BACS final year student shares her experience in the Athens Democracy Forum

By Amina Meirasbek

From the lecture halls of Lingnan University to the vibrant discussions at the Athens Democracy Forum, my academic journey has taken an inspiring turn. My name is Amina Meirasbek, and I’m a final-year Cultural Studies international student at Lingnan University. Recently, I had the honor of being chosen to represent Lingnan University at the Athens Democracy Forum 2024. This international conference aims to serve as a platform and guiding force to help society rediscover democracy. Held annually for over a decade, it is organized by the Democracy & Culture Foundation in cooperation with The New York Times. The forum boasts many supporters and contributors, including the Global Liberal Arts Alliance, which sends students like me to participate.

The selection process was highly competitive, involving multiple stages and hundreds of students from Global Liberal Arts Alliance universities worldwide. I was genuinely surprised and deeply honored when I found out I had been selected to join an event of such magnitude and international importance. This opportunity was a huge privilege and truly life-changing.

The Athens Democracy Forum officially spanned three days—from October 1st to October 3rd. However, the ADF Student Delegates had to start preparing many months in advance. We were assigned various tasks and reflections to complete in preparation, including both visual and written works.

The pre-forum phase was insightful and informational, equipping us with the confidence and knowledge necessary to make the most of our experience. For instance, my video project focused on climate tech, one of the forum’s main panel topics. Preparing my video and conducting background research helped me understand this topic more deeply and form a personal connection with the issue. During the panel on Climate Tech, I could fully grasp the ideas presented and engage with the speakers by asking relevant questions.

Another pre-forum activity involved familiarizing ourselves with the panel speakers and their biographies to ensure we could create valuable connections and lead informative conversations during coffee breaks. One of the main surprises about the forum was its intimate and exclusive nature, which allowed us direct access to the speakers with no barriers, physical or symbolic. I made connections and established contacts with a diverse range of people from all over the globe. Being in the same room with such experienced and successful individuals felt surreal, and talking to them over a cup of coffee was even more inspiring. These small conversations between panel sessions made me realize that anything is possible.

The speakers were truly the main highlight of the forum. They brought a wide variety of opinions, backgrounds, and perspectives, which led to many interesting and unique discussions on the panels. Topics included civic engagement, faith, independent journalism, philanthropy, and modern technology, and how these fields can impact current democracy. Despite the wide range of topics, each panel featured relevant experts and scholars who debated passionately. The main focus of this year’s forum was the truth, specifically the question: “What is the truth?”. This question has gained new relevance this year, and the speakers addressed it within the context of their respective fields and communities.

Although it may sound cliché, this forum changed me. It made it clear that one person can make a difference in the current state of world affairs. All that is needed is strong will and commitment to the goal of bettering the world, every day, step by step. Even though individuals may feel small and powerless in the face of global challenges, our actions determine what happens next. We have the power to make this world a better place, even if it means doing one small thing each day.

Participating in the Athens Democracy Forum 2024 was an unforgettable experience that has deeply influenced my career perspective and aspirations. I am grateful to Lingnan University and the Global Liberal Arts Alliance for providing me with this incredible opportunity.