Regarding the wording, from my perspective (as someone from the US), the implied meaning of the wording depends mostly on context.

"We are trying to educate new users on free software principles" for example may have the unintended implication that we are ideologically placing ourselves above the uneducated new users, and will be doing them a favor, pulling them out of their woeful ignorance, into the light of our sublime software-based religion.

Now that's not at all what we mean, but this is something I've seen time and time again. I explain what free software is and how it respects people's freedoms, etc. I come off sounding like I'm part of some paranoid cult (of which there are many in the States). I may as well be cycling through town in a suit knocking on people's doors and handing out pamphlets. 

In my experience people don't care as much about personal freedom as they do about convenience, and how the piece of software will help them have a better life. That's not to say we should not mention that as a goal of the project, but as a leading banner, it's just not something most people seem to care that much about.

Now if we describe free software in terms of benefits to the user (and developers) individually, and as part of a community, education (in terms of all education, all around the world), open formats that everyone can use for free, you start to paint a picture of the utopian digital society we are after without having to presuppose that it is.

The minute I mention source code in terms of privacy, most people start to get uncomfortable. They can't read the code after all, nor do they believe they have time to learn it, and I'm starting to look like a cultist now saying "all software should be free", and "people and governments are invading your privacy with your own computer." First impressions are important.

These days I take a very minimalist approach to talking about free software, and tailor the description for who I'm taking to:

To students and teachers:
"Free software enables people to work and learn without having to pay license fees for every computer, so it helps people all over the world better themselves and use high quality, community maintained software without a financial barrier."

To startups, entrepreneurs, and business people:
"Free software can be used by anyone, and can be changed to suit their own needs. This allows parts of programs to be reused in different ways, and contributes to innovation, allowing ideas and new technology to be freely adopted without a lot of software licensing overhead. It also provides the basis for collaboration, open formats for interoperability, and an active welcoming community with a wealth of free documentation, examples etc. Also, if something goes wrong, you/your company/your team have the ability to fix it right away."

To people complaining about viruses, expensive computers, etc.:

"I've got a USB drive that could change your life! Let's back up your important files, and I'll lend you a computer with different software on it for safe internet browsing, and an App store built right into it for all your productivity needs. Use it a week, and if you like it, well put it on your machine." Week later: "Yea, it's really cool isn't it? Price? How about free!"

Regarding the principles of free software, I always direct people to the FSF website. That is the home of FOSS anyway. It's not like I need to reinvent the wheel, or provide a description that is less thought-out and lacking compared to what the creator of copyleft has intended.

In my experience, users of all types need to warm up to something before they are willing to listen fully. I always show the benefits on the surface first, and then if they ask about the deeper world-changing stuff, I'm happy to discuss further.

None of this may be what you want to do with Inkscape, but it's the best way I've found to "sell" open source to new people, fwiw.

-C