Giorgia Meloni Receives Global Citizen Award 2024: A Defiant Stand for Western Values
Maria Herrera Mellado 
Tesla CEO Elon Musk awarded Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni the «Global Citizen Award 2024» from the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, praising her as «even more beautiful inside than outside.»
Musk lauded Meloni for her «incredible job» as Prime Minister, citing her achievements in «record growth and employment.»
«She is an authentic, honest, and truthful person,» Musk stated during the ceremony at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan, New York, on Monday night.
In her acceptance speech, Meloni expressed heartfelt gratitude to Musk for his «precious genius» and delivered a passionate defense of Western values.
«There is a narrative suggesting that authoritarian regimes take better care of their citizens,» she remarked.
«This feeds into the idea of the inevitable decline of the West, the belief that democracies fail to fulfill their promises.
«A network of malicious foreign trolls and bots is deployed to distort reality and exploit our contradictions.
«But to those who support authoritarian regimes, let me be clear: we will steadfastly defend our values,» Meloni asserted while accepting the award.
Rejecting authoritarian nationalism, Meloni emphasized the importance of defending concepts like nation and patriotism, describing her vision as «democratic and secular.»
«In an era marked by chaos, Italy stands resolutely with those who champion freedom and sovereignty, not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it is crucial for Italy and the West to avoid a future where the law of the strongest prevails,» she concluded, drawing a parallel to Ukraine.
On immigration, last year in December at a festival organized by Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy party, Elon Musk exhorted the crowd to “make more Italians” and warned of unchecked migration while addressing Italy’s birth rate- the lowest in Europe.
At the event yesterday, Giorgia Meloni also said that there is a desire in the Left to “to violently erase the symbols of our civilizations in the US as in Europe.” She said, “I know that we should not be ashamed to use and defend words and concepts like nation and patriotism, words that mean more than a physical place. They mean a state of mind to which one belongs.”
Lastly, she also also expressed interest in artificial intelligence and called AI a “great multiplier” but warned it could widen global imbalances. She said, “Machines will not answer this question. Politics must guarantee that artificial intelligence remains controlled by humans and keeps humans at the center.”
María Herrera Mellado es una abogada de EE.UU. y licenciada en España. Doctora en Ciencias Jurídicas y Analista política. La Dra. Herrera es conocida por su amplia experiencia en análisis y consultas en el diseño de políticas públicas, propuestas de ley y gestión en relaciones internacionales.
Su reconocimiento proviene de sus contribuciones al análisis y representación legal de diversas organizaciones, empresas e individuos que han visto abusados sus derechos humanos, su privacidad o en la inclusión de políticas efectivas fundamentalmente en el ámbito de la transparencia y la rendición de cuentas, así como la lucha contra la corrupción.
Su formación académica y experiencias profesionales la convierten en una voz respetada en el debate público y en el análisis de temas de actualidad sobre todo en los desafíos políticos y legales contemporáneos.
María Herrera Mellado is a U.S.-based attorney also licensed in Spain. She holds a PhD in Legal Sciences and is known as a media legal and policy analyst.
Dr. Herrera is recognized for her extensive experience in analyzing and consulting on public policy design, legislative proposals, and international relations management.
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Her recognition stems from her contributions to the analysis and legal representation of various organizations, companies, and individuals whose human rights or privacy have been violated, or who have benefited from the inclusion of effective policies, primarily in the areas of transparency, accountability, and the fight against corruption.
Her academic background and professional experience make her a respected voice in public debate and in the analysis of current issues, particularly in contemporary political and legal challenges.