Toronto Democracy Forum
Healing the World by Defending Freedom & Countering Oppression
A World Free of Extremism & Authoritarianism

The world is grappling with despair fueled by extremism and authoritarianism, making the effort to heal it more critical than ever. Addressing this challenge requires a collective effort to understand its roots and chart a path toward healing and resilience. With this mission in mind, the Toronto Democracy Forum has emerged as a fundamental platform by WAEN, bringing together human rights and freedom activists, scholars, and experts from across the globe to confront these pressing issues and share ideas on how we can collectively counter extremism and authoritarianism and promote dialogue and collaboration for a freer, and more prosperous future.

The Toronto Democracy Forum, which is the WAEN’s annual conference, was successfully held in the heart of Toronto on November 24–25, 2024. The forum was organized in partnership and support of the Atlas Network, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute—Canada’s leading national public policy think tank—the Institute for Liberal Studies, an educational nonprofit dedicated to fostering discussions on classical liberal ideas in Canada, and Students for a Free Iran at the University of Toronto.

Prosperity Dinner

The forum was officially inaugurated with opening remarks by Li Schoolland, Chair of WAEN; Peter Copeland, Deputy Director of Domestic Policy at MLI; and Matt Bufton, Executive Director at the Institute for Liberal Studies. Their speeches offered profound insights and a unique approach to understanding the pressing challenges of totalitarianism and extremism, as well as the goals of the Toronto Democracy Forum.

Honoring Freedom Activists and Celebrating the Lives of Linda Whetstone and David Boaz, Two Freedom Champions

At WAEN, we are committed to recognizing individuals who promote and defend the cause of freedom in the most challenging environments around the world. At this year’s “Prosperity Dinner,” we had the honor of recognizing two distinguished scholars and freedom activists by presenting them with an appreciation award as Freedom Champions.

The recipients of the award were announced by Khalid Ramizy, the CEO of WAEN, and the awards were presented on stage by Dr. Tom G. Palmer, George M. Yeager Chair for Advancing Liberty and Executive Vice President for International Programs at Atlas Network.

The two distinguished freedom advocates who were recognized and received the award for their exceptional contributions to advancing freedom and human rights are:

  1. Mustafa Akyol, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, who focuses on the intersection of public policy, Islam, and modernity. He is the author of much-admired books such as The Islamic Moses, The Islamic Jesus, Reopening Muslim Minds, Islam Without Extremism, and Why as a Muslim I Defend Liberty.
  2. Prof. Ken Schoolland, Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the Entrepreneurship Center at Hawaii Pacific University in the United States, and a Member of the Advisory Council at WAEN. He is the author of The Adventures of Jonathan Gullible, a brilliant book that teaches economic and freedom-based principles in a simple and engaging way. The book has been translated into 58 languages and distributed worldwide.

Through this recognition, WAEN reaffirms its commitment to honoring those who inspire change and uphold the values of freedom and human rights worldwide.

We also honored the late Linda Whetstone, whose legacy of empowering individuals worldwide, including in Afghanistan, to embrace liberty and prosperity remains deeply impactful. Additionally, we mourned the loss of David Boaz, Distinguished Senior Fellow and former Executive Vice President of the Cato Institute, whose works, including The Libertarian Mind and The Libertarian Reader, continue to inspire countless advocates for freedom.

Tom G. Palmer, George M. Yeager Chair for Advancing Liberty and Executive Vice President for International Programs at Atlas Network, said:
“The event was energizing and empowering. The talks were informative and the networking and sharing of experiences were simply awesome. Participants — I among them — got a lot of value of the event. That will translate into more effective work to secure and to advance liberty in an increasingly authoritarian and dangerous world.”

A Conversation: Heal the World – Freedom, Democracy & Countering Extremism and Authoritarianism

The Prosperity Dinner concluded with a powerful conversation centered on the forum’s main theme: “Heal the World: Freedom, Democracy & Countering Extremism and Authoritarianism.” The discussion featured Mustafa Akyol, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, and Kyle Matthews, Founder and Executive Director of the Montreal Institute for Global Security, moderated by Prof. Ahrar Ramizpoor, President of WAEN.

Drawing from their extensive work and experiences, the speakers shared unique insights and actionable ideas, offering attendees a deeper understanding of these pressing challenges and practical strategies to address them effectively.

Day 2: The Conference Day: Keynotes, Lectures, Freedom Talks, and Open Dialogue

Day two of the forum began at the University of Toronto with impactful opening remarks delivered by Sarah Shariati from Students for a Free Iran at the University of Toronto, Prof. Ahrar Ramizpoor, President of WAEN, and Jonathan Berkshire Miller, Director of Foreign Affairs, National Defence, and National Security at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.

The morning sessions featured insightful discussions and talks, beginning with Human Rights and Freedom in 2024: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Path to Healing the World by Dr. Tom G. Palmer, Executive Vice President for International Programs at Atlas Network. This was followed by a compelling session by Kevin Vuong, Member of Parliament of Canada, on The Threat of Extremism to Canada and the World.

