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Flagship Event September 23, 2024

The 2024 Atlantic Council Global Citizen Awards

This year’s Global Citizen Awards recognize the accomplishments of key global citizens seeking to improve the state of the world.

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Honorees

H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
President of the Republic of Ghana

H.E. Giorgia Meloni
President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic

H.E. Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic

Miky Lee
Vice Chairwoman, CJ Group

Event transcript

Uncorrected transcript: Check against delivery

JOHN F.W. ROGERS: Well, good evening and welcome to the Atlanta Council Global Citizen Awards. And it’s a pleasure to be with all of you here tonight. And each year we gather during the United Nations General Assembly to underscore the Atlantic Council’s mission to shape the global future together, and to galvanize our partners and our allies to meet the world’s most consequential challenges and to promote freedom, opportunity, prosperity across all nations.

In navigating the myriad of social and economic and political issues that define the pivotal moment in our history, it is vital that individuals of intellect, and of experience, and resolve guide our collective march towards a safer and a more secure world. And tonight, we recognize four individuals who have taken up the call to serve that purpose, greater than oneself, who are a shining example of the Atlantic Council’s principles, and who together comprise this truly remarkable gathering for our Citizens Award.

Our setting here at the Ziegfeld Ballroom here in New York City, it’s a fitting venue for this event with its interior decoration which is really redolent of its art deco heritage. In its heyday, this style represented faith in social progress. And in this way, we pay tribute to our honorees who, they themselves, are an expression of such progress with their enduring contributions to advance society.

We convene, however, at a crossroads for The Atlantic Council, and the broader global community, as we withstand an era of formidable geopolitical uncertainty. It is no hyperbole to say that establishing cooperative solutions to present day conflicts and circumstances has seldom been more urgent. As NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said and reminded us when we were together in Washington at the seventy-fifth anniversary summit, security is not a matter for the regions, but a global one. Europe’s security affects Asia, and Asia’s security affects Europe.

So it’s not surprising then that one needs only a cursory understanding of global affairs to recognize the world is confronting historic and far-reaching trials. The ongoing impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the resurgence of conflict in the Middle East, and the continued complex tensions in Asia all happening amid technological shifts driven by artificial intelligence and other disruptive technologies.

Nonetheless, in the face of such mounting economic and societal dislocation, we can be encouraged by the Council’s formidable strength at a time when our work has never been more imperative. The outcome, however, is far from a foregone conclusion. We must maintain a rigorous focus on our expanded global mission to help US leadership work in tandem with our long-time advocates, experts, and the allies to respond strategically to destabilizing events that happen and advance the broader cause of democracy worldwide.

By leveraging our influential resources, academic and functional expertise, the Atlantic Council will continue to facilitate the forums and the policy frameworks necessary to navigate the multifaceted political dynamics that permeate the twenty-first century.

Robin Lane Fox, the well-known British historian and gardening columnist in the Financial Times, he often reflects on gardening from a philosophical perspective. In one of his works, he touches on the metaphor of a gardener needing a two-way mirror to see sideways and forward.

What he means by this is that a gardener must have dual vision, simultaneously looking at the present and the future. Seeing sideways refers to an understanding of the current state of the garden, paying attention to the details, the managing of the plants and other flora that they are now.

Meanwhile, seeing forward points to the gardener’s need to plan ahead, anticipating growth, seasonal changes and long-term development. Essentially, it’s about balancing short-term care with long-term vision.

Now, September—we’re all gathered here—it’s a transitional month, straddling both the summer and autumn, a period of subtle overlap where warmth and blooms linger but with the signs of the fall, as cooler evenings and changes in light affect us all.

More a gentle merging than a sharp break, this duality brings with it a mix of tasks typical of both seasons, tending to the remnants of growth while looking ahead to the next planting, and all that to come.

So why am I speaking to you all about gardening, particularly when I’m really not a very good gardener? As we convene on this September evening in New York City, I think we can look at the world’s current circumstances and our respective roles and our responsibilities much the same way. As we transition from what has been to what will be in the natural course of events and things, we must seek enjoyment and optimism in our toil, what we tend to, the decisions that we make, and in our hopes to reap the fruits of our labor in due time.

At the same time, it behooves us to keep our gaze appropriately trained on the sideways, the current state of our environment, managing things as they are; in essence, getting through the day and the night before we can focus on the week. This is because we live in a complex world, with risks seen and unforeseen, and disruptions to our plans and other impediments to progress, our everyday realities, whatever the context may be.

A natural world exists in its own duality, a state of short-term regenerative decay for the sake of long-term perpetual rebirth. So similarly in ours, we must keep our eyes fixed on the sideways, for all we must look for, grapple with and overcome in the moment if we are to bridge to all that’s possible in the future; and the forward, if we are to advance society and its effects, both positive change for generations to come.

It has been insightfully noted, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. And this evening, the Atlantic Council recognizes a rare few who inspire us and the world to shine; to believe in something better, and strive for something brighter, and safeguard those ideals we hold sacrosanct. They represent the very best of our transatlantic partnership and serve as beacons, guiding us towards a highest aspiration.

So it’s now my privilege to add four exemplary global citizens to the rolls of our past honorees who have distinguished themselves, each in their own way, and made an indelible and enduring contribution to the world.

The son of the gold coast, he spent his childhood abroad, eventually returning to become a high school teacher and ultimately the eighth president of Ghana.

Fleeing his country as a child—our next honoree—he found his way back home before finding success at Harvard and in a business career, and finally, the prime minister of Greece.

A young girl of determination, filled with youthful activism, she would become a prime minister of Italy by step by step moving herself out of her condition and charting her own future.

A Hollywood kid in Korea, her early passion for television and film would propel her cultural and artistic storytelling to a world stage and earn her an academy award.

Ladies and gentlemen, these are the 2024 Global Citizens. And I now speak for all of us when I say that we are in awe of their accomplishments, inspired by their resolve, and humbled in their company. So now let’s begin our program by turning your attention to the screens as we recognize our first honoree.

