Search

Human Rights Heroes to Unite for 10th Geneva Summit

Human Rights Heroes to Unite for 10th Geneva Summit

GENEVA, December 19, 2017– An international coalition of 25 human rights organizations announced today that it will hold its 10th annual gathering of human rights dissidents on Tuesday, February 20, 2018, at the Geneva International Conference Center.

The 2018 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy will hold its opening session at the Palace of Nations, the European headquarters of the United Nations.

The renowned Geneva Summit for Human Rights assembles hundreds of courageous dissidents, human rights activists, diplomats, journalists and student leaders to shine a spotlight on urgent human rights situations that require global attention, from Syria to Venezuela, North Korea to Zimbabwe.

Strategically, the event will be held days before foreign ministers from around the world gather across the street for the annual opening of the UN Human Rights Council.

Last year’s conference drew a standing-room only audience of more than 700 participants. International media coverage included more than 85 separate TV, radio and newspaper stories and interviews. The 2018 Summit is already slated to exceed last year’s impact.

The remarkable lineup of speakers for 2018 includes:

• Antonio Ledezma – Mayor of Caracas, Venezuelan opposition leader, former political prisoner

• Asli Erdoğan -Turkish novelist, former political prisoner

• Farida Abbas Khalaf – Freed Yazidi ISIS slave, author of The Girl Who Beat ISIS

• Irwin Cotler – Former Canadian Minister of Justice and MP, advocate for political prisoners

• Kasha Jacqueline – Ugandan LGBT activist, founder of Freedom and Roam Uganda

• Luis Almagro – Secretary General of the Organization of American States, former Foreign Minister of Uruguay

• Rev. Evan Mawarire – Leading Zimbabwean opposition activist, acquitted in November 2016 on charges of trying to overthrow Robert Mugabe’s government

• Vladimir Kara-Murza – Russian dissident, vice chairman of Open Russia

• William Browder – Hedge fund manager who lead successful campaign to adopt Magnitsky Act, a U.S. law sanctioning Russian oligarchs

• Wuilly Arteaga – Violinist who became a symbol of democracy protests in Venezuela

REGISTRATION: Click here to register now

NGO COALITION: CADAL• COLLECTIF URGENCE DARFOUR • DARFUR PEACE & DEVELOPMENT CENTER • DIRECTORIO DEMOCRATICO CUBANO • FORUM 2000• FREEDOM AND ROAM UGANDA • FREEDOM RIGHTS PROJECT • HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION • HUMAN RIGHTS WITHOUT FRONTIERS • HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS IN IRAN • INGÉNIEURS DU MONDE • INICIATIVA POR VENEZUELA • INITIATIVES FOR CHINA • INTER-AFRICAN COMMITTEE ON TRADITIONAL PRACTICES • INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF LIBERAL YOUTH • LANTOS FOUNDATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS • LIBERAL INTERNATIONAL • LIGUE INTERNATIONAL CONTRE LE RACISME • NORTH KOREA WATCH • STOP CHILD EXECUTIONS • RAOUL WALLENBERG CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS • TIBETAN WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION • WORLD UΥGHUR CONGRESS • UN WATCH • VIET TAN

###

Related

Erdoğan, Journalism & the Elections in Turkey with Nevsin Mengu

Turkish journalist dropped from CNN Türk after she criticized President Erdoğan, Nevşin Mengü  interviewed by journalist and former CNN producer Melissa Mahtani at the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for the interview. Interview:  Melissa Mahtani  We have heard some incredibly powerful testimony from our last

Uyghur Persecution

Witnessing China’s Re-Education Camps with Kalbinur Sidik

Kalbinur Sidik, Uyghur activist, witness to Chinese reeducation camp atrocities and survivor of forced sterilization, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks in Uyghur and the corresponding video, followed by the English translation. Full Remarks: Uyghur    ھازىر ، جۇڭگودا جازا لاگېرلىرىدا

Women's Rights

Let Iranian Women Enter Their Stadiums with Darya Safai

Darya Safai, Iranian women’s rights campaigner and founder of Let Iranian Women Enter Their Stadiums, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On growing up in Iran: “I grew up in the religious dictatorship of the Islamic Republic

Political Prisoners

The Political Pandemic: Resurgent Global Authoritarianism with Irwin Cotler

Professor Irwin Cotler, Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, addresses the 13th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On rising authoritarianism: “We are witnessing…a global political

Democracy

2025 Keynote Address: The Struggle for Freedom in Iran with Reza Pahlavi

Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran, delivered the 2025 Keynote Address at the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: Ladies and gentlemen, friends, and tireless advocates for human rights,  Before I begin, I would like to thank the thousands of my

