Forum 2000 Conference to Focus on Reinventing Democratic Unity
The 29th Annual Forum 2000 Conference will take place in Prague on October 12–14, 2025. At a time when democracies face unprecedented internal rifts, conference participants will discuss how to reinforce democratic ties and unity in a fractured world, as well as strategies to overcome the new 21st-century authoritarianism. The conference will also feature the fourth edition of the “Forum for Ukraine,” delve into the complexities and future of the transatlantic bond, or analyze the multi-faceted relationship between democracy and technology.
An Urgent Appeal to the International Community on Myanmar’s Struggle for Democracy
“The crisis in Myanmar is not just a tragedy for all of its people,“ writes Zin Mar Aung, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the National Unity Government of Myanmar, for the Forum 2000 Bulletin. „It is a challenge to the global democratic order. If the junta is allowed to consolidate its power through violence and repression, it sets a dangerous precedent for authoritarian regimes worldwide.”
Shared Challenges to Democracy in the Eastern Partnership and Western Balkans
The Eastern Partnership and Western Balkans regions are at an uncomfortable crossroads between democracy and autocracy. They share enduring structural challenges, such as rule of law, economic regression, and ethnic tensions. This discussion paper aims to highlight some of the common challenges faced by the regions, providing a foundation for understanding how local and international democratic civil society can play a role in addressing these issues.
Explore Your Life: Sebastien Lai on Defending Democracy and Press Freedom in Hong Kong
In this interview, we feature Sebastien Lai, leader of the international campaign to free his father: Jimmy Lai, a media entrepreneur and owner of the now-shuttered newspaper Apple Daily in Hong Kong. Sebastien shares his deeply personal fight to secure his father’s release from a maximum-security prison, underscoring the universal value of freedom and the heavy cost of defending democracy in Hong Kong. As part of the 28th Forum 2000 Conference, we conducted a series of interviews with members of our wider Forum 2000 network. These conversations aim to highlight the inspiring work they do while offering an insight into their lives, hopes, and dreams.
Zhang Zhan’s Arrest and Deteriorating Health
Forum 2000 has received news regarding the deteriorating detention conditions and health of Zhang Zhan, a laureate of the Forum 2000 International Award for Courage and Responsibility. Following her release in May 2024 after four years of imprisonment, Zhang Zhan continued to speak out against the conduct of Chinese authorities and in support of fellow activists. She was arrested again in November 2024, and formally charged in January 2025 under the pretext of “picking up quarrels and provoking trouble.” Very little is known about the details of her trial, but according to sources close to her, she has once again gone on hunger strike—most likely as a result of mistreatment by the authorities. Forum 2000 is deeply concerned with these developments and will continue to monitor Zhang Zhan‘s situation.
The Forum 2000 Editor’s Pick
A selection of essential articles, opinions, ideas, and news from the Forum 2000 community.
Interview with Hisham Kassem | Memory of Nation | Hisham Kassem is an Egyptian patriot. In 1992, he moved from Alexandria to Cairo, where he published the English-language periodical The Cairo Times. As a convinced liberal and head of the Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights, he considered a political career. In the summer of 2023, he was arrested and subsequently sentenced to six months for allegedly insulting a government minister and a completely fabricated accusation of attacking police officers. He was released in the spring of 2024. “Before the security forces asked me to work for them, my father told me: ‘Don‘t, whatever you do, be a snitch!’ It was the best piece of advice in my life,” says Hisham Kassem in the interview, conducted during the 28th Forum 2000 Conference.
Belarus: Two Years Since the Unfair Sentence Against Three Viasna Members | Federation for Human Rights | As of March 3, 2025, two years have passed since Viasna members Ales Bialiatski (a member of the ICDR), Valiantsin Stefanovic, and Uladzimir Labkovich were convicted and handed heavy prison sentences following an unfair trial under fabricated charges. On this occasion, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders—a partnership between the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)—reiterates its call for their immediate and unconditional release, as well as an end to the targeting of all Belarusian human rights defenders.
The Significance and Trajectory of Ukrainian Democracy Since 2022 | Visible Ukraine | Arina Kravchenko | “In the case of Ukraine, historically, democracy played a role because of the fundamental image of Cossacks as freedom fighters that largely refers to the idea of democracy. (…) This idea is deeply entrenched in the Ukrainian notion of themselves as part of identity,” says Mykola Riabchuk, a Ukrainian journalist, publicist, prominent intellectual figure, and member of the ICDR in an interview with Arina Kravchenko for the “Democracy After 2022 series”.