We call on all who are willing to join us in this common cause

We face a time of extraordinary challenges.

Now is the time for us to act … together.

It is time for us to defend our values, and make clear what we stand for and what of kind world we want to live in.

The present challenge

We, citizens, former officials, and representatives of governments and private entities, united by common values, have agreed as follows:

For seven decades, free nations have drawn upon common principles to advance freedom, increase prosperity, and secure peace. The resulting order, built on the foundation of democratic values and human dignity, has brought better lives for our citizens and billions of people around the world.

But the international system must rise to meet new challenges. New technologies are transforming societies. In many of our nations, stagnant wages, income disparities, and uneven benefits from global trade are leading many to question free market economics and the value of engagement in the world. Increased migration is fueling concerns about job security and national identity.

Around the world, politicians are exploiting these challenges, denigrating the rule of law, and undermining faith in democracy. Autocrats and extremists are attacking these principles, oppressing their own people, threatening security, and contending that might makes right.

Yet, free peoples have met greater challenges in the past, and we can master those in our time.

Innovations in communications, energy, health, and more yet to come are opening possibilities unimaginable before. Entrepreneurship based on freedom and new ideas can drive prosperity. Empowered men and women can address social problems from the bottom up. Governments that answer to their citizens and respect the rule of law can best address inequity, correct injustice, and serve the good of all.

Free nations must adapt and change. Yet our principles remain sound because they reflect the common aspirations of the human spirit. Societies that respect these principles are better placed to produce security and prosperity. Nations that uphold them are more likely to work together in peace. And authoritarians who stifle enterprise, dispense arbitrary justice, and abuse their people ultimately will fail.

Inspired by the inalienable rights derived from our ethics, traditions, and faiths, we commit ourselves to seek a better future for our citizens and our nations. We will defend our values, overcome past failures with new ideas, answer lies with truth, confront aggression with strength, and go forward with the confidence that our principles will prevail.

We call on all who are willing to join us in this common cause.

Sign up to join our cause Inspired by the inalienable rights derived from our ethics, traditions, and faiths, we commit ourselves to seek a better future for our citizens and our nations. Join our cause by signing up for updates on our efforts to defend and advance our principles of freedom, prosperity, and peace. Email









Seven statements

1. Freedom and Justice

We affirm the right of all people to live in free and just societies, where fundamental rights are protected under the rule of law.

Governments, as well as private entities and individuals where they are able, have a responsibility to:

respect and protect the freedoms of speech, conscience, religion, the press, expression, association, and assembly

allow for the free flow of information and ideas, while protecting personal information and individual privacy

ensure equal protection and non-discrimination with regard to race, religion, ethnicity, tribe, culture, nationality, language, gender, disability, and sexual identity

combat corruption, hold public officials accountable, and uphold the rule of law

2. Democracy and Self-Determination

We affirm the right of all people to make decisions about their own affairs through elected governments that reflect their consent, free from foreign interference.

Governments, as well as private entities and individuals where they are able, have a responsibility to:

respect and protect the right of all people to choose their own leaders through a free, fair, and competitive democratic process

refrain from threats, coercion, intimidation, violence, election meddling, or other undue interference in the internal or external affairs of free nations

respect the right of peaceful self-determination and seek the settlement of disputes over political status without threats, violence, or oppression

3. Peace and Security

We affirm the right of all people to live in peace, free from threats of aggression, terrorism, oppression, crimes against humanity, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Governments, as well as private entities and individuals where they are able, have a responsibility to:

refrain from engaging in or providing support for such actions

seek to prevent such violence and cut off material or financial support or safe haven to governments, groups, or individuals engaged in such actions

support the peaceful settlement of disputes, including civil conflicts, and refrain from the use of force, except as just and necessary to advance these principles

4. Free Markets and Equal Opportunity

We affirm the right of all people to engage in economic activity based on free market principles, with equal opportunity to contribute to and the ability to share in the benefits of national prosperity.