Authoritarism in Cuba with Rosa Maria Paya

Rosa Maria Paya, Cuban pro-democracy activist and member of the Coordination Team of the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL), addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   Rosa Maria Paya: I want to thank the first two speakers, because I realize

Democracy

Fighting for Cuba with Guillermo Fariñas Hernández

Cuban Psychologist and journalist, Guillermo Fariñas Hernández, who has endured 23 hunger strikes and 11 years in prison for his defiance of the Cuban regime, addresses the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On lack of democracy in Cuba:

Next Generation: Youth, Eights Defenders and the Blogosphere with Duy Hoang

Duy Hoang, a Vietnamese-born American democracy activist who serves as a spokesperson for Viet Tan, an unsanctioned political movement in Vietnam, addresses the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   Duy Hoang: Good morning, it’s great to be here. I

Political Prisoners

Scarred by North Korea with Timothy Cho

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

Human Rights

Defecting from the Hermit Kingdom with Ahn Myeong Chul

Ahn Myeong Chul, North Korean former prison guard turned defector and human rights activist, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full Remarks   Ahn Myeong Chul: Good afternoon, my name is Ahn Myeong Chul. I would like to thank

Human Rights

Freedom of Expression and Defamation of Religion with Caroline Fourest, Mohamed Sifaoui, Floyd Abrams, Angela Wu, Patrick Gaubert, Brett Schaefer

A panel including scholar and practitioner of international religious liberty law, Angela Wu; Senior Research Fellow in International Regulatory Affairs for The Heritage Foundation, Brett Schaefer; expert on US constitutional law and freedom of speech, Floyd Abrams; director, teacher, columnist, and the co-founder of the journal ProChoix who has previously

Hong Kong

Glory to Hong Kong with Frances Hui

Frances Hui, first Hong Kong activist granted political asylum in the US and Director of ‘We the Hong Kongers’ organization, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full Remarks I want to start with a statement that you may find confusing or

Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Protests: An Eyewitness Account with Denise Ho

Denise Ho, award-winning Hong Kong-based singer, actress and pro-democracy and LGBTQ rights activist, addresses the 12th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy — see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On her own involvement in the Hong Kong protests: “I started to understand the negative impacts of

Just Released from Egyptian Prison with Maikel Nabil

Maikel Nabil, Egyptian blogger and political activist, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   Tom Gross: We have with us in this session, two very brave human rights and democracy activists, one from Egypt and the other

Democracy

A Day in the Life of Venezuela’s Diaspora with María-Alejandra Aristeguieta-Álvarez

Coordinator of Geneva Summit coalition partner Iniciativa Por Venezuela, Maria-Alejandra Aristeguieta, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Full Remarks Hello, I’m Maria-Alejandra Aristeguieta from Iniciativa por Venezuela. It’s a tiny organization based in Switzerland. For the past 15-17 years we have been fighting for Venezuelan

Human Rights

Opening Address with Irwin Cotler

Irwin Cotler, Founder and Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On political prisoners:  “We have a responsibility to not only speak up but to act.” “It’s our responsibility

Blasphemy

Blasphemy and Honor Killings with Philippe Robinet

Philippe Robinet, Director General of Calmann-Lévy Books and founder and President of Kero Books, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Hilel Neuer […] by Monsieur. Philippe Robinet, who has come to us directly from Paris. Before I pass

Tibet

China’s Colonial Boarding Schools in Tibet with Dr. Gyal Lo

Dr. Gyal Lo, academic expert on China’s mass use of boarding schools to eradicate Tibetan identity and culture, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for his remarks. Full Remarks Dear brothers and sisters, In 2015, I finished my PhD in Sociology of education at

Human Rights

From Miss World to World Renowned Activist with Anastasia Lin

Anastasia Lin, actress, classical pianist, human rights activist and Miss World Canada 2015, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On arriving in a democracy: “Now after I moved to Canada only then did I realize the extent

Political Prisoners

Surviving Solitary Confinement with Dang Xuang Dieu

Dang Xuang Dieu, a formerly imprisoned Vietnamese human rights activist, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On what inspired his activism: I had witnessed injustices every day and felt like I had to do something. I looked

Press Freedom

“We The Journalists” with Yavuz Baydar

Yavuz Baydar, Editor-in-Chief of Ahval, a Turkish independent online news and podcasts site, addresses the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the threat to journalism:  “We the journalists are more than ever before alienated, demonized, targeted, threatened, forced

Authoritarianism and Dissent: 21st Century Horizons with Dewa Mavhinga

Dewa Mavhinga, former Southern Africa Director of  Human Rights Watch and former Regional Coordinator for the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, addresses the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   Dewa Mavingha: Thank you and thank you to UN Watch and