Atlas Network

This Thanksgiving I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had this year, and the friends I’ve made through them. In particular, I participated earlier this month in Atlas Network’s Leader Lab training which is focused on developing new managers and emerging leaders! Our training focused on how we interact with other stakeholders within our organization, focusing on things such as our own leadership behaviors, giving and receiving feedback, and establishing internal goals that are relevant to our organization’s mission and vision. Along with 37 other leaders worldwide, we got to practice what that might look like first hand. A shoutout to my strategic planning group “The Enlightened Few” who really helped me put all of this theory into practice! And a special shoutout to our coaches Jennifer Zambone and Kira Foley-Tuzman for their guidance. (Meme pictured below ??) Some memebers of Leader Lab even got to pitch their organization in front of the 700+ Liberty Forum attendees for a chance at a $1,500 prize! I’ll try to tag everyone although LinkedIn seems to have a limit, but I want to thank them all of my great colleagues for a fantastic experience.???? While trainings are all done for the year, there are a range of Atlas Network trainings that we’re excited about for next year. Feel free to learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gDit-MAD

This Thanksgiving, we’re reflecting on the incredible community that makes Atlas Network possible. Your support fuels our mission to champion free enterprise and individual freedom, and together, we’ve built a movement that drives lasting victories—even in the face of incredible challenges. From our dedicated staff to our generous donors to supporters like you, every member of this community plays a vital role in our success. Thank you for being an integral part of Atlas Network. We’re so grateful to have you with us on this journey. Wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!

Lights, Camera, Liberty! This is one of my favorite programs to work on at Atlas Network and these BTS pics from some of our on-site trainings and productions this year really show the hard work our partners have put in. Participants in the program receive a $5,000 grant and either an on-site training or end-to-end consulting support (in addition to on-site support) from JUST ADD FIREWATER, LLC for the production of their film! ?? Past participants of the program have gone on to win major awards at film festivals, reached millions of views online, and even achieved policy reforms with the help of their films. The most impactful of these films also have a chance to be selected for our Lights, Camera, Liberty Film Festival and win more prizes! ?? A shoutout to these partners and our other participants this year for their fabulous work. ?? (Foundation for Economic Freedom, Fundación P!ensa, Ominira Initiative, Las Mentoras, #NoConMiAhorro) We’re looking for groups to participate in our program next year. If your organization has a film idea, apply to our film pitch competition by December 15th for a chance to receive support! (We’re looking for groups in the USA and Canada in particular) I can’t wait to see the film ideas you all have! Click here to learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/e7sUPhyM

Economic Freedom of the World! Last week I visited Zimbabwe for an Economic Freedom Audit hosted by The Eastern Caucus(TECa) and in partnership with both Atlas Network and The Fraser Institute. ???? Zimbabwe ranks 164 out of 165 countries in economic freedom, and the launch of their audit report is a signal to the government and people of Zimbabwe to consider how current policies and institutions are holding the citizens of the country back from prosperity. The event itself was attended by policymakers, civil society organizations, and the media to discuss the importance of economic freedom and the changes that Zimbabwe can undergo right now to improve. I’m glad to have been in attendance and I expect that TECa’s continuous outreach will drive policy reform in Zimbabwe as audits in other countries have in the past. A shout out to the TECa team for their hard work in hosting this event! Learn more about Atlas Network’s Economic Freedom Audit Fund: https://lnkd.in/e29KWgzH

Liberalist Centre at the Liberty Forum and Freedom Dinner in Times Square, New York City This week, our Chief Operating Officer, Sanni Johnson, represented Liberalist Centre at the prestigious Atlas Network Leader Lab training, and the Liberty Forum and Freedom Dinner in Times Square, New York City! This exceptional opportunity allowed Sanni Johnson to enhance his leadership skills through immersive training, network with global liberty advocates, and showcase our mission on the international stage. Shout out to our partners at Atlas Network for hosting the most amazing liberty event of the year and for their incredible support to our organization in spreading liberty and prosperity in Africa. #LiberalistCentre #AtlasNetwork #LeaderLab #LibertyForum #FreedomDinner #TimesSquareNYC #Advocacy #Liberty #Freedom

