Whistleblower Edward Snowden will serve as the keynote speaker, via video, for a February Free State Project conference for libertarian activists in New Hampshire, it was announced this week.
Snowden, who leaked documents about government surveillance after he worked as a contractor for the National Security Agency, currently lives in Russia where he has been granted asylum from the charges in faces in the United States.
The Free State Project is a New Hampshire activist organization encouraging 20,000 libertarians to move to the state over the next few years and effect
policy changes, according to The Associated Press.
On its website, the organization said about 2,000 "early movers" have already relocated and about 18,000 people have pledged to move in the future.
Annually, the organization holds its Liberty Forum, a conference "that has been attended by several presidential candidates and numerous thought leaders from the liberty community," the website said.
FSP president Carla Gericke told the Lebanon Valley News she personally admires what Snowden did and does not believe he is a traitor.
"He’s a really insightful and brilliant man, so I think from our perspective we’re really excited to give him a platform," she said. "I think what he did was incredibly courageous and brave."
Gericke also said it has not been determined what exactly Snowden will discuss, but he will speak for 30 minutes and take questions.
Since he leaked the documents, Snowden has been considered a traitor or a hero, depending on the discussion. He regularly tweets about political issues and the government on Twitter, where he has 1.7 million followers. He even live-tweeted during recent debates:
Snowden has spoken before by video at other events, including an American Civil Liberties Union Hawaii conference, the News reported.
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