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome the president of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency William Samoei Ruto.

WILLIAM SAMOEI RUTO: Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, tonight I have the great honor of introducing to you a leader who just doesn’t talk about leadership, he shows it in action. His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is affectionately known in Ghana as Addo Showboy. This nickname captures his deep cultural roots and his reputation for decisive leadership. His surname, Addo, reflects a lineage of public service and leadership spanning generations.

What about Showboy? What about Showboy? It captures his deep roots. That’s because his modern leadership, time and again, demonstrates that true leadership is about action, not words. Born on the 29th of March 1944 in Kibi in eastern region of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo from a family known for its enduring commitment to public service. His father, Edward Akufo Addo, was one of the big six, the founding fathers of Ghana who vote for the nation’s independence. This spirit of duty to serve runs through his veins. And from an early age, he embraced the belief that true leadership is about making a difference in people’s lives.

I deeply admire my brother and friend, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his courage and determination in steering Ghana through economic and political challenges, laying the groundwork for its transformation. Ask any Ghanaian, and they will speak proudly of the free senior high school policy, which has transformed lives by making education accessible to all. President Akufo-Addo’s vision of Ghana beyond aid has inspired not just Ghanaians, but Africans across the continent to pursue self-reliance and take control of their destinies.

His leadership is revered throughout Africa, especially with bold moves like the abolition of visa and visa requirement for Africans by the end of 2024, underscoring his belief in unity. I share with President Akufo-Addo a strong commitment to the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the potential for African Continental Free Trade Area to drive African growth. His leadership, whether through transforming agriculture with planting for food and jobs, or industrializing Ghana through the One District, One Factory initiative, remains focused on advancing his people.

As a famous African proverb says, if the cat wants to dance it doesn’t wait for the drums to be beaten. Addo Showboy never waits for the perfect moment. He takes initiatives and leads from the front. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to introduce to you his excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Addo Showboy, the president of the Republic of Ghana. A veritable champion of global citizenship. Let’s give him a warm welcome he richly so deserves.

NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO: Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I’m deeply moved and profoundly grateful to receive this Atlantic Council Global Citizen Award. This moment cannot just be about me. It is about the people of Ghana who inspire me with their resilience, their strength, and unwavering belief in a brighter future. They are the true global citizens and I accept this award on their behalf.

Being in the company of such accomplished individuals—Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, and media pioneer Nikki Lee of Korea—humbles me.

I’m particularly honored that my good friend President William Ruto of Kenya has presented me for this award. He represents the new generation of African leadership that holds such promise for our continent.

This recognition reminds me that as president of Ghana my leadership has been deeply shaped by the principles of unity, democracy, and the shared global responsibility.

In today’s interconnected world no nation can stand alone. Our future as Ghanaians, as Africans, and as members of a global family depends on our ability to work together and lift each other up.

Throughout my presidency I’ve seen firsthand the power of collaboration. We face challenges, yes, but we have also achieved significant progress, from strengthening our democratic institutions to expanding opportunities for our citizens.

But none of this would have been possible without the support and collective effort of the Ghanaian people who wake up every day and give their best for their families, their communities, and their nation.

Receiving this award is not a conclusion. It is a call to action. It is a reminder that the work of building a more just and equitable world is far from over. The challenges we face whether it is climate change, political stability, widening inequality or terrorism are global in nature and they require global solutions.

I’m proud of the partnership between Ghana and the United States of America which has been built on mutual respect, shared values, and a commitment to democratic principles. Together we have made real progress in advancing human rights and the rule of law but there’s still so much more we can do and achieve as long as we remain united, especially at this time when terrorism and violent extremism are threatening to submerge West Africa and, indeed, the rest of the world in darkness and tyranny.

As I near the end of my time as president I do so with a full heart, knowing that I’ve given my all to serve my people and my nation. But my commitment to the ideals of democracy, justice, and global citizenship will not end when I leave office.

I’ll continue to advocate for these values because they are the key to a future where every person has a chance to thrive regardless of where they are born.

I believe all of this is best summed up by the greatest of English metaphysical poets of the seventeenth century, John Donne, when he made the famous pronouncement “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”

To the Atlantic Council, thank you for this honor. To my fellow honorees, I extend my warmest congratulations and respect, and to everyone here tonight let us leave this room with a renewed sense of purpose, knowing that when we work together we can create a brighter world for all.

I thank you for your attention.

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe.

FREDERICK KEMPE: Thank you, Mr. President, for what you yourself called a call to action. It was an honor to visit you a short while ago to speak to you about taking this award in Accra, in your office, where I visited with the senior director of our Africa Center, Ambassador Rama Yade.

We were moved by your passion. We were moved by your passion for Africa, for your country, and for democracy.

Politico this morning called our dinner the hottest ticket in town. I wouldn’t comment on media reports. That would not be my role. But we don’t mind the sizzle, but sizzle means nothing without substance.

With apologies to Alexander Hamilton, this is a room where it happens; mostly seen, but some things unseen. I’m going to talk about one of those.

Last year, in our front row, Almar Latour, who is here with us again this evening, the Dow Jones CEO and Wall Street Journal publisher, and an Atlantic Council board member and a dear friend, sat with the present parents—with the parents of Evan Gershkovich, who at that time languished in a Russian prison without any hope, without any hope at that point of release.

That was the seen part. Unseen was that the parents met here privately with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, one of our honorees—a meeting brokered by me and Almar; parents invited in the hopes that there could be such a meeting—and he and they then played what Almar tells me was a pivotal role in achieving Evan’s release on [August] 1st, 2024, in one of the most complicated prisoner exchanges ever, involving several governments, involving trips by Almar and the Dow Jones leadership to Davos, to Germany, to the White House for frequent meetings, to the State Department for frequent meetings.

