I am delighted to share my perspective on humanity's future and the challenges we face today in different areas. Together, let's explore solutions and create a brighter tomorrow for all of us.

With the rising global temperature, climate change, and the accompanying hazards, climate and environmental concerns and global warming was the main priority for conferences, research centers, universities, and studies until a few years ago. It was deemed that poverty, sustainable development, democracy, problems with freedom, concerns about women's rights, equality, and other global challenges came in second to this.

Over the past three years, the global agenda has shifted significantly. The Covid-19 pandemic emerged as a major challenge in all countries and societies, with its rapid and deadly impact on human life. The outbreak of war in Ukraine following the Russian invasion further reshaped the challenges facing humanity and the future of our planet. The risks of a global nuclear war have become more prominent with the escalation of conflict, war, and tension between Russia and NATO, as well as rising tensions between Taiwan and China. These conflicts reflect on the whole world and contribute to the rise of stress and conflicts in many regions.

Beyond the prospect of a conflict between powerful nations, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought forth additional perils. The conflict began amidst a pre-existing global economic crisis triggered by a series of crises concerning energy, food, and refugees that have affected Europe and the rest of the world.

The current global situation is volatile and has led to a shift in priorities and challenges for various entities, including countries, human rights and civil society organizations, research centers, universities, and those invested in the future of humanity and its associated challenges. The escalation of violent conflicts and wars poses a significant threat to democracy and human rights, potentially resulting in a backlash against these values. Therefore, I will focus on the risks to freedoms, democracy, and human rights.

Discussions about the future of humanity prompt us to contemplate the prospects for democracy and human rights, as well as the progress achieved by modern states. Such achievements were not easily won and were the result of struggles that lasted for tens or even hundreds of years, during which societies suffered from injustice, oppression, and tyranny. 

Huge sacrifices were made before transitions led to modern states built on foundations that honor their citizens and adhere to their will. These states protect their citizens and their institutions. Their laws are founded on respect for fundamental human rights, justice, fairness, equality, and adherence to the rule of law, which applies equally to everyone.

What can we say about the future of democracy and human rights in a world where nuclear weapons, natural disasters, tyranny, and authoritarianism in the Middle East and Africa are rising after a string of bloody wars and uprisings against the Arab Spring?

One might argue that democracy is no longer a top priority, that major wars and periods of violence are returning, and that a struggle is taking place to determine the nature of the world and the system that will rule during the twenty-first century based on balances of power, stockpiles of deadly weapons, and conflict equations that do not give consideration to democracy, rights, freedoms, justice, or equality.

This does not, however, provide a reason for ignoring democracy and the achievements of modern governments that have spread throughout the West and had some influence on other continents and civilizations. Instead, I perceive the inverse. 

I think this backlash brought on by conflicts will increase democracy's significance and restore its value. Threats of a return to the Middle Ages bolster our resolve to uphold a just order that encourages equality, supports laws that respect and safeguard human rights, and allows for participation and oversight.

Today, while the significance of power and weapons in worldwide disputes is widely acknowledged, we also recognize the importance of the legal and cultural heritage that humanity has amassed. This heritage aims to build nations on principles that safeguard individual rights and freedoms, establish constitutions and laws based on respect for human beings, and prioritize the well-being of citizens, ensuring their rights to justice, equality, participation, and dignified life.

I would like to share the beliefs that I expressed before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is currently causing shockwaves around the world. It may be commonly believed that the decline of democracy is occurring due to the sharp polarization and confrontation between the democratic West and large countries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, which conflict with democratic values and human rights. However, we believe that the root cause of this neglect did not originate from dictatorships that nobody supports in the name of democracy but rather from the policies of the democratic West itself.

In my opinion, the democratic West's betrayal of the Arab Spring was the beginning of the global trends in which democracy and human rights are in decline, paving the way for different types of conflicts that threaten to bring humanity back to the dark ages and even destroy human civilization entirely with a nuclear war.

Any trends encouraging democratic transitions should have been present during the Arab Spring and unaffected by anxieties. Democratic Western nations can defend their interests in a democratic Middle East. This is both doable and accessible. Do the interests of Western countries in our region depend on the presence of oppressive governments, dictatorships that are antagonistic to their citizens, militias, and protracted wars?

The values of peace, brotherhood, democracy, human rights, and the entire system of human values are currently facing an unprecedented global backlash. These values have been a concern for humanity for hundreds of years, but it wasn't until the middle of the 20th century, following two brutal world wars that claimed the lives of tens of millions of people, that they were finally able to be crystallized in its legal and human rights framework.

We need to adopt fair strategies that guarantee the rights of people, democracy, and human rights, without favoring one nation over another. If we want to choose the type of future we want for ourselves and all humanity, we must take a stand on this.

The global trend towards war, racism, hatred, and extremist racial tendencies are all extensions of the worldwide movement supported in the Arab world, represented by the counter-revolutions against the Arab Spring. When considering the future of democracy, one question that arises is why the democratic West colluded with a regional conflict led by both Iran and Saudi Arabia against our peaceful revolutions, which have gained worldwide respect as embodiments of contemporary democratic aspirations.

 

My dears:

In a world that is once more moving at an accelerated pace toward wars, the expansion of lethal weaponry, the revival of imperial and geopolitical conflicts between states, and their tendencies to armed hegemony leaving the issues of democracy and freedom in the margins, we stand before you today to remind you, ourselves, and the world of our cause, for which people took to the streets in the Arab Spring revolutions. Also included are human rights, the will of the people, and their right to elect, hold accountable, and replace their rulers.

