The John McCain 2024 Fellows had great conversations with Damon Wilson, the President and CEO of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and discussed about how free trade, open markets, and economic freedom are essential building blocks for thriving democracies. These elements are fundamental to fostering political stability and ensuring the success of democratic institutions worldwide.
The John McCain 2024 Fellows had the opportunity to meet with The National Endowment for Democracy. During this engagement, they shared their experiences and gained valuable insights into the work being done to support democracy across the globe. The meeting provided a unique perspective on how democracy support organizations operate in diverse and challenging environments.
The Fellows also had the privilege of holding one-on-one meetings with NED experts in the field. These interactions were instrumental in deepening their understanding of the complexities involved in promoting democratic values, particularly in regions facing significant political and economic challenges.
Damon Wilson, NED President, Brian Joseph, Vice President for Programs, and Christopher Walker, Vice President for Studies and Analysis, shared with the McCain 2024 Fellows key aspects of NED’s global programming strategy. They emphasized how NED invests in the capacity of local partners, tailors programs to address regional challenges, and stays ahead of global trends like digital authoritarianism and hybrid regimes to ensure their initiatives remain effective and impactful.
In these discussions, the importance of understanding global trends was underscored, especially with the rise of digital authoritarianism and the increasing complexity of hybrid regimes. The NED’s approach to these challenges, which includes engaging with a global network of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, ensures that their strategies for promoting democratic resilience are both informed and adaptive.
The National Endowment for Democracy is actively engaged in Somaliland, promoting democracy and free media. It was an honor to meet with an institution that recognizes Somaliland as a unique country in a challenging region and to witness their commitment to supporting democratic resilience in our nation.
