Defend Democracy celebrates double praise for its groundbreaking work on a Zeitenwende for democracy.
Alice Stollmeyer selected for U.S. government’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
Defend Democracy’s founder and executive director, Alice Stollmeyer, has been selected to take part in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), the U.S. State Department’s premier professional exchange program.
Established in 1940, IVLP brings foreign exchange participants to the U.S. to foster global engagement and nurture relationships between international leaders and their American counterparts. As part of the program, this summer Stollmeyer will travel 3 weeks across the United States, visiting U.S. government entities at the federal, state and municipal levels and meeting civil society, media and academia.
Stollmeyer was nominated to participate in the program by the US Mission to the EU because of her remarkable commitment to defending democracy and her outstanding leadership in the field.
“Every year, the State Department sends over 5,000 emerging leaders on professional exchange programs to share best practices and educate future leaders about U.S. policies and governance. Ms. Stollmeyer embodies the excellence and leadership the State Department looks for in IVLP participants. As a strong supporter of democracy and a masterful convener of partners and allies, Ms. Stollmeyer made remarkable contributions to the transatlantic relation over the past few years. The work of Defend Democracy is especially crucial in times of increased foreign malign influence, constant disinformation campaigns and complex hybrid threats.” Fanny Trang, Cultural Affairs, U.S. Mission to the European Union
Alice Stollmeyer: “I am looking forward to exchanging ideas and best practices in combating government corruption. With most of my fellow leaders coming from Eastern European countries, I think they will recognise my view that exporting corruption and economic extortion are part of Russia’s toolbox for conducting hybrid warfare against democracies. But it always takes two to tango: deterring foreign interference starts with having strong democratic institutions at home.”
Stollmeyer will have additional meetings in Washington DC and New York City about building societal resilience to hybrid and technological threats to democracy.
Defend Democracy founder Alice Stollmeyer named top influencer by Politico.
Alice Stollmeyer, Defend Democracy’s founder and Executive Director has been named in Politico’s Power 40 as one of Brussels’ top influencers. The annual publication features 40 key people from government, NGOs and the private sector who are most effectively setting the agenda in politics, public policy and advocacy in Brussels. According to Politico Europe, Stollmeyer was named to the list because of her passion for the European project and democratic values, and for her skills to strategically convene “a good crowd” of high-level stakeholders who care about democracy.
Alice Stollmeyer: “I’m honoured that Defend Democracy’s work to defend and strengthen democracy against foreign, domestic and technological threats has been recognized by Politico as effective and influential.”
“The Supervisory Board of Defend Democracy is very proud of Alice. We are happy to see that Alice gets the recognition she deserves. It’s a result of her great efforts to make change possible. Let this recognition be a boost to make even more impact,” said Pepijn Gerrits on behalf of Defend Democracy’s Supervisory Board.
Politico says of the Power 40: “While their names might not always be known to the public, they are often the ones making things happen behind the scenes — shaping laws, setting political agendas and sparking public conversations.”