 We're living in unsettling times for democracy. In the last 18 months, democracy has faced a multitude of challenges amplified by the global COVID-19 pandemic, accelerated by the ever more pervasive scourge of this information, and aggravated by the inability of countries to eradicate corruption or mitigate climate change. There is no doubt that authoritarianism has gained momentum around the world. At the same time, we have seen that democracy has been resilient. This complexity, this ambiguity calls for a nuanced, multifaceted and evidence-based picture of democracy, its shortcomings as well as its successes, not just the doom and gloom, but also the bright spots and opportunities. This is where our global state of democracy report comes in. Our country and regional experts across the globe have taken stock of how democracy is faring around the world. What have they found? The bad news is that authoritarianism has grown more bracing. Witness the military coup in Myanmar and the diversion of an international flight to detain opposition activists in Belarus. The quality of democracy continues to decline and even some of the most populous and established democracies in the world are now backsliding, including the US and members of the European Union. Where democratic institutions are weaker, pandemic responses have also been laden with problems. And which are the good news? Civil society is more active than ever and we can see that everywhere. From brave opposition figures fighting autocrats in Nicaragua, Myanmar or Belarus, to the thousands of young people who have peacefully taken to the streets to demand that their governments get serious about climate change. Journalists have discovered the secret bank details of government leaders. Courts have demanded companies to take action against global warming. Governments have held free and fair elections despite the pandemic and parliaments have proven to be creative and efficient in carrying out their duties. Democracy is far more resilient than autocrats think. Building on these findings and infusing our report with a sense of urgency but also opportunity, the report provides actionable policy recommendations that will help governments and civil society groups to strengthen democracy. I invite you to join International Idea and our member states in our efforts to rebuild democracy, prevent future threats and help democracies deliver for their citizens. Our report is a call to reinvigorate democracy. The time to act is now.