Adhering to the right of nations to choose their leaders, participate in politics as equal citizens with rights and duties, and build cross-border alliances that transcend religious, ethnic, and civilizational barriers among the peoples of the world to defend the system of modern values is a global mission, not just a pressing need for Arab peoples who are facing a counter-revolution that threatens them with a future darker than the dictatorships that prevailed in the last decades of the previous century.

We must remember the lessons of the Arab Spring. The failure of these popular uprisings is not just a setback for this region's people but the entire world. The Arab Spring showed us that communities here are eager to embrace democracy, justice, equality, and human rights. They seek a true transformation that would turn the state from a tool of oppression into a space where everyone has a say. They can find common ground and manage their differences peacefully by working together and sharing their ideas. Let's continue to support these efforts toward a better future for all.

The popular uprisings in our region were not a passing whim that ignored reality but a long-overdue and practical need. The tyrants ruling over us had come to believe they were the law of life, disregarding the importance of freedom, dignity, and justice.

 

Dear all,

The current situation suggests that the future may bring a rise in extremism, war, and conflict, as well as a decline in democracy and human rights. While it cannot be definitively stated that the global backlash against democracy began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it can be said that this event played a significant role in marking a turning point. This turning point has ushered in a new era characterized by opposition to democracy and human rights and is accompanied by international conflicts, intense strife, and economic turmoil. The pattern of events since the invasion of Ukraine suggests that this is the reality we face worldwide.

Wars, power struggles, and invasions threaten the entire planet, posing a succession of food, energy, and economic crises that will impact all facets of existence. The erosion of democracy and human rights in international affairs and the rise of an environment supportive of dictatorships and nationalist and racial chauvinism in Europe and the rest of the world are perhaps some of its most notable effects.

While I am not inclined to adopt a pessimistic outlook, we must acknowledge the threats posed by the global backlash against democracy and human rights. There is a real risk that humanity could go backward and start having conflicts where people don't care about treating each other with dignity and respect. This could lead to a world with terrible wars, invasions, massacres, and many people being killed. To avoid this happening, we must take action now to prevent it. We need to make sure we keep supporting democracy and human rights, which are values that we all think are important. As proponents of these values, we are responsible for developing practical initiatives that can address the consequences of international conflicts and wars.

The responsibility to protect democracy lies heavily on the democratic world in Europe and America, but this undertaking also poses significant challenges. While it is imperative to confront fascism, it should not entail forsaking the human values, democracy, and human rights that have defined international relations since World War II, a period marked by horrific tragedies that shook Europe and the rest of the world, making it vital to uphold these values to prevent similar tragedies from occurring once again.

Today, Europe finds itself in the midst of an unexpected war of aggression, which is part of a wider global backlash against democracy, human rights, and the values of modern statehood. This backlash began with the complicity of Western democracies in the counter-revolutions against the Arab Spring uprisings over the past decade. We are now seeing the consequences of this failure to support democratic movements as authoritarianism and aggression continue spreading worldwide.

The resurgence of fascism as a threat to Europe cannot be understood in isolation from past events in the Middle East. The rise of authoritarian regimes and the failure of democratic movements in that region have contributed to a wider global backlash against democracy and human rights.

When the international community remains silent or turns a blind eye to fascist wars in distant regions that are not seen as immediate threats to major powers' security, it should be prepared for the spread of fascism to other countries that had previously considered themselves safe from conflicts in the Middle East or the developing world.

Tyrannical coup regimes, sectarian militias, and extremist groups have found an ally in someone who recognizes and forgives their crimes. At the same time, peaceful popular revolutions and societies that call for change, freedom, and democracy have been met with wars and repression. This has led to a situation where those who commit atrocities are supported while those who strive for positive change are met with resistance. The current threats to democracy facing Europe and the world cannot be solved by temporary measures alone but rather require a fundamental rethinking of global politics and structures.

To effectively respond to new and emerging challenges, there is a need to be adaptable and open to change. This starts with a willingness to address global trends and respond to threats to democracy, human rights, and the values of freedom, peace, and global stability.

To effect change, we must have a broad perspective that recognizes the dangers of fascism, whether it emerges in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, or the West. It is, unfortunately, true that in today's world, the global system and many major Western countries have been silent in the face of fascist regimes in distant regions, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, that are not seen as direct threats to Europe or the West. However, these countries have engaged in hostile actions and interventions that have contributed to the spread of civil wars, unrest, and state collapse, leading to the rise of militias as crucial actors in these regions.

The fundamental principles of democracy, justice, civil society, and human rights are interconnected. They should not be divided into two categories - one for a so-called "civilized world" and another for those outside civilizations and humanity.

When will we fully understand and acknowledge that all people and things share a common destiny and are interconnected through shared interests and relationships, despite their differences?

We shall continue to work toward a worldwide goal that unifies people of various racial, religious, and national backgrounds: the elevation of democracy and human rights. We have gathered here today to raise our voices in support of these causes and to demonstrate our resolve to create a cohesive global vision that elevates democratic and human rights ideals once again. 

The common humanity of people, their shared interests, and their fate in life and the world will be redefined by this vision, not by their racial and ethnic conflicts or the fascist wars imposed on them by regimes and personal exploits of war-mongering leaders who leave only dead bodies, graves, and devastated lands.

In closing, I want to underline that fascism is a defeated ideology and will be consigned to history despite the death, fear, and damage it causes for humanity. As long as people are on this planet, democratic, free, and human rights values will endure.

New forms of fascism will ultimately meet the same fate as their predecessors. The future will only be what we believe in and strive for. Glory to the ongoing human struggle for democracy, freedom, justice, and human rights!