Фото: t.me/tsikhanouskaya
The head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, took part in a panel discussion titled “Democracy Under Threat?”, dedicated to the challenges facing democracies around the world. The event took place on Jan. 22 at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The discussion also featured Bolivian Foreign Minister Fernando Hugo Aramayo, Yale University professor of political science Hélène Landemore, and Singapore’s Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong. Participants discussed how to preserve open societies and the free exchange of ideas amid global polarization, institutional fatigue and pressure from authoritarian regimes.
In her remarks, Tsikhanouskaya stressed that democracy can be a source of strength, but authoritarian regimes have learned to exploit its weaknesses, as the slowness of democratic processes based on transparency and debate is offset by dictators through speed and brutality, disregarding rules and human lives.
“Democracy does not emerge on its own. It must be constantly worked on and defended every day. And this is not only the task of politicians — it is the responsibility of everyone it concerns: civil society, business, the media, every individual. I see that even today people are increasingly aware of its value and understand how important it is,” the democratic leader said.