How to be an activist | The Economist

From climate strikes to Extinction Rebellion, activism is gaining momentum around the world. At The Economist's Open Future Forum we spoke to three campaigners with different takes on how to be an activist today.

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Activism today can take many different forms. Sokeel Park works with defectors from North Korea to accelerate change in the dictatorship. Nimko Ali leads a global campaign to end the barbaric practice of female genital mutilation. Richard Ratcliffe campaigns for the release of his wife from an Iranian prison. Three different activists talk about their campaigns and what they think it takes to be an activist in the 21st century.

If you look at activism around the world there seems to be an amazing sort of flowering of different approaches being taken to tackle these deep-seated problems. What does it take to bring about change in today’s world?

Nimko Ali’s activism grew from her personal experience as a survivor of female genital mutilation or FGM.

Richard Ratcliffe became an activist in 2016 when his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was accused of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government.

The most important thing is to keep that hope that the world can be different, the world should be different and, you know, by God will I make it.

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