Choosing Freedom in the Modern Era

Vermont Council on World Affairs

Join the Vermont Council on World Affairs as we host the George Bush Institute for a virtual discussion on modern freedom and democracy.

As the Covid-19 pandemic and global protests dominate the first half of 2020, the world is watching governments&#x27; responses with a close eye. Although facing similar issues, the response of democratic governments often contrasts greatly with that of authoritarian regimes.Join the Vermont Council on World Affairs as we host the George Bush Institute for a discussion on how democracies and authoritarian regimes are addressing modern issues, and how global cooperation can be achieved by U.S. support for democracy and human rights worldwide.Meet the Speakers:Nicole Bibbins Sedaca:Nicole Bibbins Sedaca is the incoming Deputy Director of the Georgetown University’s Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) program, and also serves as the Chair for the Global Politics and Security Concentration and a Professor in the Practice of International Affairs in MSFS. She teaches graduate seminars on democracy, human rights, and ethics and decision making.Bibbins Sedaca has held numerous positions in the public and non-governmental sectors in the United States and Ecuador. She served for ten years in the United States Department of State, working on democracy promotion, human rights, human trafficking, religious freedom, refugees, and counterterrorism. Following her governmental service, she opened and directed the International Republican Institute’s local governance program in Ecuador. She also taught at the Universidad de San Francisco de Quito (Ecuador) on democratization and conflict resolution. She also co-led the USFQ Model United Nations team that won several awards in April 2009. Prior to returning to Georgetown full-time, she served as the Director of the Washington Office of Independent Diplomat, a diplomatic advisory group.

Lindsay Lloyd:Lindsay Lloyd is the Bradford M. Freeman Director of the Human Freedom Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute, where he manages original research and programmatic efforts to advance freedom and democracy in the world. This includes the work of the Freedom in North Korea project, which raises awareness of human rights violations in North Korea, proposes new policy solutions, and engages leaders to help improve the lives of the North Korean people; the Freedom and Democracy project, which seeks to support U.S. leadership in the world and reenergize our democracy at home; and the Liberty and Leadership Program, which works to equip emerging young leaders in Burma with the skills and knowledge they need to help guide their country’s democratic transition. Lindsay also oversees the Institute’s North Korea Freedom Scholarship, which provides financial and other support for North Korean refugees and their children to pursue higher education.Prior to joining the Bush Institute, Lindsay served for 16 years at the International Republican Institute (IRI), most recently as senior advisor for policy. Previously, he was IRI’s regional director for Europe and co-director of the regional program for Central and Eastern Europe, which was based in Slovakia. At IRI, Lindsay worked with candidates, elected officials, political parties, and civil society activists to develop lasting democratic institutions.

2026 International Speaker Series

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Choosing Freedom in the Modern Era

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Choosing Freedom in the Modern Era

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2026 International Speaker Series

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