Summary

Jacinda Ardern begins her “Harvard Commencement Speech – Democracy, disinformation and kindness” with a greeting in the Māori language Te Reo. Then she greets everyone in English and mentions that it is an honor for her to be there.

Ardern mentions the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, whom she met in Geneva. She describes Bhutto’s qualities and achievements. Ardern also points out the things she has in common with Bhutto: both Ardern and Bhutto gave birth while in office, and Ardern’s daughter was born on Bhutto’s birthday. Ardern draws attention to Bhutto’s speech at Harvard in 1989, in which Bhutto warned that democracies are fragile. 

Ardern then describes what a strong democracy should look like. First, a strong democracy depends on people trusting the official institutions and the government. Sec...