Description
Across much of the democratic world, debates around free speech, protest, surveillance, citizenship and state power are becoming increasingly common.
Bringing together legal scholar Rim-Sarah Alouane and former South African ambassador and anti-apartheid activist Ebrahim Rasool, this major conversation explores the tensions emerging at the heart of modern liberal democracies.
From securitisation and Islamophobia to selective freedoms and the shrinking space for dissent, the discussion asks whether democratic societies are becoming more fearful, more restrictive and more imbalanced in the way rights and freedoms are experienced, and who ultimately gets to feel truly free.
About the Speakers
Ebrahim Rasool
Ebrahim Rasool matriculated at Livingstone High and graduated at University of CapeTown with an Arts degree and teaching diploma. He has Honorary Doctorates from both Roosevelt and Chatham Universities in the USA and is a Senior Fellow at both Georgetown and Rutgers Universities. He has recently been appointed as Adjunct Professor of Humanities at the Nelson Mandela University.
He has a long history of leadership in the anti-apartheid struggle, leading student boycotts in 1976 and 1980, then resistance at university, forming Muslim and interfaith movements against apartheid, and culminating in leadership positions in the United Democratic Front and the African National Congress.
He then served as Ambassador to the USA during the Presidency of Barack Obama. Currently, he serves as the Global Ambassador for Humaniti International-Africa advancing development, advocacy and global engagement. His leadership remains influential in governance, diplomacy and social justice worldwide.
Dr Myriam François
Myriam François, is an English journalist, filmmaker and writer. Her work has appeared on the BBC, Channel 4 and Al Jazeera. She is the founder and CEO of production company MPWR productions, which specialises in documentary films which centre on minoritised voices.
Myriam’s award-winning, directorial debut documentary Finding Alaa (BBC/CBC 2023) won the “Special Mention” Award at Doc Fest’23 and “Best Short” at the Independent Shorts Festival. The film has been BAFTA Longlisted as “Best Short Film” 2024 and premiered at Hot Docs and the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo.
Myriam was nominated as one of only 14 “filmmakers to watch” in 2021 by One World Media.
About the Chair
Humza Yousaf
Humza Yousaf served as Scotland’s First Minister from 29th March 2023 – 7th May 2024. Upon assuming office, Humza became the first Muslim leader of a Western European nation. Elected to the Office of First Minister at the age of 37, he became Scotland’s youngest First Minister, and the first Person of Colour to become First Minister of Scotland. He has served in several government roles in twelve years as a Minister in the Scottish Government, including; Minister for External Affairs and International Development, Minister for Transport, Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care. He became the first Person of Colour and Muslim member of the Scottish Government in Scotland’s history when he was made Minister for External Affairs and International Development in 2012, aged 27. He was also appointed to lead the SNP’s campaign against Brexit in 2016. Humza is the only First Minister to have made the front cover of Time Magazine, where he was described as an “extraordinary leader” and “trailblazer”.
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