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The inaugural Ratiu Democracy Lecture, hosted by The Ratiu Family Charitable Foundation and the Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington DC, in association with Oxford Brookes University.

An exploration of post-communist realities for Eastern Europe, including a critique of the new political elite and reflections on the (in)ability to deal with a troubled past, such as the destiny of the Jewish community.
As one of the most active members of the Polish opposition to its communist regime, Adam Michnik’s efforts, including his central role in the Polish Round Table Talks, hastened national elections, the rise of the Solidarity movement, and subsequent freedoms for Central and Eastern European nations.  He is still an active historian, essayist and public intellectual and is Editor-in-Chief of the Gazeta Wyborcza, the left-leaning Polish national newspaper.  He is the recipient of numerous awards and honours, including Knight of the Legion of Honour and European of the Year.

The formation of the annual Ratiu Democracy Lecture is inspired by the work of Ion Ratiu (1917-2000), democratically elected leader of the World Union of Free Romanians, tireless campaigner for human rights, and one of the most outspoken and consistent voices of opposition to Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu.

Oxford Brookes University has worked collaboratively with the Ratiu Center for Democracy since 2008.