Conversations at the Universities of Wisconsin in Madison and Milwaukee were Co-Hosted by the McCain Institute in Partnership with the Tommy G. Thompson Center for Public Leadership and the Wisconsin Institute for Citizenship & Civil Dialogue
Photo from the event “The Frontlines of Democracy: Stories From a New Generation of Leaders” held in Madison, Wisconsin on Oct. 29, 2024
Watch the Madison event HERE.
Watch the Milwaukee event HERE.
Milwaukee, Wisc. (October 31, 2024) – The McCain Institute at Arizona State University (ASU) held events in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisc., this week featuring young democracy activists from across the globe sharing their stories and emphasizing the critical right to vote and participate in a free and democratic society.
The events, titled, “The Frontlines of Democracy: Stories From a New Generation of Leaders” were held in partnership with the Tommy G. Thompson Center for Public Leadership at the Universities of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Institute for Citizenship & Civil Dialogue.
Members of the McCain Institute’s McCain Global Leaders Program from Hong Kong, Ukraine, Sudan, and Zimbabwe participated as panelists. They discussed the threats and intimidation they have faced, their personal values and motivations, and why they continue their pursuit of human rights and democracy at great personal risk to themselves and their families.
“We have full hope that no matter how small our contribution might be, it’s not about the blood which will be forgotten, it’s about the battle which will be remembered,” said Member of Parliament and Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Youth Caucus in Zimbabwe Takudzwa Ngadziore. “So, we will continuously fight. We’ll continuously speak our minds regardless how bad the situation is.”
“In Ukraine we don’t want to be like Russia. We don’t want an autocracy where people’s rights and their voices do not matter and that’s why our appeal to international communities is to look around and see what’s happening,” said European Director of Outreach and Training at The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding and Executive Director and Founder of Youth for Global Progress Dr. Mariia Levchenko.
“At the McCain Institute, we believe there is still a chance to push back on this dark wave of authoritarianism and that the defense of democracy, freedom and human rights is not hopeless,” said McCain Institute Assistant Director of Global Leadership Programs Scott Nemeth. “We carry on the late Senator John McCain’s legacy and ethos of fighting for just causes and we are working at home and abroad to ensure that future generations experience freedom and the right to determine their own path.”
Panelists in the event included Sunny Cheung, Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Flow HK Media from Hong Kong; Hager Eissa, Public Speaker and Activist from Sudan; Dr. Mariia Levchenko, European Director of Outreach and Training, The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding and Executive Director and Founder of Youth for Global Progress from Ukraine; The Honorable Takudzwa Ngadziore, Member of Parliament and Vice-Chairperson of the Parliamentary Youth Caucus in Zimbabwe; and Scott Nemeth, Assistant Director of Global Leadership Programs at the McCain Institute.
The Madison and Milwaukee discussions conclude a series of democracy focused events hosted by the McCain Institute across the United States this fall. The series began with a launch event at the McCain Institute’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., and featured additional events in Arizona, Pennsylvania. Learn more about the democracy tour HERE.
Learn more about the McCain Institute’s Democracy Programs HERE. Learn about the McCain Global Leaders Program HERE.
About the McCain Institute at Arizona State University
The McCain Institute is a nonpartisan organization inspired by Senator John McCain and his family’s dedication to public service. We are part of Arizona State University and based in Washington, D.C. Our programs defend democracy, advance human rights and freedom, and empower character-driven leaders. Our unique power to convene leaders across the global political spectrum enables us to make a real impact on the world’s most pressing challenges. Our goal is action, not talk, and like Senator McCain, we are fighting to create a free, safe, and just world for all.
About Arizona State University
Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American research university, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.
