While I didn’t contribute to Alvin Bragg’s campaign, I have supported many other reform-minded prosecutors. Anyone who wants to know why should read this article I wrote in
@WSJ
.
I have witnessed Ukraine transform from a collapsing part of the Soviet Union to a liberal democracy and an open society. It has faced countless acts of Russian aggression, but has persisted.
For decades, my foundations have invested in dismantling systemic racism—from ending the drug war to securing voting rights. Now, a new $220 million investment will build power in Black communities and new anti-racist policies in the U.S.
Allowing Putin to succeed on his quest will send a message across the world that nations can simply be created or dissolved by brute force. We must
#StandWithUkraine
, as they stand for us.
China’s Xi Jinping is the greatest threat that open societies face today. The country’s roiling real estate market, falling population, and fast-spreading omicron variant might be his undoing, all during his prestige project of the Winter Olympics.
Climate change is an existential threat to our civilization. Human interference has destroyed a previously stable system and human ingenuity will be needed to restore it:
Facebook and President Trump have aligned interests: Facebook will help President Trump get re-elected, and Mr. Trump will, in turn, defend Facebook against regulatory and media attacks.
Rising antisemitism has deadly consequences and is now being weaponized to stifle debate. The White House’s first-of-its-kind National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism is a strong step in combatting this hatred.
Putin’s actions are a direct attack on the sovereignty of all States that were once in the Soviet Union, and beyond. Russia is in clear violation of the United Nations charter and should be held accountable.
Brave Ukrainians are now on the frontline and risking their lives in an onslaught that reminds me of the siege of Budapest in 1944 and the siege of Sarajevo in 1993.
Too much is happening too fast in the world. This “polycrisis,” chiefly caused by the rise of AI, climate change, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is endangering democracies worldwide. Leaders must step up to respond.
Madeleine Albright was an astute stateswoman, scholar, and a true champion for freedom and democracy. She was a trailblazer in her field. My colleagues and I at the
@OpenSociety
Foundations mourn her passing today. We will miss her.
Growing up in Hungary and living through the Nazi occupation was a formative experience. Seeing my father persevere in the face of evil and help others has informed my worldview and inspired my commitment to building open societies. More about my life at .
The fight against dangerous populism and illiberalism will continue in this new decade, but it is vital to fix the world’s wrongs and ensure everyone lives in peace and tolerance.
I was devastated to learn of the death of Natasha Khalil, who was killed in a terrorist attack en route to her job at the Afghan IHRC. Natasha was a graduate of the American University of Central Asia, which I helped found along with the U.S. government.
Afghanistan Independent Human Right Commission announced that its employees lost their lives when their car was targeted by an IED. “They were Fatima Khalil, a Donor Liaison Officer and Jawid Folad, a driver."
Open society must be tested in order for it to survive. While democracy and human rights may have enemies, the people are standing up for their rights and refusing to be cowed by authoritarianism.
Putin seems to have recognized that he made a terrible mistake when he invaded Ukraine. He also seems to know how weak his position is, which could make him an even bigger threat to open societies. Read my remarks from
@Davos
:
Europe today faces immense problems. Much like the dedication that came after a divided Berlin and Germany reunited, a renewed dedication to open society values can be the beginning of a better future for Europe.
It is not so much an abstract concept like “the rule of law” that Viktor Orbán and to a lesser extent Jaroslaw Kaczyński oppose, but a practical limit on personal and political corruption.
It is important that both the transatlantic alliance (the United States, Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom) but also other nations do whatever is in their power to support Ukraine in its time of existential threat.
The organization I founded, the Open Society Foundations, will contribute €1 million to aid the city of Budapest in solidarity with the people of my birthplace in the midst of this unprecedented emergency.
Due to an unavoidable scheduling conflict, regrettably I cannot attend the
@WEF
Annual Meeting in Davos this year as I have in past years. I plan to deliver a speech in Munich on the eve of the
@MunSecConf
. Details to come.
Brave Ukrainians are on the frontline and risking their lives. The horrible images coming out of Ukraine remind me of living in hiding in war torn Budapest in 1944 and the siege of Sarajevo in 1993.
#StandWithUkraine
A vicious conflict in Cameroon has led to thousands fleeing for Nigeria, which may have breached international law when it sent back a group of political asylum seekers and refugees.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn
#RoeVWade
ends federal protections for abortion, diminishes human rights, and greatly threatens reproductive care. We have invested in reproductive rights organizations that are fighting back at this moment.
Thirty years later, nationalism has turned out to be much more powerful and disruptive than internationalism. But I am committed to my convictions and to the goals pursued by open societies.
Prohibition of drugs doesn’t work. Stopping drugs from entering the country isn’t possible. Incarcerating people who use drugs is useless and unjust. We should focus on a public health approach to keep people who use drugs safe and reduce overdoses.
The COVID-19 pandemic endangers the survival of our civilization, and we will not go back to where we were when it started. To counter the coronavirus, we must work together while safeguarding rights and liberties.
Poor leadership and political infighting have put Putin and the Russian forces in desperate straits. I predict that a powerful Ukrainian spring offensive will turn the tide in this war.
