CIVIL – Centre for Freedom announces Defending Democracy: Horizons of Freedom, a nine-day strategic, civic, and multimedia programme dedicated to Human Rights Week 2025. Taking place from 5 to 15 December in Skopje, the initiative brings together domestic, regional, and international participants to address the critical challenges facing democracy today — from Russia’s war against Ukraine and hybrid warfare against Europe, to disinformation and the rapid rise of AI and the erosion of human rights across the globe.
The programme forms part of the Democracy Navigator 2025 project, supported by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, and builds on CIVIL’s previous high-level editions, including Defending Democracy and Human Rights in the Face of War, Nationalism and Authoritarianism (December 2024) and The Battlefield of Truth (October 2025). Across nine days, Horizons of Freedom combines intensive media action and domestic, regional and international networking, youth engagement, roundtables and workshops, and a public art display, culminating in a High-Level Conference on 12 December. After completion of this programme, the highly anticipated North Macedonia Local Elections 2025: Report, Analysis, and Strategic Recommendations will be presented on December 15 at a separate event.
Themes of the Horizons of Freedom include:
- War in Ukraine and global hybrid operations
- AI as a force of war, manipulation, and democratic innovation
- Human rights and civic voice in an age of authoritarian pressure
- Elections integrity and lessons learned from North Macedonia Local Elections 2025
- European and global democratic resilience
- Youth engagement and future-focused democratic thinking
The programme also features a public call for contributions, livestreamed events, and a special art installation dedicated to human rights, AI, and Ukraine.
Programme Overview
The programme starts on December 5 with a press conference, an international online briefing, and the start of Media Action & Networking activities, including explainers, online content, and a public call for contributions. Spanning over three-day intensive series of activities, the Media Action & Networking Days are held December 6–8, bringing focused media outputs, Early Warning analyses, narrative mapping, and youth contributions on hybrid threats, disinformation trends, and lessons from the 2025 local elections.
December 9 is the Democratic Resilience Day when a strategic roundtable examines national and regional democratic resilience frameworks, followed by a regional podcast conversation on shared threats and shared solutions.
On December 10 is the Human Rights Day. On this day, CIVIL will deliver a public livestreamed statement, followed by a youth-focused workshop Voices of Freedom. An afternoon public art display presents installations on human rights, AI, and Ukraine.
December 11 is the AI Battlefield Day, opening with a press briefing and continues with a high-level roundtable, AI at the Frontlines: War, Authoritarianism, and Democratic Futures, exploring AI’s impact on warfare, coercion, and democratic security.
On December 12, CIVIL will hold the Horizons of Freedom high-level international conference featuring three panels:
- War in Ukraine, Hybrid War in Europe & the Global Democratic Struggle
- AI, Disinformation & the Post-Truth / Post-Shame World
- European & Global Perspectives of Democratic Resilience
Diplomatic representatives, experts, and partners from North Macedonia, the Western Balkans, Europe, and the USA will participate. The event will be livestreamed.
The 2025 edition concludes with the public release of the Local Elections 2025 Report, providing analytical findings and strategic recommendations that complement the week’s broader discussions on democratic resilience, institutional integrity, and civic participation.
Defending Democracy: Horizons of Freedom stands as a call to vigilance and collective action at a time when truth is contested, rights are threatened, and democratic societies face unprecedented pressure. Through dialogue, evidence, creativity, and public engagement, this nine-day programme affirms a shared commitment to confront hybrid threats, strengthen democratic resilience, and uphold the values that sustain free societies. As we mark Human Rights Week 2025 and look toward the challenges ahead, we do so with a clear and unifying message: Defend freedom. Protect truth. Shape the future.
CIVIL Communications Team