Unfree Speech : The Threat to Global Democracy and Why We Must Act, Now

An urgent manifesto for global democracy from Joshua Wong, the 22-year-old phenomenon leading Hong Kong's protests - and Nobel Peace Prize nominee - with an introduction by Ai Weiwei With global democracy under threat, we must act together to defend our rights: now. Age 14, Joshua Wong made history. While the adults stayed silent, Joshua staged the first ever student protest in Hong Kong to oppose National Education, a highly controversial education reform, which would have stifled free speech - and won. Since then, Joshua led the Umbrella Revolution and has spearheaded the ongoing Extradition Bill protests, which have seen an estimated 2 million people (approximately 1/3 of Hong Kong's population) take the streets and are hitting our headlines daily. His efforts have garnered him mass global news coverage, the bipartisan support of American lawmakers, a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, and over 100 days in prison. This is Joshua's story told for the first time, straight from the frontline of activism where he continues to put himself in harm's way in the name of democracy and freedom. Collecting his prison letters and personal reflections, Unfree Speech is both a heroic memoir of political awakening, as well as rallying cry for all of us to rise up and fight for our freedoms. Democracy is under threat across the world. Hong Kong is the canary in the coal mine, and a terrifying one at that. To this very day, the protest movement there continues--led by brave and resourceful young people--even as the authorities crack down with increasingly deadly violence. When we stay silent, no-one is safe: when we free our speech, they can't stop all of us.