Evan sent me a note today. Evan Gershkovich sent me a note today that he wanted me to read to you. It says, in part, quote: “My parents were in the room with you last year, and it meant a lot to them and to me. It will take some time to fully know everything that happened while I was away, but I know a number of you in this room tonight worked on my behalf. And for that I am grateful.”

So Almar, as a CEO, you’ve produced an enormous bottom-line success. But through it all, you didn’t forget—in fact, you took enormous time to save this one reporter whose well-being, and perhaps life, were threatened. So thank you, Almar. And most of all, thank you, Evan.

And on the sidelines in your conversations, see if you can pull off some things and acts that will improve the state of the world.

Tonight we celebrate, as our chairman, John Rogers, said, remarkable global citizens—two women and two men from three continents—who have, in their unique way, helped advance the Atlantic Council’s mission of shaping the global future together.

As we celebrate the achievements of tonight’s honorees, I would also like to salute the leadership of another distinguished group of individuals, as is our tradition, and they are our 2024 Global Citizen dinner co-chairs. It’s the largest group in the fourteen-year history of this dinner. So, Victor Chu, my, how things have evolved since we launched these awards together in 2010 with our inaugural awardee, Klaus Schwab and Lang Lang on the piano. In this room tonight we have 700 attendees from 53 countries, six current heads of state and government, two former heads of state and government, six former honorees—Klaus Schwab, Luis Alberto Moreno, Albert Bourla, Azam Jangravi, who represented the women and girls of Iran, Victor Chu, and Bahaa Hariri. That’s on top of twenty-five ministers, more than twenty ambassadors, more than a dozen senior US government officials. And there are also in this room seventy Atlantic Council board members and international board members. And I want to thank you all.

So now let me salute the dinner co-chairs, as we do every year. I ask the audience to hold their applause until I’m at the end of this list:

Albert Bourla, Pfizer.

Miky Lee, CJ Group.

Dimitri Papalexopoulos. Dimitri, I’m going to get it right one of these days. Titan Cement Group.

Hyundai Motor Group.

Robert J. Abernethy.

Philippe Amon, SICPA Holding.

Adrienne Arsht.

Alain Bejjani, Bejjani & Associates.

Melanie Chen, Caribbean Energy Chamber.

Victor L.L. Chu, First Eastern Investment Group, and the co-founder of this dinner.

Christos Copelouzos, the Copelouzos Group.

Richard Edelman.

Tara Engel, Pernod Ricard.

Alan Fleischmann and Dafna Tapiero, Laurel Strategies.

Pierroberto Folgiero, Fincantieri.

Meg Gentle

Francesco Maione, Air Products.

Marcel Grisnigt, KNDS.

Mehmet Nazif Gunal, MAPA Group.

Bahaa R. Hariri.

Karl V. Hopkins, Steptoe.

Hunter Hunt, Hunt Energy.

Asha Jadeja, Motwani Jadeja Family Foundation.

Ratko Knezevic.

Theodore Kyriakou, Antenna Group.

Peter Liu, Alpha Ring International.

Stefano Lucchini, Intesa Sanpaolo.

William Lynn, Leonardo.

Mark Machin, Intrepid Growth Partners.

Nicolo Mardegan, Enel Group.

William Marron.

Giampiero Massolo, Mundys.

Alexander Mirtchev.

Patrice Motsepe, African Rainbow Minerals.

Ahmet Oren.

Kostas Pantazopoulos.

Doug Peterson, S&P Global.

John F.W. Rogers, Chairman of the Board, Atlantic Council.

Stephen Schwarzman, Blackstone.

Lorenzo Simonelli, Baker Hughes.

Nader Tavakoli, EagleRock Capital Management.

Symeon Tsomokos, Delphi Economic Forum.

Pavao Vujnovac of PPD.

Guang Yang of FTL Investments.

So with all of you as allies, the Atlantic Council is so much stronger. Let’s give them all a round of applause.

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome chief engineer of SpaceX and CEO of Tesla Elon Musk.

ELON MUSK: Well, it’s an honor to be here and to, well, introduce, I guess, and convey the award to someone who is even more beautiful on the inside than she is on the outside. Giorgia Meloni is someone that I admire, that has done an incredible job as the prime minister of Italy. Italy is experiencing record economic growth, record-low unemployment. It’s great. And she’s also someone who is authentic, honest, truthful, and that cannot always be said about politicians.

And now it’s my pleasure to invite to the stage the president of the Council of Ministers, Her Excellency Giorgia Meloni.

GIORGIA MELONI: OK. Good evening, everyone. Thank you for having me.

My deepest gratitude goes to Chairman John Rogers, President Fred Kempe, the entire Atlantic Council for this distinguished recognition I am very proud of. And I thank Elon for the beautiful words that he had for me and for his precious genius for the era in which we live.

I have put a lot of thought into how to present tonight’s speech. Initially, I thought of emphasizing the pride I still feel as the first woman to serve as prime minister in a nation as extraordinary as Italy, or about the effort the Italian government is doing to reform its country to make it once again a protagonist of the geopolitical chessboard. I could have talked about the inseparable bond that unites Italy and the United States regardless of the political beliefs of the respective governments, a bond witnessed here by the many friends of Italian origin, representatives of a community that for generations has contributed to making America stronger. Or I could have talked about foreign policy in a time dominated by chaos in which Italy stands firmly alongside those who defend their freedom and sovereignty, not only for it is right to do so, but also because it is in the interest of Italy and the West to prevent a future in which the law of the strongest prevails.

As politicians . . . as a politician, you basically have two options: being a leader or a follower, to point the cursor or not, to act for the good of your people or to act only driven by polls. Well, my ambition is to lead and not to follow. Yeah.

Tonight, in any case, I want to offer you a different perspective. Let me start by mentioning an op-ed recently published in the European edition of Politico. This analysis was focused on Meloni’s Western nationalism.

