TRUTH OVER TRIBE

RDI envisions a world where the forces of freedom are united and authoritarianism is in retreat.

The Renew Democracy Initiative is committed to unmasking and confronting the alliance of dictators threatening freedom around the world. By doing so, we inspire those in the United States and in other free countries to value and protect their own democracies.

Our work is guided by four key pillars

Education

We leverage the voices of unique messengers to organize events and create written and video content that highlights the threats facing liberal democracy while uniting disparate communities around common principles. 

In the fall of 2023, RDI organized the Frontlines of Freedom Conference, bringing together over 100 political dissidents, NGO leaders, and public officials to discuss and challenge transnational repression. 

In public facing content, RDI publishes two newsletters, the Democracy Brief and the Topline, to its tens of thousands of subscribers. It also produces popular video series on YouTube, garnering millions of views each year. 

On campuses across the US, RDI has organized dozens of speaking engagements. RDI partnered with Johns Hopkins University to teach a course each year based on the Frontlines of Freedom dissident network. RDI also established a Dissident-in-Residence program at Johns Hopkins, with Sunny Cheung of Hong Kong serving as the 2023-24 awardee. 

Advocacy

We aim to shift opinion and behavior among targeted groups of thought leaders, decision-makers, and other key constituencies on issues critical to RDI’s mission. 

RDI is particularly active in advocacy for the defense of Ukraine. RDI organized a delegation of American thought leaders to travel to Ukraine, as well as a delegation of British Conservatives led by former Prime Minister Liz Truss to come to DC and shore up critical GOP support for Ukraine.

In 2023, RDI issued a comprehensive report demonstrating that transferring billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine is permissible under existing US law. The report titled “Making Putin Pay” was principally authored by constitutional lawyer Laurence Tribe and his colleagues at the law firm Kaplan, Hecker & Fink LLP.

Action

When we can add unique value, we offer direct support to those whose freedom is threatened by authoritarianism. 

RDI has donated more than $5 million in 2023 to a range of humanitarian aid and political information campaigns supporting the defense of Ukraine. Our value-investing approach maximizes impact in frontline communities, enabling more people to either return to their homes or never leave in the first place. 

Our deep connections in Ukraine have enabled us to cut out middlemen and work directly with affected communities at scale. To give jobs to Ukrainians and develop internal Ukrainian capacity, we ensure that as much of our aid as possible is produced in-country.

Community Building

Both virtually and in-person, we build communities of thought leaders, dissidents, students, and others who believe in and are committed to the values of liberal democracy. We do this through intimate salon discussions, innovative event series and courses, inspiring speaking engagements, and more.

Garry Kasparov

We can either be the generation that renews democracy or loses it forever.

Garry Kasparov