Community organizers and activists are working to save democracy and to transition to democracy as human rights and civil society spaces are under attack around the world. This timely discussion in the People Power: COVID 19 and Beyond webinar series features the stories, lessons and nuts/bolts skills of scholars and activists who study and wage nonviolent struggle to fight to save or transition to democracy. They will share relevant experience from the US, South Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, Israel and case studies from around the world.

Panelists: Lester Kurtz, Moderator, is a prolific writer, teacher and researcher on civil resistance and peacebuilding including the Paradox of Repression and Nonviolent Movements, and editor-in-chief of the Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict. He is currently based in Seoul, South Korea and teaches at George Mason University;

Farida Nabourema is a Togolese human rights activist and writer who founded the "Faure Must Go" civil resistance democracy movement at age 20. Nabourema was recognized as "Advocate of the Year (Female)" by the Africa Youth Awards and lives in exile due to her dangerous work for democratic transition.

Claude Muhigirwa is a grassroots nonviolent activist leader from the highly respected youth movement, LUCHA (Struggle for Change) credited with democratic transition in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He continues LUCHA's work for to strengthen government accountability and transparency, livelihood rights and youth empowerment;

Stephen Zunes, renowned Middle East scholar, writer, and expert of strategic nonviolent action is Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University of San Francisco, a senior policy analyst for Foreign Policy in Focus project of the Institute for Policy Studies, and author of Civil Resistance against Coups;

Yeela Ranaan, is an Israeli scholar activist who has worked for two decades with the Regional Council for Unrecognized Bedouin Villages in the Negev, as well as with peace and justice groups fighting closing civic space and an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine and siege of Gaza. She teaches classes at Sapir College.