The author, which is called Dr. Constantini, argues that my political belief is in what might be called Western nationalism, a thought which at its heart embodies the survival and renaissance of Western civilization which, according to Constantini, is new to the European scene.

I don’t know if nationalism is the correct word because it often recalls doctrines of aggression or authoritarianism. However, I know that we should not be ashamed to use and defend words and concepts like nation and patriotism because they mean more than a physical place. They mean a state of mind to which one belongs in sharing culture, traditions, values.

When we see our flag if we feel proud it means that we feel the pride to be part of a community and that we are ready to do our part to make its fate better.

Well, for me the West is more than a physical place. By the word West we do not simply define countries by specific geographical location but as a civilization built over the centuries with the genius and sacrifices of many.

The West is a system of values in which the person is central, men and women are equal and free and, therefore, the systems are democratic, life is sacred, the state is secular and based on the rule of law.

I ask and wonder to myself and to you are these values of which we should be ashamed of and are these values—and do these values drive us away from the others or they bring us closer to the others.

As West I think we have two risks to counter. The first is what one of the greatest contemporary European philosophers Roger Scruton called oikophobia from the Greek words oikos, which means home, and phobia, which means fear. Kyriakos, this is my personal tribute to your word tonight. OK. Sorry for being so serious there. I want to share with you this thought I have.

Oikophobia is diversion to one’s home, a mounting incontent which leads us to want to violently erase the symbols of our civilizations in the US as in Europe. The second risk is the paradox that while on the one hand the West looks down on itself on the other hand often claims to be superior to the others.

The result is that the West is in danger of becoming a less credible interlocutor. The so-called Global South is demanding more influence. Developing nations that are by now, largely, established there are autonomously collaborating among themselves.

Autocracies are gaining ground on democracies and we risk looking more and more like a closed and self-referential fortress. In Italy to reverse this course we decided to launch, for example, the Mattei plan for Africa, a model of cooperation based on equal footing to build a new long-term partnership with African countries. For, yes, crises are multiplying in the world. But every crisis hides also an opportunity, for it requires to question one’s self and to act.

Above all, we need to recover awareness of who we are. As Western peoples, we have a duty to keep this promise and seek the answer to the problems of the future by having faith in our values, a synthesis born out of the meeting of Greek philosophy—Kyriakos—Roman law, Christian humanism.

In short, as my English professor, Michael Jackson used to say: “I’m starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways. And no message could have been”—and we know it; we know the song, guys. We have to start with ourselves, to know who we really are, and to respect that so that we can understand and respect others as well.

There is a narrative that authoritarian regimes care so much. It is about the idea of the inevitable decline of the—decline of the West, the idea that democracies are failing to deliver. An army of foreign and malign trolls and bots is engaging in manipulating reality and exploiting our contradictions. But to the authoritarian friends, let me say very clearly that we will stand for our values. We will do that.

President Reagan once said: Above all, we must realize that no arsenal or no weapon in the arsenal of the world is so formidable as the will and the moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have.

I couldn’t agree more. Our freedom and our values and the pride we feel for them are the weapons our adversaries fear the most. So we can’t give up the strength of our own identity, for that would be the best gift we can make to authoritarian regimes.

So at the end of—at the end of the day, patriotism is the best response to declinism. Defending our deep roots is the precondition for reaping ripe fruit. Learning from our past mistakes is the precondition for being better in the future. I will—I will also use the words of Giuseppe Prezzolini, perhaps the greatest conservative intellectual in the twentieth century in Italy: “He who knows how to conserve is not afraid of the future because he has learned the lessons of the past.”

We know how to face the impossible challenges that this era confronts us only when we learn from the lessons of the past. We defend Ukraine, for we have known the chaos of a world in which the law of the strongest prevails. We fight human traffickers because we remember that centuries ago we fought to abolish slavery. We defend nature and humankind because we know that without the responsible work of humans it is not possible to build a more sustainable future.

As we develop artificial intelligence, Elon, we attempt to govern its risk because we fought to be free and we do not intend to trade our freedom in exchange for greater comfort. We know how to read these phenomena because our civilization has given us the tools.

The time we live in requires us to choose what we want to be and what part we want to take. We can continue to fool the ideas—the idea of the decline of the West. We can surrender to the idea that our civilization has nothing more to say or no more routes to chart. Or we can remember who we are, learn also from our mistakes, add our own piece of the story in this extraordinary work, and govern what happens around us to leave our children a better world, which is exactly my choice. And I like to think that the reason why you have chosen me for this precious award is that you share this choice.

Thank you.

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome back John F.W. Rogers.

JOHN F.W. ROGERS: Ladies and gentlemen, as a tribute to our two honorees, it’s with great pleasure that we introduce a remarkable talent to the stage this evening, a mezzo-soprano whose voice transcends the ordinary and reaches the very depths of the human experience. And hailing from a very vibrant background enriched by very diverse musical influence, Tesia Kwarteng is not only a celebrated vocalist but also a passionate advocate for the musical arts. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2022. And tonight, we will experience her exceptional range and emotive artistry as she [effortlessly] navigates tonight’s aria.

So enjoy the magic of Tesia. Her voice is extraordinary. And together with the indominable Luke Frazier and the American Pops Orchestra we salute our two honorees. Tesia.

[Break for dinner service]

FREDERICK KEMPE: It’s my honor to pass the stage to the inaugural recipient of the Global Citizen award, the founder of the World Economic Forum, Professor Klaus Schwab.

KLAUS SCHWAB: Good evening, dear friends of the Atlantic Council.

I’m supposed to speak about leadership and how it has changed, the qualities of leadership have changed since the time I was an honoree. But let me first define what leadership is. I have seen probably most of the global leaders during the last fifty years. And for me, leadership boils down to a really simple metaphor. Leadership means soul, brain, heart, muscles, and nerves.

You will ask, what does it mean? The soul stands for purpose, the brain for professionalism, the heart for passion, the muscles for the capability to translate the vision into action, and the nerves for resilience.

