany is unlikely to engage in visionary projects such as Strategic Autonomy Liana Fix is the Programme Director for International Affairs at Körber-Stiftung, Historian and Political Scientist. She formerly worked at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (S.W.P.). Her research focuses on European Security, Germany's international role, Russian foreign policy, and Eastern Europe.   Martin Ehl is a journalist and author working for Czech Economic daily Hospodářské noviny (ihned.cz). He also writes a column 'Middle Europa' at Transitions Magazine (tol.org). His areas of interest include Central Europe, security and transatlantic relations, and globalization.   This interview was recorded on October 28, 2021.   For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

The protests in Cuba on 11 and 12 July, which the media consider unprecedented, are the largest in Cuba since 1994. Lucia Argüellová interviewed Tania Bruguera, a Cuban performance artist detained by the Cuban government for her protest activities on several occasions in the last years. In this #Forum2000online Chat, Bruguera assesses the role of the pandemic, social media, and Cuba's socio-economic development during the protests. In this interview, you will learn that: Protests were sparked by political and social demands in combination with grave shortages. Cuba took its own path in developing the vaccine for covid. Social media play an increasingly important role in Cuban protests.  The government responded with repressions and strict internet regulations.  Cubans are not allowed to bring medicine from abroad. Protesters were shocked by the brutality of the dictatorship even towards minors. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2148376

This week's Forum 2000 Summer Special hosted Adam Bodnar, former Polish ombudsman, lawyer, educator, and human rights' activist, and Vesna Pusić, Croatian sociologist who previously served as Minister of Foreign and European Affairs. In a discussion moderated by Martin Ehl, Chief Analyst for Czech Economic daily Hospodářské noviny, they look at the state of democratic institutions 30 years after the fall of Communism in Europe. Key takeaways: If Poland wants to receive EU funding in the future, it must resolve the issue of judicial independence. The Polish Government has gained much firmer control over information than it did six years ago. In 30 years, the so-called new democracies have had only a short time to develop. The focus on civic education in schools is showing concrete results in how people vote. Weakness in institution building has brought people who doubt their worth. We won't fight for institutions if we think of them in terms of personal benefits. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In our very first #Forum2000online Chat Summer Special, three experts share their research and knowledge on topics of data technology. Didi Kirsten Tatlow, a researcher at the German Council on Foreign Relations, moderates the debate with Xiao Qiang, a renowned expert on U.S-China relationship and Editor-in-Chief of the China Digital Times, and Ulises Mejias, Communication Studies Professor and the author of a book on data colonization. Key takeaways: What classical colonialism and data colonialism have in common is their function of extraction. We all provide data on ourselves, for example with our purchases or online activity. Xiao Qiang uses the term “digital authoritarianism” to describe a similar phenomenon in China. Ulises Mejias describes the issue of data extraction in the US as “surveillance capitalism.” The Chinese Communist Party is paying close attention to the activity of Chinese companies abroad. In China, the potential of citizens to push back against the collection of their data is very limited. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/forum-2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Ana Karina López Ramón, a political journalist from Ecuador and a founding partner of Fundamedios, an organization promoting freedom of expression and monitoring threats to freedom of the press in Latin America, talks about the change between the two Presidential administrations of Ecuador and its impact on the media.   In this interview, you will learn that:   Former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa used different means to attack free journalism. Before Correa came to power, the media in Ecuador enjoyed higher credibility. Moreno's presidency meant a considerable improvement for media in Ecuador.  The “Communication law” of 2013 allowed Correa to suppress his critics.  The public was very discontent with the press by the time of October 2019 protests. The public space of Ecuador remains seriously polarized.  The era of Rafael Correa left many journalists behind. Ana Karina López Ramón is a founding partner of Fundamedios. She works on monitoring the media landscape and attacks on free journalism in Ecuador. Her book on the former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa was awarded the municipality's book of the year for journalism.    #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Konstantin von Eggert, a specialist on Russian affairs, speaks with Miriam Lanskoy from National Endowment for Democracy. They discuss the impact of Navalny's movement and the chances of Russian opposition, the challenges that lie ahead of the US new administration, and whether we understand Putin's language of power.   In this interview, you will learn that:  The elections in Russia have very little in common with proper elections.  We can easily predict who is going to take part in the elections.   Putin needs these elections to secure a blind legislature for 2024 Presidential elections.  Navalny's movement has lost most of its power after it was attacked by Putin.  It is unlikely that Navalny would have greater electoral base even if he was free.  Biden's administration treats Putin's regime as in the “New Cold War”.  We have not shown to Putin any powerful action, only proclamations.   This is a weakness and Kremlin lets no weakness go unused.   Konstantin von Eggert is an independent journalist, political analyst and communications consultant. He is a weekly Russian affairs columnist for Deutsche Welle and a contributor to TV Rain, Russia's independent TV channel. The interview was recorded on June 15, 2021, and moderated by Miriam Lanskoy, Senior Director for Russia and Eurasia at the National Endowment for Democracy.  #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

