Club Lunch: Reinvigorating Democracy in Asia and Beyond

Authoritarianism may be on the rise – but democracy also remains resilient. Speaking in Hong Kong after stops in Nepal and Myanmar (Burma), former Ambassador Derek Mitchell will discuss reinvigorating democracy in Asia and globally. In an era when authoritarian regimes are weaponizing corrosive disinformation and peddling the myth that economic success is equated with totalitarian rule, Ambassador Mitchell will draw on his experience in and out of government to make the case for investing in democracy.

Derek Mitchell is president of NDI, a non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. From 2012-2016, Mitchell served as US Ambassador to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma) – the first in 22 years. Prior to this appointment, Mitchell was Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Mitchell received a Master of Arts in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.