Now, what has changed? Leadership certainly has become more challenging. If you look at the purpose, today, in a world which is in disarray, leaders have to lead with a purpose. And the purpose should be optimistic, because we are in a fearful world. And actually, the future is not happening; the future is constructed by the leaders here in the room.

If I look now at the brain, professionalism, what has changed? What we needed in the past was really deep vertical knowledge. Today you have to have systems knowledge, so it’s horizontal and not anymore the vertical.

If you look at the heart, passion is not enough. Today we need compassion. We have to integrate those who follow our leadership into our passion. And in order to do so, we have to show compassion.

Now, if I look at muscles, the capability to translate into action, that’s not enough anymore. We have to translate into impact. And the impact is not just economic or political results; it’s how we serve the world. That’s the most noble of all of our tasks.

And finally, if I look at the nerves, resilience, the world has become much more complex, much more uncertain. We need more resilience, but we need also resilience because we some day will make mistakes and we will have to confront crises.

So we have to learn leadership is a lifelong learning process. I wish you an evening at the future with a lot of soul, brain, heart, muscles, and nerves. Thank you.

FREDERICK KEMPE: Klaus, thank you for your years of friendship, but also your years of inspiration for the Atlantic Council, and many of us who are working to shape a global better future. Since we convened this dinner in 2023, so that was just one year ago, much about the global order has changed, just to give a feeling of how quickly this story is moving. It was only days after we convened last year that Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, and a terrible war continues and threatens to escalate.

Ukraine has continued its resistance against Moscow’s two-year war against the country, and now has taken Russian territory in its self-defense efforts. Many of you in this room will recall last year—as you know, we’re an organization that has been standing by Ukraine for a long time, because we know it’s the front line in the battle for freedom. So thank you so much for everything you’ve done for us in that respect.

Many of you in this room will recall President Zelenskyy’s impassioned speech last year as we gave him our Global Citizen Award, when he dedicated his award to the children, soldiers, teachers, and doctors of Ukraine. What’s also unfolded since last year is the rapidly increasing collaboration among China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Without that, the Ukrainian war could not be sustained. It is one of increasing closeness in defense industrial terms, closer than Germany, Italy, and Japan ever were in the 1930s, closer than Khrushchev and Mao Zedong were in the 1950s. And that’s the landscape we have this year, and it’s growing ever closer.

And we face wars in Europe and the Middle East and growing tension as well as China that require us to double down on the Atlantic Council’s mission of shaping the global future together. And this doesn’t even touch the challenges of the Global South, or the challenges of the contest for the commanding heights of technology, particularly artificial intelligence. What we know from history is that such periods don’t resolve themselves.

In 1941, it resolved itself by the United States getting involved in the war. In 1962, it resolved itself by a near-miss nuclear conflict with the Cuban Missile Crisis. Earlier this month, [Central Intelligence Agency Director] Bill Burns, a former board member of the Atlantic Council, and [Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)] chief Richard Moore wrote something and met together publicly. It was unprecedented. They said the following, quote, “There is no question that the international world order, the balanced system that has led to relative peace and stability, is under threat in a way we haven’t seen since the Cold War.”

The Atlantic Council was created to defend that order, and we’ve never been more challenged. Our nonpartisan, values-driven, results-oriented mission, now in the Atlantic Council’s sixty-third year, is more crucial and urgent than ever. And I think from our first two speakers, you really heard that very strongly. It’s been thirty-five years, August, since the Berlin Wall came down, followed by Soviet collapse, Cold War victory without a shot being fired, and a historic expansion of freedom and democracy.

The stakes are no less than defending those gains and building upon them or suffering a global reversal. The stakes are no less than that. That’s the context of the gathering this evening. We’re all participants in this exciting and challenging period. We confront one of the most perilous, but also one of the promising years and periods of our lifetimes. But please everyone in this room, we are not bystanders. This is a lovely dinner. It’s great to have you all here. But we’re not bystanders; we’re actors in shaping the future.

So this is my only pitch of the entire evening. Many of you who have been following the Atlantic Council know that we are set to move into a new state-of-the-art Global Headquarters in Washington in October. And you’ll see what it looks like. We’re at the end of an ambitious two-year construction period to create a new home fit for our needs.

The concept wasn’t to have walls that enclose us, but rather to create a platform, physical and technological, to reach the world. Our new Global Headquarters offers significant opportunities for us to grow our Washington-based community, but also to expand our global reach, convene the most important international visitors, and foster collaboration of our team. As you’ll see on the screens here this evening, it’s bold, one that proudly demonstrates to our global community that we’ve arrived.

So, before I pass to our next awardee, I want to take a moment to salute a few of our inaugural Building Campaign donors who have made an investment not only in this beautiful building, but in the Atlantic Council’s future and I would say the global future. They are—and let me list them, and then hold your applause: Adrienne Arsht, John F.W. Rogers, Philippe Amon and SICPA, Michael Andersson and SAAB, Al Williams and Chevon.

Now, we’re just getting started. There are many great spaces remaining to be named. If anyone here tonight is interested in learning more about our Global Headquarters, please find a member of our team. If you’re really interested in our Global Headquarters, please find me!

So now I now want to salute a core group of people without whom tonight would possible, and I’m going to ask them to stand. All staff members of the Atlantic Council who are in the room tonight, all the Atlantic Council leaders, please stand. All of you who work with us on a daily basis know how remarkable they are and what a culture they represent.

Finally, I want to thank three special individuals who have contributed books to this evening’s gift bags for each of you. We always like to send you away with great books. So Sherri Goodman, Atlantic Council board member and author of “Threat Multiplier.” Joseph Nye, Atlantic Council board member and author of “Life in the American Century.” Ambassador John Sullivan, former ambassador to Russia and author of “Midnight in Moscow.” All of those are in your books.