Governments, as well as private entities and individuals where they are able, have a responsibility to:

protect the right of people to own property, purchase goods and services, and invest in free and open markets

promote the free and fair flow of trade and investment; protect intellectual property; respect agreements; and support an open global economy

protect the rights of workers, including the right to seek gainful employment; seek to mitigate the adverse impacts of global trade; and encourage inclusive, equitable, and well-regulated economies

seek to mitigate poverty, eradicate disease, and facilitate access to food, water, shelter, medical services, and education for their own citizens and others in need

5. An Open and Healthy Planet

We affirm the right of all people to enjoy free and open access to the global commons and a safe and healthy planet.

Governments, as well as private entities and individuals where they are able, have a responsibility to:

reduce the risk of damage to the global climate or environment caused by nature or human activity

refrain from undue interference with freedom of navigation in the air, seas, and outer space, or with access to cyberspace

while harnessing their benefits, seek to mitigate potentially dangerous or unethical applications of advanced technology

while protecting their national identity and controlling migration over their borders, provide refuge for those fleeing from persecution or violence, and respect the rights of all people living and working in their nations

6. The Right of Assistance

We affirm the right of national sovereignty, while recognizing that sovereignty obligates governments to uphold these principles.

Governments, as well as private entities and individuals where they are able, have a responsibility to:

allow their citizens to receive assistance from others to advance these principles, including, in non-free societies, support to non-violent groups, political parties, and individuals aiming to foster democracy or human rights

assist those adversely impacted by violations of these principles, and where governments or other actors are unwilling or unable to cease or remedy flagrant or systematic violations, take such actions just and necessary to prevent them

7. Collective Action

We affirm the right of all people to cooperate in support of these principles and to work together to advance them.

Governments, private entities, and individuals should seek to advance these principles by supporting:

partnerships, coalitions, and alliances that bring together likeminded governments, including a potential new alliance of free nations

public-private partnerships and coalitions that bring together governments, private entities, and other stakeholders

international institutions and agencies, including the United Nations, that aim to foster dialogue, cooperation, and shared responsibility between nations

The tasks ahead

Principles are not self-executing. Working with all who are ready to join us, we will develop a plan of action to implement these principles and advance our common goals.

We call on individuals, institutions, corporations, and governments in our own nations and around the world to advance these principles and create a more effective and responsive set of global rules. Our responsibilities rise commensurate with our influence.

We will advocate for these principles within our own nations, reaching out as broadly as possible to build public support.

We will seek to revise and strengthen the international system to reflect these principles and advance them on the basis of international law.

We will reach out to all nations to seek common ground, enlisting all those willing to help build an adapted international order based on these principles.

We will forge creative solutions to address the just claims of nations underrepresented in the current system, the needs of those left behind in our societies, and the impact of revolutionary technology so that it becomes an agent of sustainable development and positive, rather than destructive, change.

We will establish a standing mechanism to track compliance with these principles and call out those that are seeking to undermine them. We will urge our governments to act when these principles are violated.

We will stand firm behind our principles and work together to advance freedom, prosperity, justice, security and peace for all nations.

Signatories

Co-Chairs

Madeleine Albright

Former Secretary of State

United States

Stephen Hadley

Former National Security Advisor

United States

Carl Bildt

Former Prime Minister

Sweden

Yoriko Kawaguchi

Former Minister for Foreign Affairs

Japan

Task force members

Roberto Abdenur, former deputy minister of foreign affairs, Brazil

Lloyd Axworthy, former minister of foreign affairs, Canada

Dino Patti Djalal, former deputy minister of foreign affairs, Indonesia

Alexander Downer, former minister of foreign affairs, Australia

Gareth Evans, former minister of foreign affairs, Australia

Melanie Schultz van Haegen, former minister of infrastructure and the environment, The Netherlands

Han SungJoo, former minister of foreign affairs, South Korea

Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former president, Estonia

Wolfgang Ischinger, former deputy minister of foreign affairs, Germany

Mehdi Jomaa, former prime minister, Tunisia

Jean-David Levitte, former national security advisor, France

Tzipi Livni, former minister of foreign affairs, Israel

David Miliband, former foreign secretary, United Kingdom

Ana Palacio, former minister of foreign affairs, Spain

Nirupama Rao, former foreign secretary, India

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former prime minister, Denmark

