Global Innovation Hub, Taipei
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) promotes democracy, human rights, economic freedom, and curbing climate change. In Taiwan, the FNF Global Innovation Hub was established in 2021. The Hub focuses on “digital transformation” and “innovation for democracy”, aiming to support the Friedrich Naumann Foundation on its way to becoming a creative innovation platform for liberalism. The Global Innovation Hub works with The Open Culture Foundation (OCF), Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy (TYAD), People Powered and other like-minded partners.
News
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A Guide to Win Democracy Back: Civic Tech Project and Community Handbook
As a citizen, have you recently felt powerless to influence the decision-making process of public policy or to make a change in society? Do you find it more difficult to shape the development of technology than engineers or big tech companies do? Civic Tech Project & Community Handbook—From Taiwan’s g0v Community to the World: The Collaborative Wisdom of Digital Citizens is here to help you to regain your strength as an active citizen.
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FNF at RightsCon 2025: Our Accomplishments on Innovation and Empowerment
In February 2025, RightsCon—the world’s leading summit on human rights in the digital age—held its 13th global convening in East Asia for the very first time, in vibrant Taipei, Taiwan. At the heart of this global gathering, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Global Innovation Hub was proud to be an official partner, helping bring urgent issues of digital rights to the forefront.
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The Discourse on Existential Risks of Artificial Intelligence
Between panic and acceleration: The discourse on AI risks is driven by ideologies, money and geopolitical interests - often bypassing real problems. A look behind the narratives and power structures.
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Defending Democracy: Collaborative Approaches to Combating Disinformation
Disinformation has become one of the most pressing threats to democracies
worldwide, undermining electoral integrity, public discourse, and social trust.
Democratic societies face the difficult task of balancing government
intervention with the protection of free expression, while civil society works to
mobilize limited resources. -
EU’s Risky Business:
Chinese electric vehicles are entering the EU at record speed – affordable, appealing, and state-subsidised. But behind the sleek designs lies a web of economic, ethical, and security risks that threaten Europe's industry, data protection, and core values.
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East Asia Caught Between Washington and Beijing
Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are opting for de-escalation in the tariff dispute with the United States. Europe should take note of East Asian democracies’ behavior: it finds itself in a similar dilemma.
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Small Island, Big Impact: What Europe can learn from Taiwan
Taiwan is under increasing pressure from China, but the island is admirably defending its democracy. Its example shows how free societies can remain resilient.
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Register for our panel on June 12: How Does a Resilient Civil Society Defend Democracy against Information Operations from Authoritarian Regimes? Experiences of Cofacts and Civic Tech Communities in Taiwan
The resilience of civil society is one of the most important elements in countering the growing influence of authoritarian regimes. But how can we sustainably strengthen, inspire, and nurture it? Explore this with Cofacts and us on June 12, 2025, 09:00-11:00, GMT+2, at the FNF Europe Regional Office in Brussels!
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Join our Connect, Collaborate, Create: The g0v Approach to Civic Tech workshop with g0v jothon and Tainan City Council Watchbot: Empowering Informed Citizen Panel at TICTec 2025 on June 11!
We will co-host Connect, Collaborate, Create: The g0v Approach to Civic Tech Workshop at TICTec 2025 with g0v jothon on June 11, 2025, 1:30-2:45pm, GMT+2, at Dijlezaal, the Lamot Congress and Heritage Centre, Mechelen, Belgium. Come join us if you have registered to TICTeC 2025! Also, please also join the Tainan City Council Watchbot: Empowering Informed Citizen panel!
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Join Us to Reimagine Gender Advocacy at the 6th Anniversary of Marriage Equality Forum on May 24
Since becoming the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage on May 24, 2019, Taiwan has continued to advance LGBTQI+ rights and promote inclusive values. To mark the 6th anniversary of marriage equality, the FNF Global Innovation Hub, in partnership with the Taiwan Equality Campaign, will host "The 6th Anniversary of Marriage Equality Forum: Reimagining Advocacy for Gender Equality" at Room 201BC, TICC on May 24, 2025, 09:30-17:30.
Through panel talks and an interactive workshop, the event will reflect on the legacy of Taiwan’s marriage equality movement and explore new, innovative strategies to build a more inclusive and equitable society, inviting more citizens to join in addressing the ongoing structural challenges faced by the LGBTQI+ community today.
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Innovations to Tackle Crises in Democracy: Online Releasing Event of Civic Tech Project & Community Handbook on May 27
In this online event, we are going to share with you how citizens can play an active role in harnessing technologies to foster their public participation and democracy by introducing you Civic Tech Project & Community Handbook—From Taiwan's g0v Community to the World: The Collaborative Wisdom of Digital Citizens, a project that g0v jothon collaborated with us. Come register before May 23!
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Digital Dystopia: Surveillance, Manipulation, and the Erosion of Civil Liberties
On February 21, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Global Innovation Hub hosted a panel discussion titled " Experts examined online platform regulations, AI governance, data privacy, and state surveillance, with a focus on the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and Taiwan’s regulatory landscape.
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Digital Participation Online Training & Digital Participation Chapter of Participation Playbook—Essential Resources for Digital Democracy
People Powered and we would like to introduce you the Digital Participation Online Training and the Digital Participation Chapter of the Participation Playbook, two very helpful resources for anyone who wants to use digital platforms or tools to facilitate citizen participation in public policy or politics! Both will help you build your own digital participation programs from the ground up.
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Register for AI for Digital Democracy: How to Navigate Opportunities and Threats webinar on Feb.18. 2025!
In this webinar co-hosted by People Powerd and us on Feb.18. 2025, 3-4pm CET/9-10am ET, you will get to know how we should perceived the impact and opportunities that AI is to bring to participatory democracy, and the two new resources that we just launched: the Digital Participation module of the Participation Playbook and the updated Digital Participation Online Training. Come register!
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RightsCon 2025: “They told me it's not your fault. And I told them everything will be fine.”
Following its first edition in September 2024 to widespread acclaim, the exhibition "They told me it's not your fault. And I told them everything will be fine" has been invited as an official side event of RightsCon 2025 in Taipei. The FNF foundation partners with Taiwan Contemporary Culture Lab (C-LAB) this time to invite artist Ting-Ting Cheng to present a bilingual (Mandarin Chinese and English) edition of the work, seeking to once again ignite public dialogue on issues surrounding body, gender, sexuality and human rights in the digital era, while expanding these discussions to a global audience.