What I apologize for, we have amazing partners throughout these dinners with Foreign Policy. I get so much of the most important information that I use to navigate the world from Foreign Policy. Those publications are not in your bag because somehow they got lost in the mail, but we’re going to make sure you get them. So thanks so much to Foreign Policy.

Finally—and John Rogers has said this, but I just want to say it again—Luke Frazier, the American Pops Orchestra, but also Robert Pullen/Nouveau Productions—you may have noticed that the president of Ghana came into Stevie Wonder music. That was selected because they are close, the president and Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder has been made a citizen of Ghana by the president.

You heard the music at the end of the first half. That was in honor of Prime Minister Meloni, who loves that music and knows the artist who performed it. I don’t want to give away the rest of the evening, but as you hear Prime Minister Mitsotakis come up just remember that he’s a fan of Guns N’ Roses. And as you hear Miky Lee come up, don’t miss that she’s a fan of “The Sound of Music.”

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome Chairman and CEO of Pfizer, Dr. Albert Bourla.

ALBERT BOURLA: Good evening, everyone, your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, and distinguished guests. It’s an honor to be with you tonight.

I would like to start by thanking Fred and John and the Atlantic Council. Your tireless work, your leadership, are vitally important in a time of rising geopolitical tension and conflict and devastating humanitarian crises are intensifying and polarization.

I would also like to offer my congratulations to those being honored tonight: His Excellency President Akufo-Addo; His Excellency, of course, Prime Minister Mitsotakis; Her Excellency Prime Minister Meloni; and the wonderful Miky Lee.

But now I’ve been eagerly anticipating the next moment. I’m delighted by the privilege of introducing Prime Minister Mitsotakis as he receives the Council’s highest honor for global citizens.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis is a devoted leader of my home country of Greece, a rising voice for peace and equity around the world and a visionary champion of a new era of economic prosperity, powered by technology and innovation.

The prime minister has entered and has earned the trust and confidence of the Greek people. In 2023 reelection showed his growing support, a remarkable achievement when powerful waves of populism are buffeting many other incumbent leaders around the world.

The prime minister is a humble leader and has said his reelection is simply a reflection of running a competent government and delivering on the promise he made. I would say that tells only part of the story. When I spend time in Greece—and I go very often—I sense a renewed energy, greater optimism and call for economic growth. This is a dramatic turnaround from the decade of crisis following the global recession, when the Greek economy shrank and unemployment soared.

Many of the country’s best and brightest minds left for opportunities elsewhere, and outside investment withered. Thankfully, this is improving under the prime minister’s leadership, and others are taking notice.

The Economist called Greece as the country of the year in 2023. Prime Minister Mitsotakis guided this tremendous comeback by empowering the forces of entrepreneurship and innovation. At the same time, he’s also focused on income inequality and helping those in greatest need. He’s driven important changes in education and health, as well as progressive advances in diversity and inclusion, reflecting a change in society.

The impact of his leadership also extends far beyond the nation’s borders. He’s a champion for European solidarity and a steadfast partner of the West. As US Ambassador George Tsunis said recently, in a region that is desperately seeking stability, Greece is an important partner because it does not operate by surprise, but on the basis of principles and values. The Prime Minister is willing to take bold stands and has become a distinctive voice for peace.

He has rallied support for Ukraine, as he has called for a resolution that is both lasting and fair. Earlier this year, he traveled to Ukraine. Prime Minister Mitsotakis has earned the respect of leaders around the world for being a partner committing to working together. Myself, I’m a proud graduate of the Aristotle University of Greece. And I thought I would end my speech with a quote of Aristotle. Aristotle said, 2,300 years ago, “You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of mind next to honor.”

Kyriakos, your achievements and impact as a global leader are a testament to your knowledge, integrity, honor, but especially your courage. I admire your courage to stand up for what’s right, your courage to take risks, your courage to dream and inspire others with your vision and, at the same time, you are a devoted father, a devoted husband, and you are proudly contributing to your family’s extensive legacy of public service. I’m sure your father and mother are watching you from upstairs right now, and they feel extremely proud for their son. It’s an honor to honor you, and thank you for all you are doing as you lead the way to a better future in Greece and around the world.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming Prime Minister Mitsotakis to the stage.

KYRIAKOS MITSOTAKIS: Thank you. Well, ladies and gentlemen, first of all, dear Albert, thank you for your extremely flattering words. And my deepest thanks to the Atlantic Council for honoring me as a Global Citizen. But I would like to start by echoing the words of the president of Ghana, and by saying that I really feel that this award belongs most of all to the people of Greece for their resilience and their perseverance and for what they have achieved over the past years.

I think Albert was right in describing the transformation of a country that was perceived some years ago as the sick man of Europe, that suffered a profound economic depression, that went through social upheaval, that experimented with populism, but that now has convincingly turned the corner and is becoming again a stable democracy with a growing economy.

And I thought in my brief remarks I would share some thoughts with you about why I think the Greek story may be relevant to countries outside Greece and why what we have achieved may resonate beyond our borders.

And I think this is not just for geopolitical reasons because it is important that Greece now is a stable and predictable ally to the United States and an overall pillar of stability in a very turbulent part of this world. But I think the Greek story also teaches us some other lessons which I think are important for democracies across the world as we struggle with the tides of populism and with the new divisions that tend to rip our societies apart.

Think what we have achieved in Greece is to demonstrate that one can actually govern from the political center, that one can be pro-growth but also fiscally disciplined; that one can be—and let me resonate here the words of my good friend Giorgia Meloni—one can be a true patriot by being very much focused on strong defense and at the same time protecting our borders.

But what one can also be socially liberal, focused on delivering high-quality public goods but also reducing inequalities. And this, what I call this new triangulation, actually has the ability to bring together people from different ideological origins and to create a broader coalition that restores fundamental trust in politics.