Additional highlights included thought-provoking remarks by Sheryl Saperia, CEO of Secure Canada about Leveraging Laws, Policies, and Alliances to Combat Extremism in Canada Today, and a comprehensive summary of WAEN’s initiatives and progress and achievements over the past year, presented by Khalid Ramizy, CEO of WAEN.

The day also featured the highly anticipated Lecture Series, showcasing global thought leaders. Mustafa Akyol, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, delivered a lecture titled Islam Without Extremism: Ideas for a More Peaceful, Tolerant, and Free World. Prof. Ken Schoolland, Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the Entrepreneurship Center at Hawaii Pacific University, as well as a Member of WAEN’s Advisory Council, presented on Combating Violent Extremism and Authoritarianism Through Ideas of Free Trade and Economy. Dr. Tom G. Palmer, Executive Vice President for International Programs at Atlas Network, delivered his lecture on Strategies for Advancing and Defending Liberty and Countering Extremism and Authoritarianism.

Freedom Talks

Another highlight of the event was the Freedom Talk Series, which began with Kyle Matthews, Founder and Executive Director of the Montreal Institute for Global Security. He delivered a talk titled Innovative Approaches to Preventing Genocide and Mass Atrocities in the 21st Century: Countering Extremism, Defending Freedom, and Democracies.

This segment offered unique perspectives, including media insights from Lotfullah Najafizada, CEO of Amu TV, who discussed Twenty Years of Liberal Democracy in Afghanistan and the Way Forward: What Should Be Done for Afghanistan?

The series concluded with a thought-provoking talk by Terence Shen, a freedom activist, who shared firsthand knowledge of combating China’s propaganda and its impact on global freedom.

Saving the World from Extremism & Dictatorships: A Panel on Defending Freedom, Democracy, Human Rights, and Countering Extremism & Authoritarianism Across Borders

An engaging panel discussion, moderated by Jack Confrey, Advisor to the Whetstone Freedom Fund and the Initiative for African Trade and Prosperity, titled Saving the World from Extremism and Dictatorships: Defending Freedom, Democracy, Human Rights, and Countering Extremism & Authoritarianism Across Borders was brought together a distinguished group of thought leaders, including:

  • Dr. Casey Babb, Senior Fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, International Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies (Tel Aviv), and Advisor to Secure Canada
  • Matt Bufton, Executive Director, Institute for Liberal Studies
  • Sheng Xue, Award-Winning Author, Journalist, and Leading Voice in the Fight Against CCP Tyranny and for Global Democracy
  • Bill Killorn, Executive Director, Journalists for Human Rights

The panelists shared valuable insights and strategies on countering extremism, defending freedom, and protecting liberal democracies across borders.

The forum continued with an enriching Open Dialogue session, offering attendees the opportunity to engage, ask questions, and share their thoughts on key topics. This was followed by a focused discussion on The Role of Women in Defending Democracy and Countering Oppression, moderated by Reem Ibrahim, Communications Manager and Linda Whetstone Scholar at the Institute of Economic Affairs. Speakers and attendees shared valuable insights on defending democracies and countering extremism and authoritarianism.

The day concluded with insightful closing remarks from WAEN’s Chair, Li Schoolland, marking not just the end of the forum but the beginning of a collaborative journey. Over the next 10 months, participants of the Toronto Democracy Forum will continue engaging with one another and working on strategies to stand against oppression and defend liberal democracies worldwide.

It is noteworthy that 101 individuals from over 15 countries participated in the Toronto Democracy Forum 2024. We are deeply grateful for the support and contributions of all participants, speakers, and our partners, including the World Liberty Congress, media outlets, and other direct partner organizations who made this event possible.

The forum inspired meaningful conversations about building a world free from extremism and authoritarianism. The strong turnout and enthusiastic participation reflected a growing global desire to find solutions for healing the world. Building on this momentum, WAEN remains committed to advancing these discussions, supporting ongoing efforts, and creating initiatives to promote freedom, democracy, and human rights globally.

A complete report of the forum, including details of all speeches, lectures, key recommendations, and actions to be taken, is available in below link:

You can also watch the live report by Iran International TV here and their news coverage here.

If you would like to participate in next year’s forum or recommend someone for participation, please email us at: events@WorldAntiExtremism.org

Special thanks to our esteemed partner organizations:

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One thought on “Healing the World by Defending Freedom & Countering Oppression: Activists from 15+ Countries Unite at Toronto Democracy Forum

  • It’s amazing to read about the success stories of this network. The WAEN concept will go a long way to help build a more peaceful world for our generation and those yet unborn. I pray we live longer to offer a helping hand to achieve ultimate objective of this organization.

    Congratulations to the Freedom Champions Award winners, and more grease to the elbows of all who made this possible.

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