Spruce Peak Arts To Host Discussion On Business And Human Rights

On Saturday, November 12, at 7:00 PM ET, Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center will host The Business of Freedom: How Markets Can Support Democracy and Counter Authoritarianism, a live discussion between General Joseph Votel, USA (Ret.) and Michael Abramowitz, president of Freedom House, on the economic consequences of global democratic decline and how the business community can push back against authoritarianism, support human rights, and help build a more secure and prosperous world.

Freedom and democracy have been declining worldwide for 16 consecutive years, with a corresponding global rise in authoritarianism. Throughout the 20th century, the business community was instrumental to the victory of democratic governments over antidemocratic forces such as Nazi fascism and Soviet communism. Since the end of the Cold War and the seeming triumph of democracy over totalitarianism, the US economy has become increasingly entangled with those of rising and aspiring superpowers like India, China, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil-all of which have taken a sharp authoritarian turn in the past decade-and-a-half.

Michael Abramowitz is president of Freedom House, the longest-operating prodemocracy and human rights organization in the United States. Previously, he served as director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's Levine Institute for Holocaust Education, and he is the former national editor and White House correspondent for The Washington Post.

General Joseph Votel (Ret.) is president and CEO of Business Executives for National Security and a member of the Freedom House Board of Trustees. General Votel is a retired U.S. Army Four-Star officer and most recently the Commander of the U.S. Central Command - responsible for U.S. and coalition military operations in the Middle East, Levant and Central and South Asia. Preceding his assignment at CENTCOM he served as the Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and the Joint Special Operations Command.

Special thanks to sponsors Front Porch Forum and Topnotch Resort for their generous support.

Both in-person and livestream tickets will be offered for the discussion, and will be $25 for in-person, and $10 for livestream. Youth (12 years of age and under) tickets are available at no charge (pre-registration required). Please reach out to Julianne Nickerson, jnickerson@sprucepeakarts.org, for student or educator discounts.

For more information, or to buy tickets for any event, visit sprucepeakarts.org or call 802.760.4634.