"Democracy is not just free elections. For instance, in 1979, we had an Islamic revolution in Iran, and over 90% of Iranians voted for a cleric. But in less than two years people realized what a mistake they’ve made and that that was not democracy. They remind [us that] many dictators came to power thanks to democracy."

The speech of Shirin Ebadi, Member of the Aurora Prize Selection Committee, Iran's first female judge, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Founder of the Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran, at the Aurora Dialogues discussion titled 'The Humanitarian Impacts of Living in a Broken World,' which took place at the Ca' Foscari University of Venice on October 16.