2020 Copenhagen Democracy Summit
June 18-19, 2020
The Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2020
Due to the latest developments with COVID-19, The Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2020 will take place virtually. The summit will still gather guests from around the world to discuss the state of democracy. Guests include leaders and thinkers from business and politics, civil society, media, academics and students. General topics this year will focus on US global leadership and 2020 elections, democracy and tech, responsible business, and defending democracy during pandemic times.
Please see full agenda below.
Watch the full CDS program here.
Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2020
Check out our highlights from this year’s inspiring speakers all in support of defending democracy at our virtual edition of Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2020.
We discussed how we need to come together in defense of democracy and freedom in order to face challenges related to the authoritarian resurgence by both China and Russia, the escalating tensions in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the US’s role as a global leader and how tech can support democracy.
Watch the recap here.
Featured Speakers
Democracy Defenders
Featuring democracy defenders in partnership with International Republican Institute (IRI), National Democratic Institute (NDI), European Endowment for Democracy (EED), and the George W. Bush Institute
Agenda
Please note that times are subject to change.
Thursday, June 18
DEMOCRACY IN ACTION
14:00 – 14:10 (CET) Welcome to Copenhagen Democracy Summit
14:10 - 14:30 (CET) Fighting for Democracy – From the Battlegrounds of Hong Kong
-
- Joshua Wong, Secretary-General, Demosisto
- Moderator: Ryan Heath, Senior Editor, Politico
14:35 - 15:30 (CET) United in Democracy We Stand
-
- Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, Fellow, Human Freedom, George W. Bush Institute
- Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)
- Derek Mitchell, President, National Democratic Institute (NDI)
- Jerzy Pomianowski, Executive Director, European Endowment for Democracy (EED)
- Daniel Twining, President, International Republican Institute (IRI)
- Moderator: Ryan Heath, Senior Editor, Politico
15:30 – 15:45 (CET) Break
15:45 – 17:00 (CET) Democracy Defenders
Featuring Democracy Activists in partnership with International Republican Institute (IRI), National Democratic Institute (NDI), European Endowment for Democracy (EED), George W. Bush Institute and University of Denver
Breakout 1: Keeping Democracy Activism Alive during COVID-19 - Sharing your Story
-
- Myo Myint Aung, Executive Director, Open Society Myanmar
- Lavdim Hamidi, Editor-in-Chief and Journalist, Web Portal "Front Online"
- Lee Chean Chung, State Assemblyman, Semambu Constituency, Pahang
- Mariam Jalabi, Syrian Opposition Representative, United Nations
- Moderator: Jonas Parello-Plesner, Executive Director at Alliance of Democracies Foundation
Breakout 2: Elections and Disinformation Keeping on the Democratic Track during COVID-19
-
- Luis Assardo, Journalist and Founder, Confirmado
- Darko Brkan, Director of Zasto Ne
- Min Hsuan Wu “Ttcat,” Co-founder and CEO, Doublethink Lab (DTL)
- Moderator: Tanit Koch, Editor-in-Chief Central Newsroom RTL and Managing Director n-tv
Breakout 3: Ensuring Women’s Rights during a Pandemic
-
- Sitabile Dewa, Founder and Executive Director, Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE)
- Anna Nikoghosyan, Co-Founder, FemHouse Armenia
- Amalia Toledo, Lawyer, Fundación Karisma
- Homa Usmany, Executive Director, Zardozi
- Moderator: Marie Berry, Assistant Professor, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver
Friday, June 19
SESSION 1: DEFENDING DEMOCRACY DURING COVID-19
13:00 – 13:15 (CET) Introduction
-
- Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Chairman, Former Prime Minister of Denmark and Secretary General of NATO
13:15 – 13:30 (CET) Defending Democracy during COVID-19
-
- President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) 蔡英文 Tsai Ing-wen
13:30 – 13:55 (CET) Democracy Under Pandemic Pressure - The Democracy Perception Index
-
- Nico Jaspers, CEO, Dalia Research
- Moderator: Jeanne Meserve, Former Anchor and Correspondent, CNN and ABC News
- 13:55 – 14:20 (CET) Curbing the Authoritarian Advance: Foreign Interference in Democracies
-
- Malcolm Turnbull, Former Prime Minister, Australia
- Moderator: Jeanne Meserve, Former Anchor and Correspondent, CNN and ABC News
14:20 – 14:45 (CET) Protecting Democracy in Times of COVID-19 – European Perspective
-
- Věra Jourová,Vice-President, European – Commission for Values and Transparency
- Moderator: Jeanne Meserve, Former Anchor and Correspondent, CNN and ABC News
14:45 – 14:55 (CET) Break
SESSION 2: US GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ON DEMOCRACY
14:55 – 15:20 (CET) US Global Leadership in 2020 Elections and Beyond
-
- John Kerry, Former U.S. Secretary of State
- Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Chairman, Former Prime Minister of Denmark and Secretary General of NATO
- Moderator: Ryan Heath, Senior Editor, Politico
15:20 – 15:45 (CET) Military Backbone for Democracy
-
- Mircea Geoana,Deputy Secretary General, NATO
- Moderator: Jeanne Meserve, Former Anchor and Correspondent, CNN and ABC News
15:45 – 16:10 (CET) Democratic Backsliding and US Global Leadership
-
- Madeleine Albright, Former U.S. Secretary of State
- Anders Fogh Rasmussen,Chairman, Former Prime Minister of Denmark and Secretary General of NATO
- Moderator: Ryan Heath, Senior Editor, Politico
16:10 – 16:20 (CET) Democracy going Transatlantic
-
- Madeleine Albright, Former U.S. Secretary of State
- Fritz Mayer, Dean, University of Denver
- Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Chairman, Former Prime Minister of Denmark and Secretary General of NATO
SESSION 3: BUSINESS AND TECH RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEMOCRACY
16:20 – 16:40 (CET) Democracy and Responsible Business Part: 1
-
- Lars Rebien Sørensen, Chairman Novo Nordisk
- Moderator: Lisbeth Knudsen, Editor-in-chief, Mandag Morgen
16:40 – 17:00 (CET) Democracy and Responsible Business Part: 2
-
- Matthew Prince, CEO, Cloudflare
- Moderator: Lisbeth Knudsen, Editor-in-chief, Mandag Morgen
17:00 – 17:30 (CET) Democracy, Digital and Pandemics
-
- Brad Smith, President, Microsoft
- Moderator: Ryan Heath, Senior Editor, Politico
17:30 - 18:00 (CET) China and the Challenge to Free Societies
-
- Michael R. Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State
- Moderator: Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Chairman, Former Prime Minister of Denmark and Secretary General of NATO
18:00 - 18:05 (CET) Closing remarks
-
- Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Chairman, Former Prime Minister of Denmark and Secretary General of NATO
Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2020
Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2020
The Copenhagen Democracy Summit 2020 will take place virtually. The summit will still gather guests from around the world to discuss the state of democracy. Guests include leaders and thinkers from business and politics, civil society, media, academics and students. General topics this year will focus on US global leadership and 2020 elections, democracy and tech, responsible business, and defending democracy during pandemic times.
Supporters
Supporters of the Alliance of Democracies play a vital role in enabling us to run effective initiatives and to host a Summit of high quality, that ensures an open debate about important aspects of a democratic future. We would like to thank all our supporters of the 2020 Copenhagen Democracy Summit for their contribution.
