speeches

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Democracy

Hong Kong’s Fight for Freedom Is Not Over

Chloe Cheung, the youngest Hong Kong dissident on Beijing’s “Wanted Persons” list and Manager of Public Affairs and Advocacy at the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026.   Full Prepared Remarks: ​​You hear chanting.

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War Crimes

Minorities Under Fire in Syria

Aram Aqil, Kurdish minority rights activist and a former ISIS hostage, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026.   Full Prepared Remarks: Today, I speak as someone whose life has been shaped by discrimination, neglect, and exclusion. My name is Aram Aqil.

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Women's Rights

2026 International Women’s Rights Award

Afghan-Iranian Taekwondo athlete and advocate for women’s rights in Afghanistan, Marzieh Hamidi, recieved the International Women’s Rights Award at the 18th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Click here to view the presentation of the award by Sophia Aram. Full Remarks: I am not here to tell you

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Religious Freedom

Beijing’s War on Religious Freedom

Grace Jin Drexel, daughter of Pastor Ezra Jin, a political prisoner in China, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026.   Full Prepared Remarks: On October 10th, my father, Pastor Ezra Jin, was arrested by the Chinese authorities along with 27 other

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Human Rights

2026 Courage Award

Masih Alinejad, Iranian journalist and women’s rights activist, accepted the 2026 Courage Award on behalf of the heroes of Iran at the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2026. Click here to view the presentation of the award by Alice Teodorescu Måwe.   Full

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Press Freedom

Silenced for Reporting: Zimbabwe’s War on the Press

Blessed Mhlanga, Zimbabwean journalist and former political prisoner, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026.   Full Prepared Remarks: Last year, I spent 73 days in pre-trial detention for another man’s speech at a press conference I did not even attend. This

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Democracy

Venezuela: The Transition to Democracy

Leopoldo López, Venezuelan dissident, former political prisoner, and co-founder of the World Liberty Congress, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026.   Full Prepared Remarks: Excellencies, distinguished delegates, January 3 changed Venezuela. It did not solve everything. It did not magically erase

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Human Rights

Call to Action: Carrying the Torch of Human Rights Forward

Brandon Silver, international human rights lawyer, 2024 Magnitsky Award laureate, and the Director of Policy & Projects at the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, addressed the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: Congratulations President-elect Edmundo González and leader María Corina

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News

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Geneva Summit Exposes Systemic Abuses by World’s Most Oppressive Regimes

Prominent dissidents expose severe human rights violations in nations like Iran, China, Russia, Zimbabwe, Cuba, and more. “We live in a world where terrorists are invited on red carpets, and activists have to fend for their own lives,” testified Gazelle Sharmahd, daughter of Jamshid Sharmahd, a journalist currently on death

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Anti-FGM Campaigner Fatou Baldeh to Receive 2024 Women’s Rights Award

GENEVA, May 7, 2024 —  A cross-regional coalition of 25 human rights organizations announced today that Gambian women’s rights activist Fatou Baldeh will be honored with the Geneva Summit Women’s Rights Award. She campaigns to end female genital mutilation, a practice that she survived and now dedicates herself to ending. Baldeh will receive the prestigious

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