Advocate Mari Kapanadze Recognized with Templeton Freedom Award

The Templeton Freedom Award was given to 2022-23 Advocate Mari Kapanadze, the executive director of Georgia’s Future Academy, for her organization’s efforts with nationwide youth mobilization, election observation, and civic education work under increasingly repressive conditions in Georgia. In her acceptance speech, Mari dedicated the award to political prisoners in Georgia, to all freedom fighters worldwide, and to Ukrainians. She stated that despite shrinking civic space, Georgians continue to resist authoritarianism with courage and dignity.

Mari Kapanadze is a human rights lawyer and civic leader with more than a decade of experience in strategic litigation, public advocacy, and the protection of independent voices.