Dear Friends,

Within the span of seven days, the world lost two giants who stood for freedom and human dignity — Senator John McCain and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. They were public servants who dedicated much of their their lives to upholding universal values, and advancing democracy and human rights. This is a time when we remember the causes to which they were dedicated and honor their legacies. NDI is proud to have worked with Kofi Annan and his foundation in efforts to promote electoral integrity. 

On September 4th, 2018, former Ambassador Derek Mitchell will become NDI’s new president, taking over the reins from international democracy trailblazer Ken Wollack. In announcing the Board of Director’s decision, NDI Chairman Madeleine K. Albright said:

Political parties play an essential role in a democracy, for which they must exercise good leadership, conduct regular outreach to their constituents, and demonstrate that government is delivering on citizen concerns. When parties cannot fulfill this role, democracy suffers.