What: The McCain Institute will take the stage at South by Southwest® (SXSW®) 2025 this Sunday, March 9, 2025, from 2:30 p.m.—3:30 p.m. CT at the Austin Marriott Downtown, Waller Ballroom EF. Our panel, titled “The Next Generation: Youth Leaders Fighting Authoritarianism,” was selected out of more than 4,700 panels submitted for consideration, and includes some of the world’s most innovative and courageous young leaders who are pushing back against dictators and anti-democratic movements.
This group of democracy activists and political leaders, who have faced violence, jail, and oppression will share how they have worked to mobilize civil society and marginalized populations to push back against authoritarian practices in an effort to defend democracy in key locations in Africa, Asia and the Western Hemisphere. They will share their first-hand accounts of what they face and why they risk their lives in defense of their fellow citizens.
To schedule an interview with panelists, please contact the McCain Institute’s Communications Coordinator Sammy Dolin at sdolin1@asu.edu.
Who: Panelists include:
- Dr. Evelyn Farkas, McCain Institute Executive Director
- Sunny Cheung, Hong Kong Activist & Associate Fellow, The Jamestown Foundation
- Takudzwa Ngadziore, Honorable Member, Zimbabwe Parliament
- Andrea Villagrán, First Secretary of the Congress of Guatemala
When: Sunday, March 9, 2025, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT.
Where: Austin Marriott Downtown, Waller Ballroom EF, 304 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, Texas, USA, 78701