And indeed, what we see today 71 years later is Freedom House helping lead the charge to defend and advance freedom and human rights in what is, I think everyone in this room knows, an extremely challenging and difficult time. Being able to refer to an objective, unbiased source that shows us the trajectory for good or back of democracy in our world, it helps guide our work and it is that unimpeachable document that we can use to try to leverage progress in country after country. The Freedom Index that Mike spoke about is one of the most powerful tools that we in government have. And so they threw their full weight behind pushing President Roosevelt to enter World War II to join the fight against fascism.Įver since, Freedom House has taken on challenges to freedoms everywhere – from standing up against McCarthyism, advocating for civil rights, to, in our time, protecting human rights during the pandemic, combatting transnational repression. In the rise of Hitler, the men and women of Freedom House saw a threat not only to freedom on the continent, but to life and liberty everywhere. Now, when this organization was founded eight decades ago, the specter of Nazism loomed over Europe. And it’s an honor to be able to work with you and other members in Congress every single day to try to uphold that agenda. Your presence reflects the bipartisan commitment to standing up for universal freedoms, universal rights, to standing up for democracy. I think Chairman Mike McCaul is here, Representatives Swalwell and Panetta, others. We have here tonight leaders from across the Executive Branch, Congress. (Laughter.) Well, something’s changed in all those years, because I know, we know Mike, as being someone who is resolutely, ferociously on the side of democracy, freedom, and human rights. And his answer back then in being reluctant to do that was I just don’t know, I really see both sides and I just have trouble coming out on one side or another. (Laughter.) I was always trying to get Mike to write more opinion pieces. I tended to write a lot of opinion pieces read by, if I was really fortunate, one or two of my roommates and a family member too. There’s something else you need to know about Mike. Or, more accurately, I wrote for Mike because on the Crimson he held the title of president back then. Now, we have to be honest with people we’ve known each other for a while, going back to our college days. Let me start by thanking my good friend of so many years, Mike Abramowitz, for the honor of joining Freedom House tonight and helping you to celebrate the 2023 Annual Freedom Awards. Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.Bureau of International Organization Affairs.Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.Office of Management Strategy and Solutions.Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations.Bureau of Information Resource Management.Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services.Office of the Science and Technology Adviser.Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs.
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