I applaud Patrick Gaspard's leadership of the Open Society Foundations in a world beset by illiberalism. Mark Malloch-Brown will be Open Society's new president. He is deeply familiar with its work and shares my vision of philanthropy.
Instruments of control developed by artificial intelligence are giving authoritarian regimes an inherent advantage over open societies. China’s social credit system is the most pernicious example. A discussion from
#WEF19
in Davos:
With a commitment of more than $130 million to fight COVID-19 around the world, my foundations will focus on supporting hard-hit communities, ensuring equitable medical treatment, and protecting freedoms and rights from authoritarian power grabs.
Let's work to ensure that all families who the U.S. government has forcibly separated along the southern borders are soon reunited—and that the forces of compassion, understanding, and justice ultimately prevail.
It is a great honor to receive this award, because I have always been a great admirer of Schumpeter’s thinking. I am also personally heartened to be so warmly received in Vienna, which has become the new home of the Central European University.
To raise the €1 trillion it needs to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure its survival as a Union, the EU should issue perpetual bonds, as Spain suggests. These offer considerable financial firepower for a relatively light fiscal burden.
Mourning Asma Jahangir, fearless defender of women’s and human rights in Pakistan and the world. We worked together on many causes. She leaves behind a great void. I shall miss her strength and friendship
@OpenSociety
@CrisisGroup
The European Union is in an existential crisis and must reinvent itself to escape it. A “multi-track Europe” would allow member states a wider variety of choices that would have far-reaching benefits.
Climate change in the Arctic Circle gravely threatens all people. To counter this threat, we need to reduce emissions, remove excess greenhouse gasses, and—most importantly—refreeze the Arctic.
WATCH Sir David King explain his revolutionary method:
As traditional economic theories and thinking fail to capture the deep downturns and anxiety the world has recently experienced, it is time for a radical rethink, particularly of debt.
Marielle Franco was a champion for Rio's favela residents. After her assassination, her legacy and work for a more humane future live on.
#MariellePresente
My new book, a collection of writings on a range of topics, including: the dangers of AI, the meaning of "political philanthropy," why I founded the CEU, my theory of financial markets, and what I call the tragedy of the European Union.
Today is World Press Freedom Day, which reminds us of the indispensable role a free press plays in an open society. Press freedom and journalists themselves are under attack around the world. They should be supported and protected.
A critical mode of thinking is at the core of building and maintaining an open society. Our social institutions are imperfect and ought to hold themselves to accountability and improvement. That is the idea of an open society.
Pouring billions of dollars into China is a tragic mistake and will damage the national security interests of the United States and other democracies. BlackRock has made a big miscalculation.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine didn’t come out of the blue. It’s the result of the increasing struggle between two diametrically opposed governance systems: open society and closed society. Watch my remarks from
@Davos
at 1pm EDT/7pm CEST:
A critical mode of thinking is at the core of building and maintaining an open society. Our social institutions are imperfect and ought to hold themselves to accountability and improvement. That is the idea of an open society.
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have been driven into unsafe settlements in Bangladesh. With monsoon season approaching, they are in great danger. I am deeply concerned and urge the global community to take extraordinary steps to protect them.
Without a broad pause on debt repayments, poor and middle-income countries will be forced to impose harsh austerity measures. This will compromise their citizens' health and push their economies to the brink, adding further damage from the pandemic.
Millions of Americans are entering their third month without a paycheck. A federal paycheck guarantee for businesses of all sizes, nonprofits, and local and state governments would stop mass unemployment and keep businesses afloat during the pandemic.
Russia must be held accountable for the horrific slaughter of civilians in Bucha and other places in Ukraine. Seeking justice for these atrocities will be difficult but necessary.
Governments have often used crises as excuses to crackdown on rights. The coronavirus pandemic is no different. Protecting civil liberties, resisting scapegoating, and addressing underlying disparities are vital at this time.
Hungary and Poland are brazenly threatening the EU’s foundational values. The compromise over the budget that the Union has reached with the two countries reflect a mistaken belief that this threat can simply be wished away.
As Facebook and Google have grown ever more powerful, they have become obstacles to innovation and are contributing to a lost freedom of mind. They should be more stringently regulated to preserve competition, innovation, and fair and open access.
Yemen's civil war is a humanitarian catastrophe. Regional and global leaders must do more to end the bloodshed and bring those who've violated human rights law to justice:
Courageous human rights champions from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia have won this year’s
#NobelPeacePrize
. This is a strong show of support for those working to hold the powerful accountable and a strong condemnation of authoritarians like Putin.
Assad's war in Syria, with Putin's support, is causing horrific violence and more Syrians to flee. European leaders should not let a fear of conflict with Moscow cloud their vision. Europe should stand with Turkey against Assad and Putin.
@georgesoros
We mourn the tragic death of this bright light. She held great promise as a leader who could have established higher standards of human rights in Afghanistan and she could have helped to overcome the senseless violence that took her from us.
Education is vital to creating personal autonomy and to counter the rising tide of threats against open societies. The Open Society University Network will serve as an international platform for teaching and research.