Democracy is not a gift, nor a given; it is the hard-earned result of generations of struggle, sacrifice, and resistance. That is why I believe democratic ideals and institutions must be fiercely protected—everywhere, by all of us, at all times.
For years I have spoken of the ups and downs of this path in Iran, my own country, of our hopes for democracy, and the solidarity we seek from democratic and human rights institutions around the world. But today I speak as someone sounding an alarm, as one who knows from experience what it means to lose democracy—not slowly, but almost overnight.
I want to remind you that the rights and freedoms you may take for granted are not guaranteed. They can be eroded if they not actively protected. Whether you feel it yet or not, you, too, are engaged in the same fragile struggle: the defense of democracy and human rights. Perhaps this reflection, born of experience and resistance, can play a small part in reinforcing what we all stand to lose. And perhaps, in this shared vulnerability, we will come to see how much more deeply we are connected.
We see ourselves as your partners in defending democracy—not just because our futures are connected, but because the existence of democracy in the West has long been a source of hope and inspiration, a guiding model for those of us still struggling for it elsewhere. When democracy is weakened in one part of the world, it sends shockwaves through the hopes of people everywhere who are still fighting to achieve it.
From the days when only men could vote and hold power, to the long fight that led to women gain equal rights; from the era when skin color justified slavery, to the moment when people of all races, genders, and backgrounds could lead a nation, democracy has been shaped through struggle. And that struggle never truly ends. It is what gives meaning to our shared humanity and carries the promise that tomorrow can be more just than today.
That is why the growing fragility of democracy around the world should alarm us all. When the foundations of democracy are weakened even in the West, it threatens not just political systems, but an entire way of life built on dignity, freedom, and solidarity. I say this as someone who has lived through its collapse—who has been made a stranger in her own country, and who has resisted religious tyranny and gender apartheid. Don’t believe the myth that history only moves forward. If you don’t act today—with clarity and urgency—you may wake up tomorrow in a world where the very idea of democracy has vanished, and realize too late that your silence helped erase it.
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Just look at what’s happening to the media and freedom of speech. Once the fourth pillar of democracy—essential for transparency and accountability—it is, in many cases, turning into a tool for manipulating public opinion: a vehicle for fear, hate, and the silencing of truth.
Or look at universities. These institutions were meant to be sanctuaries of knowledge, curiosity, and intellectual freedom. In Iran, we call them “the strongholds of liberty.” But today, even some of these spaces are losing their independence—becoming arenas for power struggles, where truth is sacrificed to political or financial agendas, and the ethical foundations of education and research are under attack.
Let’s step back and consider globalization. For years, we saw it as a triumph—the breaking down of barriers, the sharing of ideas, the merging of cultures. But what we’re witnessing now isn’t the reversal of globalization, it’s its backlash. When globalization was enforced from above, driven primarily by economic interests and market expansion, with little regard for social justice, shared values, or real dialogue, it created fractures. Yes, some visible walls fell—but invisible ones rose in their place. What Americans now see at their borders is just the surface expression of deeper divisions that have been building for years.
Now let’s take another step back to the very idea of parliamentary democracy—government of the people, by the people, for the people. Isn’t it true that, in some cases, it is being hollowed out from within? I recall the words of Immanuel Kant: “The greatest evil occurs when a concept is destroyed in the name of that same concept.” So how do we ensure that institutions like the media, universities, and elections stay true to their purpose—empowering people, protecting rights, and advancing freedom?
Perhaps these questions sound basic to you. But in Iran, they are distant hopes. Our state media has always been a mouthpiece for power. Our universities have always been under state control. Just recently, the Judiciary’s spokesperson declared that “violence, like terrorism, is a Western concept”—openly dismissing universal values. As for democratic institutions and peaceful transitions of power, we have yet to even begin.
And it’s precisely because of the distance between our worlds—and from a place of deep sincerity—that I offer this not as a complaint, but as a warning. These are alarm bells. Yes, fighting back trench by trench is essential, but it is not enough. Today’s global crises are tightly interwoven: war, poverty, climate collapse, gender oppression, systemic racism, rising authoritarianism, religious extremism, economic inequality. Together, they form a single, comprehensive global crisis.
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The unfortunate truth is this: the current framework of Western democratic systems appears unprepared for the scale and complexity of this challenge. If democratic governments continue to respond with fragmented, issue-by-issue solutions—without a coherent and collective strategy—we will all face the accelerating erosion of democracy.
We know what defeat looks like. In places like Iran, it’s a familiar companion. Unlike in systems where victory is often the main goal, we’ve learned to survive defeat, learn from it, and keep going. And yes, more setbacks will come. But this struggle is not lost—and we are not powerless.
Democracy, at its best, is self-correcting. It can learn from its mistakes, regenerate from the ground up, and grow stronger through inclusion. It offers the widest space for participation. And on this road, we walk guided by a shared compass: freedom (individual and collective), equality (of opportunity and dignity), and solidarity (especially with the vulnerable and the silenced).
Perhaps it is time to imagine a new future for global democracy—one rooted not in the preservation of old power structures, but in the full potential of democratic ideals. Because democracy is weakened when too much attention is placed on state power alone. In geopolitical games, every state seeks to win by taking more. But in the world of civil society, we win by giving more.
This is the logic that has long connected us. Civil society institutions in democratic countries gave us legitimacy, recognition, and strength when our own democratic institutions were crushed. And we—those who have resisted tyranny under relentless pressure—have in return offered something vital: the knowledge, experience, and example of nonviolent resistance.
Our differences matter far less than what unites us. We are two ends of the same fragile, global transition. And the success of this process depends on seriousness, unity, and the creation of a global alliance of democratic and civil institutions—to defend and revive democracy for all.
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