Didi Kirsten Tatlow, a specialist on China and the author of “China's Quest for Foreign Technology: Beyond Espionage”, speaks about the historical reasons behind China's battle for global technological dominance, its newest techniques and most importantly about the threats that it raises to democratic societies. In this interview, you will learn that:  CCP is building up its technological capability, and the West is assisting it, without being fully aware. There are not many ways to properly understand China without knowing Chinese In some cases, such as Germany, it has already infiltrated in the state structures, causing the so-called elite capture. The real issue is not economic relations with China but its normative influence and import of values. Democracies are very open societies and therefore very easy to infiltrate. We misunderstood China by thinking it would change after integrating into the open market. Instead, China seems to be changing us. China uses media in a way that it is not clear that they are paid by the CCP. Didi Kirsten Tatlow is a senior fellow at the Asia Program at the German Council of Foreign Relations (DGAP) in Berlin, Germany, and a Senior Non-Resident Fellow at Projekt Sinopsis in Prague, Czechia. The interview was recorded on May 31, 2021, and moderated by sinologist and journalist Kateřina Procházková, Sinopsis, Czech Republic. #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

More information: https://www.forum2000.cz/en/news/yout... This video was prepared as part of the International Coalition for Democratic Renewal and its Youth Working Group, which addresses the role of young active people in supporting democracy and human rights. “I would say that the only maybe long-lasting and sustainable changes are brought up when young people or people in general are creating communities.“ Jelena Milutinović is the Head of Development of Youth Initiative for Human Rights based in Serbia. As an experienced human rights educator who is highly dedicated to promoting civil society, she also participates in one of Forum 2000's initiatives - the International Coalition for Democratic Renewal. In this week's #Forum2000online Chat, Mrs Milutinović talks about the importance of youth engagement in shaping the democratic future of Serbia and other East European countries. As such, the interview not only provides for an in-depth understanding of the problems that younger generations face but also lays down the ways of overcoming them. “Be persistent. Of course, you won´t be always able to do everything you wanted but something similar to that could be quite as satisfying as the thing that you originally wanted to do,“ advises Mrs Milutinović. The interview was recorded on May 26, 2021 and moderated by Hasler Iglesias, Youth leader of the Voluntad Popular and Coordinator of the Youth Working Group of the International Coalition for Democratic Renewal from Venezuela. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

“Then what would we've become. What would we've called ourselves? You can hardly call yourself Great Britain when you're only England. Little Britain? Or just England?“ Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, is a Scottish barrister, broadcaster, and Labour member of the House of Lords. From 1992 -1997 she served as a Chair of Charter 88, a pressure group named after Charter 77 that advocated constitutional reform including devolution of parliament and establishment of the Scottish Parliament. In our newest #Forum2000online Chat, we discuss the historical roots as well as current moods in Scotland that had a critical influence on the results of the Scottish elections held on May 6. Why nationalist appeals seem to win in a historically Labour-voting country? Is there going to be another independence referendum? What is the future of the United Kingdom if Scotland breaks away? “The different parts help to leaven some of the ways of thinking that operate in different places,“ says Baroness Kennedy to demonstrate the benefits of the union. The interview was recorded on May 20, 2021 and moderated by Irena Kalhousová, member of the Program Council of the Forum 2000 Foundation. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

“People should understand that this is what they need – the right to peace is what they need.“ Gulnara Shahinian is an international expert on human rights and people trafficking and the founder and Chair of Democracy Today. During the years 2008–2015, she served as the UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery. Since 2009 she works as an expert on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings in the Council of Europe. In our newest #Forum2000online Chat, Mrs Shahinian talks about the right to peace – a right to have human rights promoted, protected and realised. The interview was recorded on May 13, 2021 and moderated by Jonathan Cooper, barrister and human rights activist from the United Kingdom. #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

“Both the element of equality and the element of popular sovereignty, which are crucial values of democracy, have been left aside.“ Chantal Mouffe is a Belgian political theorist and former Professor at the University of Westminster. She also held research positions at Harvard, Cornell, the University of California, the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, and others. Together with Ernesto Laclau, Professor Mouffe co-authored a very influential “Hegemony and Socialist Strategy“ – the magnum opus of the so-called Essex School of discourse analysis. As an expert on democratic theory, in this week´s #Forum2000online Chat Professor Mouffe talked about the crisis that liberal democracies around the globe seem to face. In this respect, the pandemics exacerbated the existing problems but also brought about completely new challenges in terms of exercising democratic powers. “People are already accepting a series of limitations of their liberty which they would never have accepted before.“ The interview was recorded on May 6, 2021, and moderated by Arzu Geybulla, Azerbaijanian journalist and member of the Forum 2000 Program Council. #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

