you can see the world’s best compete

Dear John,

This time of year is great for sports fans; you have the end of baseball season overlapping with the beginning of football and hockey, and basketball is starting soon. I love a good competition, but the camaraderie we share with other fans is my favorite part. Luckily for me, there’s no shortage of camaraderie or friendly competition at Atlas Network events.

In a way, the Templeton Freedom Award is Atlas Network’s Super Bowl, World Series, and SEC Championship rolled up into one. Winning these games might give fans bragging rights for a year, but the Templeton Freedom Award is the competition that changes the world for the better.

Now I want to tell you about the teams that made our playoffs.

The Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI) was nominated for expanding freedom for entrepreneurs and workers who want to help Lithuania address its major workforce shortages. Recognizing that their free and prosperous nation is an attractive place for many workers from many other countries, LFMI set out to remove barriers that hindered the employment of migrant workers from outside the European Union.

By working with the business community and policymakers, LFMI successfully advocated for policies that make it easier for migrants to apply for jobs and gain permits to live and work in Lithuania. As a result, Lithuanian entrepreneurs are able to grow their enterprises and more workers from fellow post-Soviet countries are stepping up to contribute to their economy. So many countries face similar challenges, and LFMI has created a roadmap full of solutions.

Here in the United States, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) is known for their work defending the First Amendment. They made a name for themselves by publicizing abuses of speech on college campuses, but in recent years, they’ve taken their work to the next level.

FIRE has launched an expanded litigation program to defend speech in courts all across the country. FIRE began litigating in 2014, and so far they've won 24 court cases, struck down 38 restrictive campus speech codes, and won $3 million in damages for victims of censorship. In a time when many Americans fear free speech is no longer as cherished as it once was in our country, FIRE is actively working in the legal field to restore individual rights and allow ideas to flow freely.

In Nepal, Bikalpa—An Alternative recognized a need to help millions of people who depend on motorbikes for transportation—often the only means for Nepalis to get around. A bureaucratic and often corrupt motor vehicle licensing system left people in their province facing the risk of fines, demands for bribes from government officials, and even imprisonment, all because it could take more than two years to get licensed legally.

Bikalpa led a campaign reaching millions of people, swaying the public toward change. The government responded by increasing the number of licensing offices, which substantially reduced wait times to just two weeks. This achievement is an amazing milestone for freedom’s champions in a country where government corruption is all too common.

The freedom movement is growing across the continent of Africa like no time we’ve ever seen before, and African Students for Liberty deserves much of the credit. By developing its alumni network of over 500 people, African Students for Liberty participants span 36 countries and have founded over 20 policy organizations. Through a competitive fellowship program, African SFL has also cultivated numerous writers and policy analysts, changing the course of public policy on the continent by increasing the number and influence of pro-freedom leaders in Africa.

Instituto Liberal de São Paulo (ILISP) played a pivotal role in spreading economic freedom in Brazil. Recognizing the need for action at the state and local levels, ILISP worked to build relationships and garner support for local economic freedom laws—licensing reforms that expand the list of low-risk occupations exempt from government licensing.

Tens of millions of workers have benefited from these changes. Self-employment is a path out of extreme poverty for countless people in Latin America’s most populous country, and ILISP’s hard work has empowered Brazilians to pursue careers and gain crucial legal recognition for their businesses.

Finally, the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF) in the Philippines executed a seven-year campaign to update policies that restricted foreign investment in public services and renewable energy. By advocating to change the law and regulations, FEF increased access and competition in the telecommunications, transportation, and renewable energy industries. These reforms are already creating more affordable services for over one hundred million Filipinos, particularly in remote areas where reliable access to wireless broadband internet and renewable energy sources were previously impossible.

I don’t think an email would ever do these partners’ efforts and achievements justice, but you can meet each of our 2023 Templeton Freedom Award finalists in-person in New York City next month. This will be my 5th Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner, and it never gets old watching people who give so much of themselves to change the world—often with little to no recognition—get the red-carpet treatment they deserve for all they do.

They made it to the playoffs, but who will win the championship? Tune in November 16th to find out!

All my best,
Kam

P.S. If you haven’t met the best competitors in the world, Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner is the place to see them. Please register at the button below.

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