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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2025
Sustaining Our Commitment to the Enduring Cause of Freedom
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Freedom House was founded in 1941 by a group of concerned citizens led by Eleanor Roosevelt, a Democrat, and Wendell Willkie, a Republican, who believed that America’s survival as a free and democratic nation depended on our triumph over the rising tide of totalitarianism. Since then, Freedom House has worked to support freedom globally and in the United States.
Our work was born from that moment of recognition, when the United States was forced to abandon its isolationism and join the worldwide struggle to defeat authoritarian aggression. We have worked closely with every US presidential administration and with members of Congress across all political persuasions who have shared our understanding that Americans cannot remain free, secure, and prosperous unless the principles of freedom prevail over the forces of tyranny and injustice. The United States has been at its greatest when it recognized that the freedom, prosperity, and security of its people were closely tied to the upholding of foundational freedoms at home and supporting them in the world at large. When we turned our back on that vision, as our country did after World War I, we were reminded of our folly with the death and destruction unleashed by World War II.
Since our founding, our mission has remained steadfast to build, nurture, and sustain democracy in all facets. Our trustees include global leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs, notable academics, civil society leaders, and journalists of different political beliefs. Several are former government officials and people with deep experience in national security. We all believe passionately in democracy because it is a system that allows people with sharply diverging viewpoints and backgrounds to live in a single shared and peaceful society. Freedom House’s bylaws give rise to key pillars that have stood the test of time in pursuit of this mission, including:
To promote the understanding of democracy, rule of law, and freedom.
To encourage all people, especially those in the most restrictive countries, to look to Freedom House as a beacon lighting the struggle for a free world.
To promote the concentrated application of the principles of freedom and democracy in the everyday affairs of the United States of America, so that by sacrifice, intelligence, and justice, this country can be an example of democracy at its best.
To stand as a symbol and center for the never-ending fight for freedom by resisting totalitarian and authoritarian threats while supporting the aspirations of all people for a world of freedom, peace, and security.
We are the current trustees of this treasured, nonpartisan institution, ushering it into its 85th year. Carrying on this mission for the next 85 years will require new and enhanced relationships with current and future democratic partners, private-sector donors, and philanthropic communities. We are confident that Freedom House’s record and ongoing work to create a world where all are free will endure. It has never been so important as it is now.
Freedom House is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to create a world where all are free.
We inform the world about threats to freedom, mobilize global action, and support democracy’s defenders.
Copyright © 2025 Freedom House
All rights reserved.
Freedom House
1850 M Street NW 11th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
[email protected]
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