Dr. Michael Ignatieff

Political Leader

Canada

Dr. Michael Ignatieff is a Canadian writer, academic and former politician who currently serves as president of Central European University in Budapest. Previously, he held a joint professorial appointment at the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He served as a member of the Canadian Parliament and as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada from 2006 until 2011. Ignatieff is an accomplished author, having written numerous books, articles and a television play. “The Russian Army,” his 1987 memoir about his family’s experience in nineteenth century Russia, won the Governor General’s Award for nonfiction and the Heinemann Award. He has also been a regular broadcaster and critic in the media, featured on many programs, including the award-winning series “Blood and Belonging: Journeys into the New Nationalism.”

Foreign Min. Khurshid Kasuri

Political Leader

Pakistan

Minister Khurshid Kasuri joined the political and strategy committee for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf after leaving his position as chairman of the steering committee of the Pakistan Muslim League in 2011. He served as foreign minister of Pakistan from 2002 to 2007. Prior to his appointment as foreign minister, he was chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on media. Between 1988 and 2000, Kasuri served as the prime minister’s special envoy to Russia, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and the European Union and represented Pakistan as a member of Pakistan parliamentary delegations. Throughout his career, Kasuri has taken an active interest in various political movements for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.

Foreign Min. Yoriko Kawaguchi

Political Leader

Japan

Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi is a distinguished fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute and professor at the Meiki Institute for Global Affairs in Tokyo. Previously, she was a member of the House of Councillors of Japan where she chaired the Standing Committee on Environment. From 2002 to 2004, she served as the minister for foreign affairs of Japan. She has also held the positions of special advisor to the prime minister of foreign affairs and minister of the environment. From 2008 to 2010, she served as co-chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament. She is currently a member of the Asia Pacific Leadership Network, executive advisor of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and distinguished fellow at the Tokyo Foundation.

Hon. Naoki Kazama

Political Leader

Japan

The Honorable Naoki Kazama is a member of the House of Councillors of Japan. Within his party, Kazama is the director of the Committee on Financial Affairs. He previously held positions as party secretary and was elected as a member of the Niigata Prefecture Assembly. Kazama has also participated in international voluntary activities in Mali in 1997 following the civil war, and in training sponsored by the U.S. State Department on security issues and diplomatic realities of democratic institutions.

Sen. J. Robert Kerrey

Political Leader

United States

Former Governor and U.S. Senator from Nebraska Bob Kerrey is a lobbyist with the Carmen Group in Washington, D.C. He previously served as president of The New School, a university in New York, N.Y., founded on strong democratic ideals and innovative educational practices until 2010. Kerrey served on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and was a member of the 9/11 Commission. He served for three years in the United States Navy SEAL special forces unit and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1970.

President Frederik Willem de Klerk

Political Leader

South Africa

Frederik Willem de Klerk was president of South Africa from 1989 to 1994. In 1990, de Klerk gave orders to dismantle South Africa’s nuclear weapons program before revealing its existence to the international community. During his presidency, de Klerk also brought apartheid to an end. De Klerk’s efforts led to South Africa’s acceptance into the international community after years of isolation and he was awarded a shared Nobel Peace Prize with President Nelson Mandela in 1993. In 1999, de Klerk founded The FW de Klerk Foundation.

De Klerk passed away on November 11, 2021.

Prime Min. Wim Kok

Political Leader

Netherlands

Prime Minister Wim Kok served as the president of the Club of Madrid, an organization consisting of former heads of state and government who have come together to demand support for democratic leadership and governance and response to crises, from 2009-2013. From 1994 to 2002, he was the prime minister and minister for general affairs of the Netherlands. After withdrawing from the position of prime minister, he advised the European Commission on the consequences of its plans to expand by 10 members and served as chairman of the European Employment Taskforce, established by the European Council.

Kok first joined politics in 1986 when elected to the Lower House of Parliament later serving as minister of finance. In 2003, he was appointed minister of state.

Kok passed away in October 2018.

Pres. Ricardo Lagos

Political Leader

Chile

President Ricardo Lagos is the former president of Chile, having served from 2000 to 2006. He is currently founder and president of the Foundation for Democracy and Development, professor at large at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University and a member of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate. In 2008, the UN secretary-general appointed Lagos special envoy for climate change where he served until 2010. He has worked as a consultant at the UN and as an economist at UNESCO and the International Labor Organization. He has also held the posts of minister of public works, minister of education and the ambassador to the Soviet Union. Lagos has authored numerous articles and books including “The Concentration of Economic Power,” “Social Sciences in the Democratization Process” and “Democracy for Chile: A Socialist Proposition.”