Journey Speakers
Each Democracy Journey features conversations with leading national voices. Meet the core group of speakers who travelers engage with throughout the experience.
Albania
Sali Berisha
Chairman of Albania’s Democratic Party/Former President/Former Prime Minister
Sali Berisha is a prominent Albanian statesman, physician, and academic who has played a central role in Albania’s political transition and democratic development for over three decades. He helped orchestrate the student-led democratic movement of 1990, has been the Chairman of the Democratic Party multiple times, oversaw Albania’s accession to NATO, and guided Albania through its transition to multiparty democracy.
Romina Kuko
Member of Parliament/Chairwoman of Tirana’s Municipal Council
Romina Kuko is a Member of Albania’s Parliament serving on both the European Affairs and National Security and Defence Committees. She was the Deputy Minister of Interior where she was responsible for some of the most sensitive national security portfolios, like Albania’s internal security architecture. She also served as National Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, directing prevention, protection and prosecution policies with particular focus on vulnerable groups.
Pandeli Majko
Former Prime Minister/Former Member of Parliament/Former Minister of Defence
Pandeli Majko is a senior Albanian politician with extensive experience in executive leadership, parliamentary affairs, and constitutional reform. His political career includes two terms as Prime Minister of Albania during periods of significant political and institutional transition. He has also served twice as Minister of Defence and was a member of the Parliamentary Committee responsible for drafting the Albanian Constitution (1997–1998).
Ben Blushi
Author/Journalist/Former Member of Parliament/Former Minister
Ben Blushi is one of Albania’s most influential contemporary writers and former public official. He is widely recognized for his literary work exploring Albanian history, identity, and political culture and won the EU Prize for Literature in 2014 for his novel Othello, the Arab of Vlora. He also served as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and as the Minister of both Education and of Local Governance and Decentralization.
Fatos Lubonja
Author/Critic
Fatos Lubonja is a distinguished Albanian writer, critic, and public intellectual, widely known for his uncompromising critique of totalitarianism and his advocacy for democracy and human rights. He spent 17 years as a political prisoner under Albania’s communist regime, an experience that profoundly shaped his intellectual and literary work. Lubonja’s essays and commentaries have played a critical role in shaping Albania’s post-communist public discourse.
Sonila Meco
Journalist/Media Executive
Sonila Meco entered the media sector in 2001, rapidly becoming a leading television anchor and moderator across major national broadcasters, including TV Klan, Top Channel, Vision Plus, ABC News, and Agon Channel. Her work includes some of Albania’s most influential political, social, and economic talk shows, earning her multiple professional awards and regional recognition.
Agon Maliqi
Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council/Analyst/Civic Activist
Agon Maliqi is a political analyst, civic activist, and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center specializing in Balkan security, democracy, and information integrity. He is a founding member of the Kosovo Civic Alternative, a platform promoting inclusive civic engagement in addition to co-founding Sbunker, a leading democracy-focused think tank and media platform in Kosovo.
Armenia
Gayane Abrahamyan
Journalist/Former Member of Parliament/Democracy & Human Rights Advocate
Gayane Abrahamyan is an award-winning journalist and fearless advocate for human rights, media transparency, and democracy with over two decades of experience, including roles with Eurasianet, The Guardian, and ArmeniaNow, and as a parliamentarian leading Armenia’s Euronest delegation. As founder of For Equal Rights NGO and its Article 3 Club, she has built one of Yerevan’s most dynamic civic hubs, fostering youth engagement and media literacy.
Artur Ghazaryan
Non-Profit Leader/Youth Advocate
Artur Ghazaryan is the founder and driving force behind the Youth Cooperation Center of Dilijan (YCCD NGO), which empowers young people and communities across Armenia’s Tavush region. Since 2008, he has built YCCD into a leading hub for youth leadership, entrepreneurship, and civic participation and it has become a trusted partner for national and development programs, fostering collaboration between civil society, local authorities, and global networks.
Aram Manukyan
Former Member of Armenia’s Supreme Council/Former Member of Parliament/Author,
Aram Manukyan is a central figure in Armenia’s independence movement, having publicly read both the Declaration of Independence (1990) and the Supreme Council’s decree (1991) marking Armenia’s transition to sovereignty and democratic self-determination. A founding member of the Pan-Armenian National Movement, he has also served on committees for the CIS and the PABSEC, and authored six books on Armenia’s independence and political transformation.
Hovhannes Margaryan
Artist/Activist/Co-Founder of Artlab Yerevan
An art activist who uses humor, irony, and visual provocation to challenge authority and expose social contradictions. Through painting, graffiti, video, and collective action, he turns political absurdities into acts of resistance. A founding member of Artlab Yerevan and former member of Artlaboratory, he has led projects blending art and civic engagement, including the Revolutionary Sensorium at the 58th Venice Biennale.
Michael Nahapetyan
Political Activist/Architect of Velvet Revolution
A young Armenian activist and key architect of the 2018 Velvet Revolution, he helped shape its reformist vision and mobilize youth around transparency and justice. After the revolution, he served as assistant to Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan, contributing to early government reforms. Today, through initiatives like the “Zang” movement, he continues to champion democratic accountability and inspire new civic leaders.
Kosovo
Anton Çuni
Former Minister of Defense/Member of Parliament/Former KLA Leader
Anton Çuni led Kosovo’s transition from the KLA to professional security institutions, overseeing the demilitarization of the KLA, the creation of the Kosovo Security Force, and Kosovo’s first co-deployment with U.S. forces, while shaping national security policy and strengthening international defense cooperation.
