Dear Friend,

however you’re involved with Liberties, whether you donate, subscribe, share, or talk to friends about the issues we raise, we couldn’t do this without you. As things slowly start winding down for the holidays, you’re probably looking forward to putting 2022 behind you. And we don’t blame you. Many of us, including staff here at Liberties, feel like we’ve been lurching from one crisis to another. And while we’re planning to enjoy a well-deserved rest, we know that the challenges facing democracy will follow us into the new year.

Crises can give us the chance to step back, recognise what we’ve been doing wrong and create a better future. Whether that’s moving from reliance on fossil-fueled dictators to home-grown clean energy, or making sure corporations pay people who work enough to support their families.

But for people to come together and build a fairer tomorrow, we need to have accurate information about the problems we’re facing and have leaders who listen to what citizens want.

And here’s the thing. Authoritarians love to use a crisis to their advantage. Instead of working for their citizens, they deepen divisions and entrench their power by scapegoating marginalized groups and attacking their critics. When citizens working through associations and journalists call out the regime or uncover crime and corruption, they face bogus lawsuits and smear campaigns to silence and discredit them. And Big Tech corporations are quite happy to spread their hate-filled misinformation because it boosts their profits.

That’s why we’re working to boost the power of activists, protect campaigners and journalists from attack and tackle BigTech.

Earlier this month we launched a new e-learning platform to help activists get the skills and knowledge they need to win campaigns. In 2023 we’ll be creating new courses to help them fight smarter. Throughout 2022 we’ve been bringing together campaigners and experts across our home city of Berlin. In 2023 we’ll continue to host these events, because by getting to know each other, we’re laying the foundations for the coalitions of the future.

In 2023 we’ll be pushing the EU to better protect the reporters we rely on for the truth, and the associations we work through to demand the solutions we need. This year, we convinced the EU to develop a law to clamp down on abusive lawsuits, as well as create a fund to support organizations facing legal harassment. In 2023, we’ll be pushing for new rules to shield activists from government attempts to paralyse them with red tape.

With our partners, in 2022 we successfully pushed the EU to create new rules to curb disinformation so we can rely on the internet for reliable information and debate that helps our democracy work properly. In 2023 we’ll be making sure the EU creates strong bodies that can enforce these rules.

We know it’s been another tough year. From extreme weather, war in Europe, to spiralling living costs. But we’re fighting to make sure that citizens have the tools they need to demand solutions that are best for all of us. We hope we can count on your continued support as we look forward to another year of helping each other use our rights to build the future we want. And if you’d like to take your support for us to the next level, you can make a donation and contribute to our continued success into 2023.

Take care,
Ilina & the Liberties Team