This year’s Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner was a tremendous success, thanks to the dedication of our staff, the hospitality of our venue, and the generosity of our supporters. Attendees spent two days strategizing for the year ahead and celebrating remarkable achievements advancing free enterprise. We are proud to announce the 2024 Templeton Freedom Award winner, the Lebanese Institute for Market Studies - LIMS. Their groundbreaking work challenging Lebanon’s central bank and successfully ending price control policies earned them this prestigious recognition. Dr. Parth J. Shah was honored with the 2024 Sir Antony Fisher Achievement Award for his 25 years of advocacy for freedom in India. As the founder of the Centre for Civil Society and a champion for economic freedom, Dr. Shah has made an extraordinary impact, including launching Asia Liberty Forum with Atlas Network and leading CCS to win our 2021 Templeton Freedom Award for defending the economic rights of millions of Indian street vendors. The winner of this year’s Smart Bets Pitch Competition was Marcelo Faria, founder of ILISP - Instituto Liberal de S?o Paulo. He won a $50,000 prize to scale up their "Liberdade para Trabalhar" (Freedom to Work) project, which has already improved the lives of tens of millions of Brazilians by cutting unnecessary red tape at the state and local levels. Through the second phase of this initiative, they aim to impact 120 million people—60% of the country’s population. Additionally, their "Um CEP para Todos" (A ZIP Code for All) initiative will bring vital improvements to the lives of the poorest individuals living in slums who lack a formal address. Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner continues to be the most inspirational event of the year for the global freedom movement. It’s an honor to bring together think tank leaders, philanthropists, and advocates to celebrate achievements and share strategies that transform lives around the world. Thank you to everyone who made the 2024 Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner a huge success. We wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving and a joyful holiday season.

We are thrilled to announce that the Lebanese Institute for Market Studies - LIMS is the winner of our 2024 Templeton Freedom Award for their remarkable work in addressing Lebanon’s economic crisis and advocating for lasting change. In response to the devastating impact of the Central Bank’s expanded subsidy program, LIMS led a five-year campaign to end harmful subsidies and remove price controls that caused widespread shortages of essential goods like gas, medicine, and electricity. Their efforts resulted in the lifting of major subsidy programs on over 300 items, bringing products back to store shelves and restoring market stability. In 2023, LIMS successfully prevented another Central Bank bailout, saving over $6 billion in government spending. By January 2024, Lebanon’s parliament ratified a zero-deficit budget for the first time in decades—a monumental achievement in economic reform. We commend LIMS for their dedication to advancing free enterprise and improving lives in Lebanon.

As part of the Smart Bets program, partners have the chance to win the Smart Bets Impact Award and its US$25,000 prize, which is presented to the organization that achieves the greatest progress toward a better world during the 12 months of the program. At Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner 2024, American Conservation Coalition (ACC) was announced as the winner of the 2024 Smart Bets Impact Award and its US$25,000 prize for their outstanding work to advance the ideas of market environmentalism and build a movement around putting these ideas into action. American Conservation Coalition’s plan centered around building their membership program and getting young people and students involved in local chapters, with the goal of reaching 100,000 members by 2026. As of mid-2024, they had reached 52,000 members, putting them well ahead of schedule. Their efforts have gained widespread attention, reaching 1,000 media mentions in 2023 and likely 2,000 in 2024, including in top-tier publications such as the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. ACC’s dedication has earned them a spot on the world stage and the opportunity to present pro-liberty, free-market approaches to environmentalism to national leaders from around the world.

Congratulations to Marcelo Faria, founder of ILISP - Instituto Liberal de S?o Paulo, on winning our Smart Bets Pitch Competition! He secured a $50,000 prize to expand the "Liberdade para Trabalhar" (Freedom to Work) project, which has already improved the lives of tens of millions of Brazilians by cutting unnecessary red tape at the state and local levels. In this next phase, the project aims to impact 120 million people—60% of the country’s population. Additionally, their "Um CEP para Todos" (A ZIP Code for All) initiative will bring vital improvements to the lives of the poorest individuals living in slums who lack a formal address.

?? Big moment for LIMS! Our COO, Kristelle Mardini is taking the stage as a finalist for the 2024 Templeton Freedom Award, presenting “Subsidy-Free Lebanon”! Atlas Network We’re so proud of her vision for a brighter, sustainable future. ?? #SubsidyFreeLebanon #TempletonFreedomAward #ProudMoment