My government has focused more on policy than politics. And I think in general, in these eras where sometimes we place more emphasis on pure ideology than we should, we should deliver. That the keys to success of every government, at the end of the day, is effective delivery. And not all issues are ideological, and I think it is our responsibility as leaders to look for effective solutions where we can find them—and eventually, we will be judged by how much we improve peoples’ lives. We will not be judged simply by how eloquent we are in terms of our public speaking. That is not the yardstick by which you measure the political success of a leader today.

And finally I would like to point out that it is critical, again in this era of intense polarization, when we are fighting off populists who believe that they have a simple solution to complicated problems, to acknowledge a simple fact: That these types of populists are actually driven by real grievances. The grievances of the people who actually vote for the populists are very much real, whether they’re related to income inequality, whether they’re related to issues of identity, whether they’re related to the consequences of globalization, with the winners and the losers it produces. These are real grievances and we need to be very careful to address them, and certainly, certainly, not appear condescending to the concerns of the average people.

So let me just conclude by quoting a European leader whom I deeply respect. The previous president of the European Commission, Jean-Claud Juncker, said something which struck me before I even became prime minister. He said that once we get elected, we all know what to do, we just don’t know how to get reelected if we do what we have to do.

Well, if there’s one lesson from the Greek story, it is that my dear friend was wrong. We got reelected by doing exactly what was right, and the Greek people rewarded us for that. So thank you again very much to the Atlantic Council for this award, which again, belongs to the people of Greece. Thank you very much.

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome chair of Paramount Global, Shari Redstone.

SHARI REDSTONE: Good evening. It’s really an honor to be here tonight as we celebrate the one and only, and incredible, Miky Lee.

Years ago, someone said to me, “Shari, you should really meet Miky.” They didn’t elaborate, but minutes into our first lunch, I understood why.

Miky embodies the qualities I admire most in friends and business partners: unshakeable integrity, a passion for great stories, and a deep commitment to family. She understands that, first and foremost, it all begins with relationships. And from that first time we met, I knew I wanted to be in business with Miky—and in a big way.

Miky is a champion of creativity. Her company, CJ Group, isn’t just a leader in the modern Korean entertainment industry—it practically invented it and is responsible for the industry’s tremendous success and viewership around the world.

Miky’s grandfather used to say, “No culture, no country.” And, as some of you may know, my father coined the phrase, “Content is king.” Miky’s career is a testament to both. Under her leadership, CJ Group has become a cultural juggernaut, spanning movies, TV, music, and more.

For decades, Miky has been Korea’s cultural ambassador to the world, shrewdly but quietly exporting the richness of Korean media.

And then, as you just saw, in 2020, when her film Parasite took home the Oscar for Best Picture, Hollywood finally caught up to what Miky had known all along: Korean culture is a force to be reckoned with.

And I am proud to say that Paramount and CJ have been global strategic partners since 2021, including producing movies and a slate of K-drama series. 

And, by the way, thanks to Miky, I am truly addicted to K-drama, and it all began with Crash Landing on You. So let me just say, when you go home tonight, if you haven’t seen it—and frankly, if you want to see it again—download it, watch it, and be prepared to binge the whole thing and be late for work tomorrow.

Of course, Miky is more than an accomplished businesswoman and media pioneer. She’s also a great friend. At a recent birthday celebration she threw for me last year, Miky presented me with a book titled K Culture: K-Pop, Cuisine, on Screen, and More. It was ostensibly for my upcoming trip to Korea this spring. But as I leafed through the pages, I had an epiphany: I don’t need a book to understand K-culture. I have Miky.

In our industry, people often talk about what they do. But with Miky, it is about who she is. She is a connector, an innovator, a friend. She’s the one who can discuss the intricacies of a film script one minute and the latest K-pop choreography the next. She’s the person who sends you a care package of Korean skincare products just because it’s Tuesday.

She is a cultural ambassador, a bridge-builder, and a storyteller extraordinaire. She makes the world a little smaller, a little kinder, and a whole lot more entertaining— sometimes, even much better moisturized.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great, great pleasure to invite to the stage my friend and colleague, and a true citizen of the world, who is making the world better—and infinitely more interesting—every single day

Please join me in welcoming the recipient of the Atlantic Council’s Global Citizen Award, Miky Lee.

MIKY LEE: Honored guests, distinguished leaders, friends and fellow global citizens, I stand here today with deep gratitude and humility as I receive this meaningful award. My heartfelt thanks to my dear friend, mentor, Shari Redstone. Shari, I love you. To the—to the Council for this honor, and for the tireless work done by everyone in this room to foster understanding, cooperation, and peace in a world so desperate for positive connection, the connection that gives meaning to our existence.

In 1953, after the end of the Korean War, our country had been destroyed. We had no infrastructure for the economy, industry, education, or society. Nothing. We started rebuilding with the help of the US, the UN, the World Food Programme, and UNICEF. After the war, my grandfather, the founder of CJ and Samsung, established the companies that will contribute to the basic infrastructure of our new country. As he was doing this, he always said, “No culture, no country.”

Culture is like oxygen. It’s there in the background and easy to take for granted, but you can’t survive without it. Up until the late 1990s, Korea was heavily influenced by Western content and culture. CJ had been primarily a food company. But my brother and I were saying, hey, we’ve been entertaining people’s mouths; we should start to entertain people’s eyes and ears too.

That’s when we invested in DreamWorks, thinking that we could learn from the best, Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen, to create our own content industry in Korea.

As Korea’s development progressed, the youth started making their own music, stories and fashion, creating and defining a whole new lifestyle. We were at the right place in the right time to build a platform for these new creators to succeed.

Unlike any other business, the content business is making the intangible tangible, which means creation and platform must work hand in hand. Hollywood was the only place that was making it happen with their own financial system, so-called studio economics. Along the way, there were many ups and downs, and we couldn’t have succeeded without my brother Jay, the chairman of CJ Group. In the most difficult moments, his support never wavered.

