November 9 • Cultural Insight

World Freedom Day

World Freedom Day is observed on the 9th of November to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The day celebrates the end of communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe and serves as a global reminder of the ongoing struggle for political liberty and human rights.

Speaking Discussion

Is freedom the ability to do what you want, or the ability to do what is right?
Should we censor hate speech to protect society, or is total free speech the only way to be free?
Why do people choose to stay in bad jobs or bad relationships even when the door is open?
If you were president for a day, which one law would you delete to make people more free?
Is security worth the price of privacy?

Activity 1: The Revolutionary Leader

The Task: You are the leader of a movement to delete the algorithm. You want to free people from the digital walls of their phones. You have 3 minutes to incite a crowd to throw their phones into the river. What is your vision of the after-Internet?

Activity 2: Rapid Fire Debate

Justify in 30 seconds: 1. 'People don't want freedom; they want safety and a leader.' 2. 'Privacy is the only true form of freedom left.' 3. 'We are more 'Enslaved' by our habits than we were by any king.'

Key Vocabulary

Ideological (Adj) Based on or relating to a system of ideas and ideals, especially concerning economic or political theory and policy.
Surveillance (N) Close observation, especially of a suspected spy or criminal.
Censorship (N) The suppression or prohibition of any parts of books, movies, news, etc. that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security.
Barrier (N) A fence or other obstacle that prevents movement or access.
Autonomy (N) The right or condition of self-government.

Fluency Catalyst

Native Phrase: When discussing impact, use: "To break down walls."

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