Lessons from My Father, Alexey Navalny | Dasha Navalnaya | TED

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This section introduces the speaker's personal connection to Alexey Navalny and highlights his imprisonment.

The Impact of Imprisonment

• Alexey Navalny, a politician and opposition leader, has been in prison for 1,000 days.

• The speaker, as Navalny's daughter, expresses her concern about her father missing important life events like her graduation and wedding.

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The speaker reflects on the duration of her father's imprisonment.

Duration of Imprisonment

• The speaker mentions that it has been almost three years since her father was imprisoned.

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The speaker shares her emotional experience and fears related to her father's imprisonment.

Emotional Impact

• The speaker expresses how she misses her father every day.

• She is scared that he won't be able to attend important milestones in her life, such as graduation or walking her down the aisle at her wedding.

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The speaker emphasizes the importance of not succumbing to fear and sadness despite facing challenging circumstances.

Lessons from Being Her Father's Daughter

• Being the daughter of Alexey Navalny has taught the speaker to never give in to fear and sadness.

• She acknowledges that she has experienced both fear and sadness but remains resilient.

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The speaker recalls a fearful moment in her life related to her father's health crisis.

Fearful Moment - August 20, 2020

• On August 20, 2020, the speaker woke up in Moscow and discovered that her father had suddenly fallen unconscious on a plane.

• He was taken to the emergency room, causing great worry and fear for the speaker.

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The speaker describes the events following her father's health crisis.

Emergency Landing and Hospitalization

• The speaker woke up in Moscow to the news of her father's health emergency.

• Her father's plane made an emergency landing in Siberia, where he was taken to a hospital.

• After two days, international efforts and her mother's determination led to his transfer to Charité clinic in Berlin, Germany.

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The speaker provides details about her father's poisoning and recovery.

Poisoning and Recovery

• At Charité clinic in Berlin, it was confirmed that Alexey Navalny had been poisoned by a military-grade nerve agent from the Novichok group.

• He spent three weeks in a coma before undergoing months of recovery.

• Despite the ordeal, he returned to work with the Anti-Corruption Foundation.

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The speaker highlights the important work of the Anti-Corruption Foundation.

Work of Anti-Corruption Foundation

• The Anti-Corruption Foundation has been actively involved in spreading information and exposing corruption within the Russian government for over a decade.

• They have conducted numerous investigations, organized protests, and provided legal assistance to those imprisoned for peacefully protesting against the regime.

• Their efforts include creating a sanctions list targeting government officials, propagandists, entrepreneurs, artists, and others who support Putin.

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The speaker discusses how their work has influenced governments worldwide.

Global Impact of Anti-Corruption Foundation

• Governments around the world have utilized the Anti-Corruption Foundation's sanctions list when imposing sanctions.

• The speaker emphasizes that Putin and his associates live lavishly while many citizens in Russia struggle with low wages.

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The speaker emphasizes the importance of unity and working together to challenge dictators like Putin.

Unity Against Dictators

• The speaker recalls a chant from past protests, "One for all and all for one," highlighting the power of unity.

• Dictators like Putin want people to forget their collective strength and accomplishments.

• By standing together, an international united front can pose a greater challenge to any dictator.

Timestamps are approximate and may vary slightly.

Geographical Distance and Threat Perception

The speaker questions whether Putin is truly a threat to the United States, given the geographical distance between the two countries.

Is Putin a Threat?

• The speaker raises the question of whether Putin is genuinely threatening or if there is an unnecessary alarm being raised.

Standing Up for Others

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of standing up for others now, as it may determine who will stand up for us in the future.

Actions of Putin and Western Response

This section discusses cyber attacks, propaganda, election meddling, and diplomatic relations with Putin's regime.

Ongoing Actions by Russia

• The speaker highlights various actions by Russia, including cyber attacks, spreading propaganda and disinformation, meddling in elections, and bribing government officials. These activities continue to occur.

Ineffectiveness of Diplomatic Relations

• The West, Europe, and the United States have attempted to engage in dialogue with Putin's regime but have not achieved desired outcomes.

• Examples are provided such as the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Tyrants' Desire for Power

• Tyrants and dictators like Putin are not interested in diplomatic relations; their primary goal is acquiring power.

Personal Reflection on Family and Courage

This section delves into personal experiences related to family support and courage.

Regretting Past Decisions

• The speaker expresses regret about going back to school instead of staying with their family while their father was recovering from an arrest.

• They also regret not accompanying their father on a trip to Russia, where he was unlawfully arrested at the airport.

Support for Father

• Thousands of people showed up at the airport to support the speaker's father when he returned to Russia.

Childhood Experiences

• The speaker recalls being constantly threatened, followed, and surveilled by men dressed in black during their childhood. They share humorous anecdotes about evading surveillance.

Channeling Emotions into Motivation

• The speaker attributes their father's success to his ability to channel emotions into hard work and motivation.

• Despite facing threats and arrests, their father remained optimistic about the future and worked tirelessly to stop corrupt criminals from destroying the country.

True Patriotism and Change from Within

This section explores true patriotism, change within a country, and personal sacrifices.

True Patriotism

• The speaker defines true patriotism as actively working towards positive change in one's country.

Change from Within

• While acknowledging that change needs to come from within a country, the speaker highlights their father's decision to return to Russia despite the risks involved.

• Their father is described as courageous and selfless, serving as an inspiration for the speaker.

Putin's Cowardice and Call for Action

This section focuses on Putin's cowardice and calls for action from the audience.

Contrasting Personalities: Father vs. Putin

• The speaker contrasts their courageous and selfless father with Putin, whom they describe as a coward hiding from the consequences of his actions.

Consequences of Actions

• The speaker emphasizes that individuals, including the audience, have the power to help bring consequences to Putin and his cronies for their actions.

Utilizing Freedom of Speech

• The audience is urged to use their voice and not take their freedom for granted, unlike millions in Russia who have been threatened, murdered, or silenced.

Russia as Home

This section highlights the speaker's connection to Russia and its significance in shaping their identity.

Personal Connection to Russia

• The speaker expresses a deep attachment to Russia as their home, where they were born, grew up, and became the person they are today.