Bringing together democracy supporters and coordinating mutual action became even more relevant, when Russia began the barbaric war against Ukraine and the interaction of authoritarian forces is increasing. Authoritarian regimes cooperate, committing the crime of aggression against neighbouring states, their own societies and disrupting the rules-based international order.
One of the main questions the forum’s participants will seek to answer is how to help democracy activists and human rights defenders as well as independent media operating in autocratic countries. They will also discuss how to reverse the global rise of authoritarianism, how to counter authoritarian regimes’ attempts to weaponize democratic institutions for their own purposes, and how to restore the crumbling global security architecture.
Just like last year, the forum will bring together high-ranking foreign politicians, policy makers, representatives of international and non-governmental organisations, intellectuals and democracy activists from all over the world. The event will be attended by Robert Berschinski, Special Assistant to the U.S. President Joe Biden, Thomas E. Garrett, Secretary General of the Community of Democracies, Foreign Ministers and Vice-Ministers, the former Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, several UN special rapporteurs and prominent democracy defenders, such as a famous historian, journalist Anne Applebaum, the daughter of murdered Russian opposition politician, journalist Zhanna Nemtsova, who has won various international democracy awards, the French Taiwan and Far East specialist Antoine Bondaz, and others.
Participants will come from at least 30 countries representing different regions of the world — from the U.S. to Australia, and from South Africa to Sweden. A dozen of participants from the World Liberty Congress, which will take place back-to-back with the Future of Democracy Forum in Vilnius and will bring together about 200 democracy activists from authoritarian countries, will also join in.
Lithuania committed itself to bringing together friends to counter authoritarian regimes during the Summit for Democracy that was initiated by the U.S. President Joe Biden in 2021. To this end, Lithuania has set up a cohort together with the non-governmental organizations: Freedom House (the U.S.), the Alliance of Democracies (Denmark). The official launch of activities of the cohort is to be announced during the forum. Participants of the event will also be informed about the objectives of the 'cohort'.
The Future of Democracy Forum will help to consolidate the role of Lithuania, as a hub for freedom and democracy expansion. The 18th Government has set out this objective in its programme.
Additional information:
In implementing its foreign policy priorities, as well as in fulfilling commitments made during the Summit for Democracy, Lithuania consistently helps and gives pro-democracy activists shelter, especially those 'purged' by the Belarusian or Russian regime, or fleeing repression. The country also provides funding and full support to the Belarusian university in exile – the European Humanities University. The Government of Lithuania, in cooperation with universities and donors, also provides scholarships for Belarusian studies in other Lithuanian universities.
Lithuania has already become a vital center of attraction for members of civil society, who express their opposition to authoritarian regimes in Russia and Belarus. In addition, Lithuania has officially accredited the Vilnius-based Belarusian democratic representation that organizes civil society forums and gathers representatives of independent media. This year, the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty opened its bureau in Vilnius, which locates a team of the RFE/RL's Belarus Service.
Lithuania is taking steps to increase the international community's pressure on regimes, which will be held accountable for serious human rights violations. Moreover, the country is seeking justice for victims of repression. In October 2022, Lithuania and other Baltic states called for the creation of a Special Tribunal to prosecute crimes of Russia's aggression.
Lithuania also actively cooperates with new democracies (recently liberated from authoritarian regimes), promoting the exchange of good practices between small and medium-sized democratic communities that cultivate their resilience in the face of authoritarianism. To this end, the Frontline Democracies meeting was held in Vilnius on 7 and 8 July 2022.