“Overall I am quite optimistic because we see that civil society has many new initiatives in pockets. And we have many new people around us who can do something. But the government has already used all its weapons,“ says Leonid Drabkin from OVD-Info about the state of civil society after protests in Russia. OVD-Info is an independent human rights project whose aim is to help the victims of political persecution in Russia. The project monitors arrests at public rallies, collecting information about the place of activists detainment, their need for assistance or legal aid and more. Symbolically, on the day of the 9th anniversary of the Bolotnaya Square rally, the biggest demonstration in Russia since the 1990s, #Forum2000online Chat publishes a discussion with the project´s general coordinator Leonid Drabkin. In the interview, Mr Drabkin talks about the OVD-Info project, the current protests against Navalny´s imprisonment and the future of civil society in Russia. “We try to give a response. Because civil society – it´s about a response to the pressures government makes on our society.“ The interview was recorded on April 26, 2021, and moderated by Arzu Geybulla, columnist and writer from Azerbaijan. #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

“Chinese government in recent years has built the most advanced digital technology for its domestic censorship and surveillance and also become a sort of influential force in the world for the global authoritarianism.“ Xiao Qiang is a Research Scientist at the School of Information, Berkeley, California, and the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of China Digital Times, a bilingual Chinese news website. He has been named in the Foreign Policy magazine's Pacific Power Index list of "50 people shaping the future of the U.S.-China relationship in 2015“. In our latest #Forum2000online Chat, produced in cooperation with Sinopsis, Mr Qiang emphasized the need to recognize the threat that China represents in the global contest over the dominance in the digital sphere. While some people view it as a primarily economic conflict between raising economic power and existing dominant power, China´s digital authoritarianism challenges more important aspects of the social order we live in – values of freedom and democracy. “It´s not simply about hard power struggle, this is about the most fundamental and precious human values in every society, universally.“ The interview was recorded on April 19, 2021, and moderated by sinologist and journalist Kateřina Procházková, Sinopsis, Czech Republic. #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

Dr Arunabha Ghosh is the founder-CEO of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), one of the leading policy research institutions in Asia. He is also a public policy professional, adviser, author, and columnist, previously involved with Princeton, Oxford, WTO, or United Nations Development Programme. In our #Forum2000online Chat Dr Ghosh talks about the importance of civic participation and youth engagement in solving the climate change challenges. He also lines up the main areas for improvement and follow-up strategies for more sustainable India. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

“The international community is trading with this genocidal regime as we speak, and this is a shameful situation – this is unconscionable.“ Nury A. Turkel, an Uyghur American lawyer, public official, and human rights activist who is currently listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by the Time magazine. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

"I was actually greatly surprised and shocked that the majority of the world, even of the countries surrounding Togo, have no idea that Togo is run by the oldest military regime in Africa." Farida Nabourema is a human rights activist from Togo. In 2019 she was listed as one of the Most Influential African Women.  "The only way that I came to cope with the decision of me leaving Togo was that I saw it as an opportunity for me to raise awareness on the ongoing dictatorship," she says. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

Belarus has changed forever and it will never get back as it was before. The main mistake Europe made in a political relationship with Belarus was inconsistency, they did not realize they are working with a political animal. Also, there was no unified strategy between Washington and Brussels. The situation in Belarus can impact a lot of things globally – it shows all the fragility of the system says Belarusian journalist Franak Viachorka.  The moderator is Arzu Geybullayeva. #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

Popular sovereignty and national sovereignty are the two constitutive elements from the new populists in power in Hungary and Poland, says Political Scientist Jacques Rupnik. #Forum2000online The moderator is Irena Kalhousová. For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

Violence against women is one of the largest pending human rights debts states have in LatinAmerica, says Erika Guevara Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International. The moderator is Martina Minárová. #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

None of the restrictive measures we have experienced were communicated directly to children, the system did not think about them and their mental health, says Jana Soukupová, Founder and CEO of @vize.youthspeakup. The moderator is Kristýna Klepáčková. #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

The pluralistic model of liberal democracy requires education, cultural capital, a strong civil society and a strong middle class – which is not true everywhere.Only a minority of today's liberal democracies can deliver something reasonable, most of the countries are becoming rather parodies of liberal democracies, says Slovak sociologist, Michal Vašečka.  The moderator is Norbert Červený. #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

Democracy in Latin America has been on decline since 2010. Venezuela and Nicaragua already became authoritarian regimes and other countries, such as El Salvador or Brazil, are in danger of moving to the undemocratic zone, too, says Marta Lagos, founder and director of Latinobarómetro. The moderator is Martina Minárová. #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000

The Trump administration is wilfully not acting to ensure that every locality has safe voting procedures in times of pandemic, either in person or by mail, says Steven Levitsky, Professor of Government at Harvard University. #Forum2000online The moderator is Jakub Klepal, Executive Director of Forum 2000. #Forum2000online For more information about our activities follow our web and social media: Web: https://www.forum2000.cz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forum.2000 Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forum_2000