We are at the dawn of 2017 and the modern world is teetering. Or it is steaming full ahead, according to your news sources and consequent points of view.
One thing is clear. It’s high time to speak up and out. In many places around the world, democracy and the rule of law are being undermined, human rights violated and their universal nature denied.
In order to dramatize the consequences of loss of free speech, the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (with help from ad agency King) has produced a short film #Free the Speech.
The video features celebrities such as Leonardo di Caprio, Emma Watson and Malala Yousafzai in the podium, ready to express themselves. Instead, there is only awkward silence.
Margot Wallström, Minister for Foreign Affairs, argues that “free speech and transparency are prerequisites not only for democracy but also for innovation, feeding ideas through critique, debate, and scrutiny.”