Malcolm Rifkind, former foreign secretary, United Kingdom

Allan Rock, former minister of justice, Canada

Claudia Ruiz Massieu, former secretary of foreign affairs, Mexico

Radek Sikorski, former minister of foreign affairs, Poland

Distinguished former officials

Bogdan Klich, former minister of defense, Poland

Horst Teltschik, former national security adviser, Germany

Eka Tkeshelashvili, former minister of foreign affairs, Georgia

Vygaudas Usackas, former minister of foreign affairs, Lithuania

Legislators

Christopher Coons, member of the Senate, United States

Tom Malinowski, member of the House of Representatives, United States

Žygimantas Pavilionis, member, Lithuanian Parliament

Norbert Röttgen, member, German Parliament

Marietje Schaake, former member, European Parliament

Basem Shabb, former member, Lebanese Parliament

Elissa Slotkin, member of the House of Representatives, United States

Inese Vaidere, member, European Parliament

National, civic, and business leaders

Joseph Cirincione, president, Ploughshares Fund

Carl Gershman, president, National Endowment for Democracy

Hahm Chaibong, president, Asan Institute for Policy Studies

Ivo Daalder, president, Chicago Council on Global Affairs

Stephen Heintz, president, Rockefeller Brothers Fund

Frederick Kempe, president and CEO, Atlantic Council

Derek Mitchell, president, National Democratic Institute

Cindy McCain, chair of the board of directors, The McCain Institute

Christopher Schroeder, co-founder, Next Billion Ventures

Anne-Marie Slaughter, president and CEO, New America Foundation

Daniel Twining, president, International Republican Institute

Other former officials and experts

Hussein Amach, Atlantic Council

Goli Ameri, former US assistant secretary of state

Farid Arbib, former Belgian public administrator

Anthony Clark Arend, Georgetown University

Roger Ballard-Tremeer, former South African ambassador

Colleen Bell, former US ambassador

John Bellinger, former legal adviser, US Department of State

Tamar Beruchashvili, former Georgian ambassador

Anthony Blinken, former US deputy secretary of state

Ian Bond, The Centre for European Reform

Eric Brattberg, The McCain Institute

Esther Brimmer, former US assistant secretary of state

Susan Burk, former US special representative

Bozo Cerar, former Slovenian ambassador

Herman Cohen, former US assistant secretary of state

Phillip Cornell, Atlantic Council

Oleh Derevianko, former Ukrainian deputy minister of education and science

Larry Diamond, senior fellow, Hoover Institution Stanford University

Eileen Donahoe, former US ambassador

Alan Dowd, Sagamore Institute

Nicholas Dungan, Atlantic Council

Paige Ennis, Atlantic Council

Jamie Fly, German Marshall Fund

Daniel Fried, former US assistant secretary of state

Robert S. Gelbard, former US assistant secretary of state

David Gordon, former director of policy planning, US Department of State

Ettore Greco, Institute of International Affairs (Italy)

