Democracy: Key to Equitable Development

Spring 2025 Harry ’51 and Joshua ’49 Tsujimoto Perspectives in Global Development Seminar Series

About the speaker

Thomas Garrett came to Cornell in Fall 2024 as the Einaudi Center Lund Practitioner in Residence and Distinguished Global Democracy Lecturer in the Brooks School. From 2017 to 2024, he was the two-term elected Secretary General of the Community of Democracies, a global intergovernmental coalition comprised of Member States coordinating efforts on the rule of law, democracy, and human rights. While Secretary General, he initiated efforts to unite democracies within the UN system, and secured agreement and adoption of public positions by democracies on international rule of law, conflict situations, and emerging issues such as cybersecurity. In 2024 the Government of Romania conferred the Order of Merit-Grand Officer medal on Garrett for his work on democracy and human rights.

From 1994 to 2000, Garrett oversaw legislative strengthening and political party building programs In Ukraine, as chief of party for the International Republican Institute (IRI) a pro-democracy, non-partisan NGO supporting elections, civil society, and democratic governance in 80+ countries. In his 23 years at IRI, in the field and in the Washington headquarters, Garrett delivered significant expansion of IRI’s Middle East-North Africa division and served as IRI's resident advisor to Mongolia's parliament. In recognition of that work, Garrett received the Medal of Friendship from the Government of Mongolia. As IRI’s Vice President of Global Programs, he led the global program portfolio while managing talent strategy for expatriate and local national staff (200+) in 32 countries.

He earned a Master of Arts in Diplomacy-International Relations from Norwich University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of Oklahoma.

Seminar co-sponsor

Brooks Center for Global Democracy

About the seminar series

The Harry ’51 & Joshua ’49 Tsujimoto Perspectives in Global Development Seminar Series showcases innovative approaches to development with experts from around the globe. Each year, the series attracts online registrants from over 45 countries and more than 350 organizations. 

Seminars are held Wednesdays from 12:20-1:10 p.m. eastern time during the semester in 101 Bradfield Hall. Students, faculty and the general public are welcome to attend in-person or via Zoom.

The series is co-sponsored by the Department of Global Development, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, and the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management as part of courses GDEV 4961, AEM 4961, NTRES 4961, GDEV 6960, AEM 6960, and NTRES 6960.