An Introduction to The Institute for the Public Interest
The Institute for the Public Interest seeks to nurture critical debate and promote a culture of peace, global understanding and global justice and we seek lasting world peace through disarmament. We promote – within key national and international institutions and within civil society discourse – a culture that prioritises the public interest and uncompromisingly safeguards human rights.
We support the creation of institutional arrangements and laws that will enhance transparency and accountability, uphold civil rights, promote the public interest and prevent corruption, violence and abuse in the future. This includes promoting public discussion and democratic debate, defending public interest journalism, as well as the public’s right to scrutinise state and corporate power. We seek to create a collective stance against those who undermine such engagement.
We stand with and provide a voice to those who have suffered from war and aggression including those killed, maimed, displaced or wounded, as well as to survivors, whistleblowers, and political prisoners.
We stand firmly against the misuse or abuse of national security, anti-espionage and counter-terrorism legislation to silence whistleblowers, dissenters, and other contributors to informed public debate. We also oppose the growing use of lawfare towards these ends. We do not pander to the fear economy, where it is profitable to some, for members of the public to be afraid of one another, and for nations to sow fear about other political cultures and nation-states. Addressing these fears, and fostering knowledge and trust allows us to build the political will to dismantle a culture based on armaments, violence, surveillance and war.
In achieving our objectives, we find transparency and disclosure are necessary but not sufficient conditions to protect the public interest. To have a just and lasting peace, we also need to create public service architectures and international institutional structures where the predisposition of those in positions of power and influence is to actively pursue the public interest. To do this, we seek the evolution of an international legal system that secures civil rights, prevents military intervention and opposes structural violence, thus allowing this prioritisation to happen.
The Goals of the IPI
Working predominantly across Europe and the former colonial powers (typically NATO countries), we aim to refocus both state and multilateral institutions and their leadership towards the public interest. We seek to promote international justice and fairness for all. To that end, our goals are:
Peace through disarmament
The promotion of critical democratic debate to aid public understanding and discourse, and the protection of these freedoms of speech from abuse – including manipulation of the media, or manipulation of the individual via financial/other coercion, physical threat, threat of imprisonment or any other means.
Transparency and the scrutiny of institutions and laws to pursue a respect for democracy and to ensure they are in the public interest. To confront abuses of national security, surveillance, counterterrorism, and anti-espionage legislation, such as where they are used to silence public debate, including the broader undermining of civil liberties with the intention of silencing dissent
The promotion of critical public engagement and safeguarding the public’s right to know. We seek to affect the ecosystem so that all members of society can contribute effectively to their national democratic debates. We defend the rights of whistleblowers and encourage media plurality to facilitate critical, meaningful and thoughtful debate.
Our Core Values
We are human, and as such we recognise that we are not all the same and that we each hold different values. We promote and encourage democratic debate across a range of perspectives that we may not always agree with – and we celebrate those differences.
Where everyone agrees, there is no debate; if we are debating an issue then by definition we do not agree. We recognise that it is healthy to disagree on matters and we will always have respect for differences of opinion, but that does not mean we will ultimately agree with them.
The minimum requirement we demand is respect. We respect and promote free speech in all its forms – including respecting the right of others to be misinformed or even wrong. We hold that respect for a difference of opinion does not mean toleration, which suggests capitulation.
We encourage people to recognise that some subjects have grey or ambiguous areas that are more nuanced and require deeper thinking. There are many answers to some problems – whilst other issues do not even have a single solution.
We believe in working with survivors and perpetrators to build dialogue, and in creating spaces for true reconciliation – not just momentary forgiveness.
We encourage spiritual development in all; that is, nourishment of the spirit through human interaction. We recognise the importance of human relationships and their positive effects on the human condition.
We believe art and creativity are a vehicle for healing; they are a counterbalance to the soulless digital invasion of life, including transhumanism.
We oppose the commodification and financialisation of all aspects of life.
We oppose the use of lawfare and surveillance on a population.
We support world resources being directed towards public interest, that is, the general interests of ordinary people.