Marc Grossman, former US under secretary of state

Nikolas Gvosev, Carnegie Council for Ethics and International Affairs

Fen Olser Hampson, Centre for International Governance Innovation

Chris Harper, former director of the international military staff, NATO

Christopher Hunter, former senior federal prosecutor, US Department of Justice

William Inboden, former senior director, National Security Council

Karl Inderfurth, former US assistant secretary of state

Ash Jain, Atlantic Council

Abbas Kadhim, Atlantic Council

Robert Kagan, Brookings

Richard Kauzlarich, former US ambassador

Karen Kornbluh, former US ambassador

Matthew Kroenig, Atlantic Council

Valerie Rouxel Laxton, Atlantic Council

Lauri Lepik, former Estonian ambassador

Douglas Lute, former US ambassador

Rory Medcalf, Australian National University

Sarah Mendelson, former US representative to the UN economic and social council

Paul Miller, Georgetown University

François Nordmann, former Swiss ambassador

Joseph Nye, Harvard University

Barry Pavel, former senior director, National Security Council

Philip Reitinger, former US deputy undersecretary of homeland security

Laura Rosenberger, German Marshall Fund

Charles Rossotti, former commissioner, Internal Revenue Service

Henne Schuwer, former Dutch ambassador

Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, Georgetown University

Walter Slocombe, former US undersecretary of defense

Stanley Sloan, Atlantic Council

Alice Stollmeyer, Defending Democracy

Jake Sullivan, former director of policy planning, US Department of State

Toni Verstandig, The S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace

Melanne Verveer, former US ambassador

Andri Veselovsky, former Ukrainian deputy minister of foreign affairs

Jarmo Viinanen, former Finnish ambassador

John Watts, Atlantic Council

Earl Anthony Wayne, former US ambassador

Andrew Wilson, Center for International Private Enterprise

Damon Wilson, former senior director, National Security Council

Kenneth Wollack, former president, National Democratic Institute

(Affiliations are Listed for Identification Purposes Only)

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Sign up to join our cause Inspired by the inalienable rights derived from our ethics, traditions, and faiths, we commit ourselves to seek a better future for our citizens and our nations. Join our cause by signing up for updates on our efforts to defend and advance our principles of freedom, prosperity, and peace. Email









