2020-06-27 A Call to Defend Democracy
Channel: PDIS
Date: 2020-06-27

Hello, friends. I’m Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s digital minister and a proud signatory of the open letter "A Call to Defend Democracy."

https://www.idea.int/news-media/multimedia-reports/call-defend-democracy

The truth is: We live in dangerous times.

The pandemic is threatening global health.
Authoritarianism is threatening global freedom.

We can’t stand idly by in the face of this challenge to  democracy, to human rights and to the rule of law. Collective action is just what the doctor ordered.

This is why I wholeheartedly support International IDEA’s initiative to advance democratic political processes while building more resilient societies.

Necessity is the mother of invention. We took this proverb to heart when creating the Taiwan Model. It shows the effectiveness of an All Hands on Deck approach in combating coronavirus and in defending democracy.

Collaboration, friendship, support, transparency and trust — these are our watchwords. They’re also the foundation on which all segments of society are pulling together and sacrificing for the greater good.

Lives are saved and opportunities created for dialogue and civic engagement. This strengthens the social sector and puts us in good stead to emerge from the crisis shipshape and Bristol fashion. 

I invite those who care, those who wish to make a difference to sign the letter and join the cause.

As International IDEA Secretary-General Casas-Zamora sagely stated: "We must not let democracy become just another casualty of the coronavirus."