The Alexander Hamilton Society and Renew Democracy Initiative Announce Pilot Program for “Frontlines of Freedom” Campus Speaking Engagements
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The Alexander Hamilton Society (AHS) and Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI) are announcing the launch of an on-campus pilot program for its Frontlines of Freedom initiative, which will bring pro-democracy dissidents from authoritarian regimes to college campuses across the country.
The Frontlines of Freedom program will connect AHS Campus Chapters with individuals who have risked–and in some cases nearly lost– their lives fighting for freedom. Speakers will include dissident leaders who have endured imprisonment, exile, and political persecution, even as they continue to challenge authoritarian regimes around the world. Frontlines of Freedom offers firsthand testimony from those who have experienced the consequences of democracy’s absence. Dissidents understand how unique America’s system truly is and can illustrate what happens when we lose faith in democracy.
The central goal of the program is to provide a broader perspective for young Americans. Many students in the United States have grown up surrounded by freedom, without understanding how unique it truly is. By offering students a chance to engage directly with dissident fellows, RDI and AHS hope to deepen civic understanding and renew appreciation for democratic institutions in the U.S.
Beginning on March 18, the program will feature a cohort of dissident fellows engaging with students across the country with plans to expand significantly during the next academic year. The programming will include the following:
- Rushan Abbas (Uyghur) at Vanderbilt University
- Zhou Fengsuo (China) at George Washington University & San Diego State University
- Sochua Mu (Cambodia) at University of Michigan & University of California, Berkeley
- David Smolansky (Venezuela) at Howard University
- Mohamed AbuBakr (Sudan) at Howard University
- Felix Maradiago (Nicaragua) and Berta Valle (Nicaragua) at Johns Hopkins SAIS
As this pilot program launches, AHS and RDI hope that direct engagement between dissident fellows and American students will inspire a lasting transformation in how the next generation understands and values democracy.
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About The Alexander Hamilton Society
The Alexander Hamilton Society is a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to identifying, educating, and launching the next generation of foreign policy and national security leaders, guided by the Hamiltonian vision of a strong and engaged America.
About The Renew Democracy Initiative
The Renew Democracy Initiative (RDI) is the intellectual home of the global pro-freedom movement and the publisher of The Next Move. RDI works to reawaken the survival instinct of democracies around the world. It disrupts partisan echo chambers and shifts discourse away from the extremes by amplifying distinctive voices, particularly political dissidents and military leaders. By forging and leveraging these unexpected partnerships, RDI is cultivating a renewed, shared belief in liberal democracy. Learn more at RDI.org.