Citizens

Nira Abada, United Kingdom

Robert Acquah, United States

Zviad Adzinbaia, Georgia

Anthony Alfidi

Michael Allen, United States

Patrick Allman-Ward, United Arab Emirates

Fernando Aniceto, Portugal

Stuart Armor, United States

Natalia Arno, United States

Constantine Arvanitopoulos, Greece

Robert Asmus, United States

Sergei Bar, Israel

Vladimir Baryshnikov, Estonia

Fathi Bashier, Ethiopia

Thomas Bengtsson, Sweden

Sarina Berlow, United States

Ted Berlstein, United States

Patricia Biehn, United States

Daniel Bilak, Spain

Tariku Bogale, South Africa

Ian Bond, United Kingdom

Patrick Boughton-Reynolds, United Kingdom

Thomas Brenemark, Sweden

John Brown, United States

Patricia Burks, United States

Heidi Bush, United States

Jeffrey Carey, United States

Jorge Castaneda, United States

Jaromír Cenek, Czech Republic

Rachel Chien, United States

Cristian Ciupe, United Kingdom

Gonzalo Colimodio, Venezuela

Andrew Cottey, Ireland

Sylvain Curtenaz, Switzerland

Shlomit Miky Dan, Switzerland

Michael C. Davis, United States

Marta Denysenko, United States

Dieter Dettke, United States

Winston Dixon, United States

Donald Dorn-Lopez, Egypt

Glenn D. Dunmire, United States

David Dyer, United States

Marianne Eddy, United States

Martin Edwards, United States

Marjan Ehsassi, United States

Sherry Eiswald, United States

Faour Elie, France

Carlotta Erickson, United States

Eric Evers, United States

Kevin Fernlund, United States

Patrick Fine, United States

Nate Flauto, United States

Bryan Floyd, United States

Sergey Fomel, United States

Jeff Franzius, Canada

Donald Fraser, United States

Danielle Gagnon, United States

Vicki Gay, United States

Elene Gotsadze, United States

Nathaniel Greenwood, United States

Paul Grod, Canada

Lee Guelff, United States

Sumit Gupta, United States

Alessia Shira Hamidou, France

Deirdre Hamstead, Canada

Susanne Hartig, Belgium

Yohko Hatada, United Kingdom

Stephen Hatch, Canada

Matthew Haussmann, Canada

Mall Hellam, Estonia

Miguel Hesse Meana, Europe

Edward Hoffer, United States

Cameron Hudson, United States

Amir Huggins, United States

Farooq Husain, Pakistan

Craig Hunter, Canada

Jin In, United States

John Jacobs, Netherlands

Swarn Jain, United States

Jiya Jain, United States

Jackson Janes, United States

Rebecca Jones

Kathy Jones, United States

Ana Jovic-Lazic, Serbia

Abbas Kadhim, United States

Ireke A Kalu Onuma, Nigeria

Andreas Karvonen, Sweden

Richard Kauzlarich, United States

Ivana Ke, United States

Debra Keil-Leavitt, United States

Donald Keller, United States

Jamie Kelly, United States

Mark Kenny, Australia

Basem Khalid, Palestinian Territory

James Kimer, United States

George Kinzfogl, United States

Timothy Klee, United States

Paul Koch, United States

Ingrid Koch, United States

Dick Lafever, United States

Joe Landry, Canada

Jenefer Lane, Canada

Matteo Laruffa, Italy

Louis Laverone, United States

Valerie Rouxel Laxton, United States

Stephen Leather, United Kingdom

Jon Lieb, United States

Sarunas Liekis, United States

Frank Macmillan, Canada

Lisa Madden, United States

Nerijus Maliukevicius, Lithuania

Piotr Marczuk, Poland

Andrew Marshall, United States

Mark J. Massa, United States

Judith Matthias, United States

Casey McHale, United States

Danel McIntosh, United States

Wayne Miller, United States

Gregory A. Miller, United States

Justin Miller, United States

Ben Montour, United States

Don Mort, United States

Ron Moss, United States

Alexander Motyl, United States

Jan Muhl, United Arab Emirates

Lorenzo Murillo, United States

Paul Mustin, Canada

Brown Nathaniel, United States

Mihail Naydenov, Bulgaria

Chris Naylor, United Kingdom

Yvonne Newmen, United States

Duane Nichols, United States

Päivi Nikander, Finland

Olivera Nikolova, Macedonia

Tanvir Nishad, Bangladesh

Pierre Odendaal, South Africa

Francis Martin O’Donnell, Serbia

Rainer Ohler, France

Abdel Oliveros, Canada

Gary Palmer, United States

Christer Persson, United States

Daniel Pickens, United States

Alex Pico, United States

Frits Plantinga, Netherlands

Pambos Polycarpou, United States

Liza Prendergast, United States

Arnold Pritz, Austria

Samuel Rachlin, Denmark

Valeri Ratchev, Bulgaria

Edwin Rekosh, United States

Dan Reuter, United States

Ibrahim Reyes, United States

Naomi Rock, United States

Lina Rodriguez, Colombia

Alyse Rome, United States

Holger Fabian Sahl, Poland

Giedrius Sakalauskas, Lithuania

Wolfe Schmidt, United States

Desirée Schorr, United States

Mark Schrider, United States

Wolfgang M. Schröder, Germany

Chris Schroeder, United States

LK Scott, United States

Bobbie Seaton, United States

Alpar Sevgen, Turkey

Allin C Seward, United States

Ehsan Sharief, Saudi Arabia

Curtis Shegog, United States

Daniel Sherman, Israel

Mark Simmons, United States

Jay Simmons, United States

Julie Sirrs, United States

Anders Sjöstedt, Spain

Robert Smith, Canada

Russell Smith, United States

Ian Smith, Australia

Derrick Spracklin, United States

Warren Stockdale, United Kingdom

Alice Stollmeyer, Netherlands

John Sullivan, United States

Andrew Taylor, United States

David Taylor, United States

William Theuer, United States

Jeffrey Thinnes, Germany

Jonathan Thompson, United States

Michael Thompson, United States

Dave Toole, United States

Zeljko Trkanjec, Croatia

Patrick Truffer, Switzerland

Sam Tsima, South Africa

Andreas Umland, Ukraine

Michael Vanderpool, United States

Julie Varghese

Rusudan Vashakidze,

Kestutis Vaskelevicius, United States

Dominic Villet, China

Eduardo Viola, Brazil

Ales Vytecka, Thailand

Veronica Wade, United States

Dale Walker, United States

Edward Ward, United States

Vanessa Watson, United Kingdom

Gail Watt, Sweden

Robert Weikal, United States

Robert Welch, United States

James Wholley, United States

Folkert Wierda, Finland

Roger Williams, United States

Norman Willox, United States

Marlene Wind, Belgium

Mauricio Wittenberg, Chile

Ehab Youssef, Egypt

Anthony Zacharzewski, Belgium

Harold Zuckerman, United States