Summits
International lawyer, diplomat and Executive Director of UN Watch, Hillel Neuer delivers opening remarks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. Introducing the Geneva Summit: “It is my honor to open the 2022 edition of our annual world assembly of human rights
Chief of staff to imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny and co-founder of the Internet Protection Society, Leonid Volkov, addresses the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy Full Transcript Moderator: Let me introduce Leonid, whom we heard at the UN yesterday – we had a small taster
More than 16-time imprisoned Tibetan activist and poet Tenzin Tsundue addresses the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On having his flag confiscated at the United Nations: “This is the national flag of Tibet and yesterday at the United Nations
Activist and advisor to Hong Kong Watch and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, Joey Siu, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the fight for democracy in Hong Kong: “Over the years the people of Hong Kong have
Nobel-nominated Uyghur activist and sister to imprisoned Uyghur doctor Gulshan Abbas, Rushan Abbas, addresses the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On becoming an activist: “I am speaking today out of necessity. I’m a mother who had a fulfilling life
Full Transcript Moderator: Good morning. My name is Luke de Pulford. Friends, we have 45 minutes together and we need to use every moment of that time because as I speak to you from this podium the People’s Republic of China is perpetrating atrocities on a scale not seen since
Forcibly displaced Ukrainian civil society leader and Chair of the NGO Opora, Olga Aivazovska, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the Russian invasion of Ukraine: “There is nothing special about me, my only superpower is that I’m Ukrainian.”
Sister to wrongly imprisoned Saudi aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, Areej al-Sadhan, addresses the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the state of Saudi Arabia: “My brother Abdul Rahman al-Sadhan is currently in solitary confinement, facing a 20 year
Wife of imprisoned Chinese human rights lawyer, Sophie Luo, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the case of her husband, Ding Jiaxi: “I fell in love with Jiaxi the first time I met him. I’ll
Sister to imprisoned Belarusian opposition leader Maria Kalesnikava, Tatsiana Khomich, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On her incredible sister: “On September 7, 2020, Belarus tried to forcibly exile my sister, Maria Kalesnikava – and they
Daughter to German-Iranian women’s rights activist Nahid Taghavi, currently held hostage in Iran, Mariam Claren, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On leaving Iran: “The last time I stepped foot in Iran, I was 2 years
Vietnamese scholar and former political prisoner imprisoned for his dissident blogging, Minh-Hoang Pham, addresses the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On repression in Vietnam: “Many people imagine Vietnam as a tourist paradise, a place above is the sun
Award-nominated actress and Amnesty International Ambassador, Nazanin Boniadi, presents the 2022 Women’s Rights Award at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. Introducing Zarifa Ghafari: “I am honored to be here today, at the 2022 Geneva Summit for Human
Oft-imprisoned Zimbabwean investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono addressess the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On attacks on free speech in Zimbabwe: “Being here is a remarkable feat considering that I’m coming from Zimbabwe. You never know whether you’ll be
North Korean torture survivor and two-time defector from the regime, Timothy Cho, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On growing up in North Korea: “I was born into a beautiful family in North Korea. My parents
Co-Founder of the Cuban dissident San Isidro Movement and recently released political prisoner, Hamlet Lavastida, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On speaking out: “I agreed that I’d stay silent, that I wouldn’t talk about the
Nicaraguan journalist and wife to imprisoned presidential candidate Félix Maradiaga, Berta Valle, addresses the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On Summit Alumnus Félix Maradiaga: “In 2019, my husband Félix Maradiaga stood here on this stage and said that he
Owner and CEO of Venezuela’s last independent newspaper, El Nacional, Miguel Henrique Otero, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On bringing Chavez to power and seeing him become a dictator: “I met him numerous times, and at
A panel including the owner of Venezuela’s last remaining independent newspaper, Miguel Henrique Otero; the wife of imprisoned Nicaraguan presidential candidate, Berta Valle; and recently released Cuban political prisoner, Hamlet Lavastida; discuss the threat of dictatorship in Latin America with CNN’s Melissa Mahtani at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for