Fahrije Hoti
Survivor of Krusha e Madhe Massacre/Founder of Krusha Cooperative
Fahrije Hoti transformed personal tragedy into community empowerment after all male members of her village were lost following a massacre. She mobilized local women to rebuild livelihoods, preserve cultural traditions, and foster economic independence in Krusha e Madhe. Ms Hoti’s story is featured in the acclaimed documentary, “The Hive”.
Atifete Jahjaga
Former President of Kosovo
Atifete Jahjaga served as the first female and youngest President of Kosovo, where she prioritized nonpartisan leadership to strengthen democratic institutions and advance social justice. She later founded the Jahjaga Foundation, which champions human rights and provides critical support to survivors of sexual violence.
Father Sava Janjic
Abbott of the Dečani Monastery
Father Sava Janjic is a prominent Serbian Orthodox monk and advocate for peace and reconciliation. Known for promoting interfaith dialogue and protecting cultural heritage, he leverages social media and community engagement to bridge divides between Albanian and Serbian communities in Kosovo.
Dr. Edita Tahiri
Former Minister of Dialogue/Former Deputy Prime Minister
Dr. Edita Tahiri, played a central role in Kosovo’s peaceful resistance, leveraging international diplomacy to secure global support and recognition for Kosovo’s independence, and later leading the EU-facilitated dialogue with Serbia to advance reconciliation, democratic development, and regional stability.
Shaqir Totaj
Mayor of Prizren
Shaqir Totaj is the Mayor of Prizren, one of the most ethnically diverse municipalities in Kosovo. Over his tenure as mayor, Mr. Totaj has been at the forefront of democratic and transparent local governance with a focus on inclusion of Prizren’s diverse ethnic make-up.
Jeta Xharra
Director of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network/Founder of the Reporting House
Jeta Xharra began her career as an interpreter for foreign media covering the Kosovo War of 1998-99. Since then, she has been at the forefront of independent media in Kosovo, holding government and civil society alike accountable through her investigative reporting. In 2024, Jeta opened the Reporting House Museum.
North Macedonia
Dr. Sasho Ordonoski
Journalist/Thought Leader/ Educator/Founder of Forum Magazine
Dr. Sasho Ordanoski has been one of North Macedonia’s most influential democratic voices for over four decades, shaping the country’s media, politics, and civil society. Rising to prominence as a fearless journalist during the 1990s, he led Macedonian media outlets, founded the influential Forum magazine, and mentored a generation of journalists.
Dr. Irena Stefoska
Former Member of Parliament/Former Minister of Culture/University Professor
Dr. Stefoska rose to prominence during North Macedonia’s Colorful Revolution, bringing her principled voice from the streets into parliament. As Minister of Culture, she worked to protect cultural heritage, modernize institutions, and strengthen ties across Europe, reflecting her belief that culture and democracy are inseparable.
Ivana Tufegzic
Former Member of Parliament/Former Student Activist
Ivana Tufegdzic was a student leader during the Colorful Revolution and, at just 24, became one of North Macedonia’s youngest Members of Parliament. During her term, she stood out as a fearless advocate for accountability, youth, and education. She continues her reform work with international organizations to shape youth policies and strengthen democracy.
Toshe Zafirov
Civic Activist/Former Advisor to the President
Toshe Zafirov is a policy expert and civic activist with over 15 years of experience bridging government, civil society, and regional cooperation. He currently leads communications and advocacy at the Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) and previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff to North Macedonia’s President.
Washington, DC
Katelynd Anderson
Director for the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum
Katelynd Anderson oversees and coordinates all facets of public programming, public affairs, curatorial, and museum administration and operations. She has also expanded the education and public program departments to create mission-driven, community-centered programming. Prior to joining the Smithsonian, Anderson led direct marketing campaigns and managed American University’s Giving Day efforts, increasing participation.
Thomas Hicks
Chairman of US Election Assistance Commission
Thomas Hicks has been serving since 2015 on the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, which helps states administer secure, accessible, and reliable elections. Previously, he served on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on House Administration where he was responsible for issues relating to campaign finance, election reform, and contested elections.
Daniel Jacobson
Attorney/Founder of Jacobson Lawyers Group/Former General Counsel
Serving in various senior positions across multiple Presidential administrations, Daniel Jacobson ensured those administrations were compliant with federal appropriations and funding rules, the Impoundment Control Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act. From this expertise and experience as a trial and appellate litigator, he founded the Jacobson Lawyers Group, which counsels and litigates on federal government issues.
Thomas O. Melia
Lecturer and Senior Fellow at Georgetown University
Thomas O. Melia is a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Democracy and Civil Society, where he also teaches in the Masters in Democracy and Governance program. He has held positions as Deputy Staff Director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democratic Staff, USAID’s Assistant Administrator, Vice President at Freedom House and the National Democratic Institute, among many others.
Kate Woodsome
Journalist/Founder & Publisher of Invisible Threads
Kate Woodsome is a journalist and founder and executive director of the Invisible Threads Impact Lab, building the personal and civic resilience democracy depends on. For two decades, Woodsome reported and led global news teams, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for covering the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Since then, Woodsome has been co-developing a framework to transform generational cycles of harm into healing.