We, the undersigned, respectfully request the reconsideration of the selected commencement speaker for the upcoming School of Foreign Service (SFS) graduation ceremony. While we appreciate the idea of basing the ceremony on the struggle of political prisoners worldwide who have stood up for human rights, we believe that the current speaker selection does not align with the values of the SFS community. 

The SFS has a diverse student body, which makes it especially crucial to consider the message it sends to the students, their families, and the general public. Countries formerly occupied by the Soviet Union or currently under Russian occupation do not view Russian opposition leaders, such as Alexei Navalny, as guarantors of a peaceful, democratic future Russia. In an interview with a Moscow radio station in October 2014, Navalny stated that he would not return Crimea to Ukraine — until recently he believed illegally annexed Crimea belonged to Russia. In 2008, Navalny strongly supported the Russian invasion of Georgia and used dehumanizing xenophobic rhetoric in relation to Georgians. Being anti-Putin doesn’t imply being a pro-democratic, anti-war, and liberal leader. Furthermore, Ms. Navalnaya has been previously given an international platform to speak about the situation in Russia, she has not once mentioned the war in Ukraine, including her recent Oscars acceptance speech. 

We acknowledge that Mr. Navalny has partially apologized for some of these remarks, and has been a victim of the current Russian regime himself. However, neither he nor his daughter by proxy are appropriate choices to speak at the SFS graduation. The graduation ceremony’s speech should break authoritarian-led narratives, and give a voice to those who have never doubted territorial integrity or made dehumanizing remarks about their neighboring countries.  

Moreover, fame should not be a substitute for experience. Wisdom is what a commencement speaker should impart to a graduating class. Miss Navalnaya's lack of merit, meaningful experience, and contribution to foreign service and global affairs make her an inappropriate choice for a commencement speaker. The majority of Georgetown students decided to pursue education in the United States to avoid the nepotistic cultures that exist back home, thus do not wish to be lectured by an undergraduate student who has no meritocratic achievements of her own.

We fully understand the sentiment behind the support for political prisoners' freedom. Therefore, we urge the University to consider the plight of political prisoners in other countries, such as Georgia, China, Iran, Afghanistan, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

We strongly believe that the SFS commencement speaker should be an individual who has a notable career in foreign service and could inspire graduating professionals. As a result, we are respectfully requesting an immediate reconsideration and replacement of the current speaker. In the end, all graduate students strive to see a leader whose experience and actions in leadership speak louder than words. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter - we candidly hope that you will consider the concerns raised by the SFS students, friends, and their families. 

Sincerely,