Ugandan pop-star turned 2021 presidential candidate and opposition leader, Bobi Wine, speaks at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On deciding to speak out: “My fame wouldn’t change the reality – that I was just a boy from
Chair of the Women’s Committee of the World Uyghur Congress, Zumretay Arkin, presents the 2022 Courage Award at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. Introducing Enes Kanter Freedom: “His work, and the work of human rights defenders in this
Activist, NBA player, and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Enes Kanter Freedom, whose games were banned in China after he spoke out against the country’s human rights abuses, is presented with the 2022 Courage Award at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see full remarks below. Moderator: So Enes
Full Transcript Moderator: I want to ask you, you served as Afghanistan’s youngest female mayor. But what made you run for mayor in the first place? Zarifa Ghafari: Thank you so much. Actually, first of all, I think if you believe in yourself, if you believe you’re doing right, it doesn’t
Founder of Campaign for Uyghurs, sister of political prisoner Dr. Gulshan Abbas
Forcibly displaced civil society leader & advocate for war crimes tribunal against Putin
Activist, sister of Saudi political prisoner Abdulrahman al-Sadhan
Chair of the Women’s Committee at the World Uyghur Congress
Award-nominated actress & human rights advocate
Zimbabwean journalist & filmmaker arrested 3 times for exposing corruption
North Korean human rights activist & defector, imprisoned 4 times in North Korea & China
Daughter of jailed womens’ rights activist & political prisoner Nahid Taghavi
Filmmaker and reporter
International human rights lawyer
NBA basketball player and human rights activist
Youngest elected mayor in Afghanistan, survivor of three assassination attempts, forced into exile
Fighting to free her sister, Belarus opposition activist Maria Kalesnikava, and other political prisoners
Cuban artist, former political prisoner, founder of artist-led San Isidro Movement
Activist, wife of Chinese political prisoner Ding Jiaxi
Journalist and former CNN senior producer
Executive Director, UN Watch
Owner and CEO of Venezuela’s last remaining independent media outlet
Vietnamese scholar & former political prisoner
Founder & CEO of Arise
Media Mentions of the 2022 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. For videos, photos, transcripts, quotes, and more, click here. The World story on Summit speaker and chief of staff to Alexei Navalny, Leonid Volkov: “‘Tectonic Shift’ as Support for Putin erodes” CNN segment on Summit speaker and chief
Russian opposition activist Leonid Volkov on stage at the 14th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, April 6, 2022. For photos, videos, and speaker testimony, see below: For all high-res photos, click here. For a full video, click here. For individual videos, click here. To read full individual testimony,
Nobel-nominated Uyghur activist and sister to imprisoned Uyghur doctor Gulshan Abbas, Rushan Abbas, addresses the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, Wednesday, April 6, 2022 On becoming an activist: “I am
On the 5th of April 2022 the 14th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy formally began at the United Nations opening event, hosted at the Palais des Nations in Geneva and attended by leading diplomats from around the world. Photos and Videos can be found below: For all photos,
GENEVA, March 31, 2022 – A cross-regional coalition of over 25 human rights NGOs announced today that Olga Aivazovska, a displaced Ukrainian civil society leader and one of the chief advocates for a special tribunal on Russian war crimes, will speak at the 14th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. The announcement comes a day after
GENEVA, March 27, 2022 – By-election results released Sunday revealed that Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party had suffered significant losses in a vote viewed as a dry run for the country’s 2023 general election. President Mnangagwa’s party lost 19 of the 28 constituencies contested to a growing opposition movement which will be spotlighted at
The Geneva Summit announces today that its prestigious women’s rights award will go this year to Zarifa Ghafari, Afghanistan’s youngest female mayor and a survivor of three Taliban assassination attempts. Ghafari will receive the Geneva Summit 2022 International Women’s Rights Award at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 6th, where she
GENEVA, March 14, 2022 — A coalition of 25 human rights groups announced today that leading dissidents from Hong Kong, Tibet and China will come together to express their support for democracy at the 14th Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. The announcement comes as US officials reveal Russia has requested military assistance from China in
Copyright 2024 Geneva Summit. All Rights Reserved.