Over the years, we have witnessed how entertainment can be a bridge. Films like “Parasite” have started important conversation about inequality, not just in Korea but everywhere. From our K-pop to our K-dramas, we have shown that cultural boundaries can be blurred and that joy, laughter, and love are universal.

But it’s not just about the content we make. It’s about the connections we create. Entertainment gives us a space where people from different backgrounds can come together and share something beautiful. Entertainment may not have the power to end wars, but it does have the power to build bridges: bridges of compassion, hope, and empathy.

We are continuing to create the platforms that embrace the youth culture. In our business, the key is identifying what young generations are doing and what they want and how they see the world; provide a platform where they can create, collaborate, express themselves, and fulfill their dreams.

There are so many young people who are passionate about singing, dancing, performing, creating music, TV series and films. They are the ones who are writing stories about their generation from their perspective, on top of the cultural legacy they inherited. Let’s pay attention to them.

In this digital social-media era, there are strong ecosystems for us to collaborate generationally, globally, and seamlessly move together. Let’s make sure we build more roads for people to share their compassion, discipline, and humility.

At the end of the day, no matter where we are from, no matter what language we speak, we are all part of one global community, and the stories we tell can help us navigate the roads together towards a more compassionate future.

I want to thank all of you for your commitment to strengthening global citizenship and for recognizing that we are all in this together. One generation ago, Korea was destroyed by war. With the help of the global community we grew from a country receiving aid from the UN and other countries to one that is now providing humanitarian resources and creating development efforts worldwide. We couldn’t have done it without everybody’s help.

Thank you again for this honor and to the council for your vital role in fostering unity and understanding.

Thank you.

ANNOUNCER: Please welcome co-founder of the Atlantic Council Global Citizen Awards Victor L.L. Chu.

VICTOR L.L. CHU: Your excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, and wonderful members of the Global Citizen Award community, now we have the most exciting finale to come.

But I’d like to add my personal congratulations to Miky, who is a longtime friend of mine, and Irene. Her passion, her dedication, creation, innovation has been extraordinary. K-Pop and K-culture has created so much soft power not only for Korea but for Asia and the impact of K-culture and the entertainment that Miky has been able to encourage and develop is remarkable and the impact will continue to strengthen in many generations to come.

So, Miky, congratulations again and thank you for joining us and also creating personally this wonderful finale to come.

Ladies and gentlemen, global citizenship means that we would reach beyond our day-to-day local responsibilities to service a common group for multi-stakeholders. In the complicated world that we live in it is more important than ever that we all rise to the occasion to make sure that wherever possible we try to rediscover the art of listening to others, to align interests so that we can find harmony and achieve so many solutions that today’s technology will make it possible if there were genuine collaboration between different countries, different cultures, and different stakeholders.

This evening we are so delighted that we have three superstars to perform for us. They are two Korean superstars and one Japanese superstar.

Tiger JK has been described by the Los Angeles Times as the most popular Korean rapper in America, Asia, and the world. His wife Tasha, or Yoonmirae, has been described as the queen of Korean hip hop.

Yoshiki, originally from Japan, has been described as one of the most influential musician and composer in Japanese history. In fact, he is a worldwide phenomenon and his popularity reached far beyond Japan and Asia.

They have quite a few similarities amongst them. Of course, they are musicians, they are producers, but they are also entrepreneurs, and they are very active in humanitarian work. They do share the mission of the Atlantic Council and the aspirations of global citizenship. You will see in them the energy, the passion and the dynamism that Asian performance is able to bring to the world. And hopefully, through their performance and their influence, we can bridge the culture between East and West and help to improve our understanding.

So, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Yoshiki, Tiger JK, and Tasha on stage.

YOSHIKI: Thank you so much for inviting me, Miky Lee. So I’m from Japan. I’m a Japanese rock star. So between Korea and Japan, have long history. You know, during the Second World War, or after Second World War, they banned Japanese language. But now here we are, celebrating amazing Miky Lee achievement. So I flew in from Japan. Anyway, so I would like to play one song to—how do you say—it will be very my personal thing. I just lost my mother. So then all those people who lost their loved one, I would like to play this song. It’s my composition. So imagine endless love coming from the sky to wash away all your pain, all the hatred. Song called “Endless Rain.” [Yoshiki plays]

TIGER JK: Yoshiki, amazing global citizen.

YOONMIRAE: Hello.

TIGER JK: My name is Tiger JK.

YOONMIRAE: My name is Yoonmirae.

TIGER JK: We come from South Korea representing peace, love, unity. And it’s a tremendous honor to be here tonight.

YOONMIRAE: Where is she? Looking for –

TIGER JK: Miky Lee, congratulations.

YOONMIRAE: We love you, Miss Lee!

TIGER JK: Yeah. We were a little—real troubled child and were discovered by Miky Lee. You know, back in Korea, nobody understood hip hop or thought that we recorded a song wrong because there’s no melody.

YOONMIRAE: We’ve come a long way.

TIGER JK: And all our albums would get banned because they thought that our album was recorded wrong. But Miss Lee discovered us and talked to us, and for some reason she gave us opportunity, and the rest is history.

And next song is dedicated to each and every one of you, true champions in the fight to make the world better. We’re tremendously honored to be here. So –

YOONMIRAE: Thank you so much.

TIGER JK: We going to turn up?

Further reading

Sat, Sep 21, 2024

How the Atlantic Council contributed to Evan Gershkovich’s release

Inflection Points By Frederick Kempe

An encounter at the Global Citizen Awards played a modest but vital role in the exchange that released the Wall Street Journal reporter who was imprisoned in Russia.

Freedom and Prosperity International Norms

Thu, Aug 1, 2024

Welcome home, Evan

Inflection Points Today By Frederick Kempe

We at the Atlantic Council are overjoyed and relieved that Evan has been released after 491 days of wrongful imprisonment in Russia, writes Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe.

Human Rights Media

Image: The honorees, introducers, and speakers of the 2024 Global Citizen Awards gather in New York City on September 23, 2024.