Frontline Fellows

Evan Mawarire

Zimbabwe
Evan Mawarire is a Zimbabwean pastor and changemaker renowned for founding the #ThisFlag Citizen’s Movement, which mobilized millions to confront corruption, injustice, and poverty through peaceful protests. His movement’s work contributed to the ousting of dictator Robert Mugabe.

Despite facing multiple imprisonments, torture, assassination attempts and treason charges, which forced him into exile in the United States, Mawarire's courage and leadership have made him a symbol of hope and resilience.

About Mawarire

Despite facing multiple imprisonments, torture, assassination attempts and treason charges, which forced him into exile in the United States, Mawarire’s courage and leadership have made him a symbol of hope and resilience.

Globally recognized, Evan has spoken at Yale, Harvard, the Oxford Union, the Atlantic Council, Exponential Global Conference and international forums like the Oslo Freedom Forum and the Geneva Summit for Human Rights & Democracy. He was named among Foreign Policy Magazine’s 100 Global Thinkers and awarded ‘African of the Year’ by South Africa’s Daily Maverick in 2016. Additionally, he was nominated for Sweden’s Per Anger Prize in 2018 for his advocacy work.

Evan Mawarire has been a visiting fellow of Stanford, Yale, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Pennsylvania, as well as the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). He serves on the advisory board of Yale University’s International Leadership Center, the board of Integrity Initiatives International and is a Senior Fellow at Renew Democracy Initiative. He is the author of Crazy Epic Courage – How a ‘Nobody’ Challenged Brutal Dictators and Moved a Nation, a memoir that shares his work and experiences.

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