2022 Geneva Summit for
human rights and democracy
April 6, 2022, CICG, Rue de Varembé 17, 1211 Genève
Live stream
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Watch past speeches and get a sense of what to expect from the Geneva Summit.
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PRogram
Morning Session
10:00 Welcome
- Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of United Nations Watch, on behalf of the 25 NGO co-sponsors of the Geneva Summit.
10:10 The Future of Russia: Resisting Putin From Moscow to Kyiv
Interviewer: Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of United Nations Watch
- Leonid Volkov, Russian opposition activist and Chief of Staff to Alexei Navalny
10:30 The Struggle for Human Rights in China
Moderator: Luke de Pulford, Founder & CEO of Arise
- Rushan Abbas, Founder of Campaign for Uyghurs, sister of political prisoner in China
- Joey Siu, Policy Advisor at Hong Kong Watch, Advisor to Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China
- Tenzin Tsundue, Tibetan refugee and writer, arrested 16 times for his activism
11:20 The War in Ukraine: An Eyewitness Account
- Olga Aivazovska, Forcibly displaced civil society leader & advocate for war crimes tribunal against Putin
11:30 Price of Dissent: The Plight of Political Prisoners
Moderator: Yonah Diamond, International human rights lawyer
- Areej Al-Sadhan, Activist & sister of Saudi political prisoner Abdulrahman al-Sadhan
- Sophie Luo, Activist, wife of Chinese political prisoner Ding Jiaxi
- Tatsiana Khomich, Activist fighting to free Belarus political prisoners, including her sister Maria Kalesnikava
- Mariam Claren, Daughter of Nahid Taghavi, jailed political prisoner in Iran
12:15 Exiled From Vietnam: The Fight for Freedom of Speech
- Pham Minh Hoang, Vietnamese scholar & former political prisoner
12:25 The 2022 International Women’s Rights Award
Presented by: Nazanin Boniadi, Award-nominated actress and Amnesty International Ambassador
- Zarifa Ghafari, Youngest elected mayor in Afghanistan, survivor of three assassination attempts
Interviewer: Melissa Mahtani, CNN journalist, senior producer
Afternoon Session
14:30 Uncovering Corruption
- Hopewell Chin’ono, Zimbabwean journalist and filmmaker arrested 3 times for exposing corruption
14:40 Scarred by North Korea
- Timothy Cho, North Korean human rights activist who escaped from prison
14:50 Resisting Dictatorship in Latin America
Moderator: Melissa Mahtani, CNN journalist, senior producer- Hamlet Lavastida, Cuban artist, former political prisoner, founder of artist-led campaign groups 27N and San Isidro Movement
- Berta Valle, Nicaraguan journalist & activist, wife of political prisoner Félix Maradiaga
- Miguel Henrique Otero, Journalist, CEO of Venezuela’s El Nacional newspaper that was recently seized by the regime
15:40 How To Topple A Dictator
- Bobi Wine, Ugandan opposition leader & 2021 presidential candidate
15:50 The 2022 Courage Award
Presented by: Zumretay Arkin, World Uyghur Congress Women’s Committee Chair- Enes Kanter Freedom, NBA basketball player and human rights activist Interviewer: Jean-Cosme Delaloye, Filmmaker and Reporter
16:30 End of Summit
speakers
Learn more about the incredible speakers and moderators who will highlight urgent rights issues from around the world.
Olga Aivazovska
Forcibly displaced civil society leader & advocate for war crimes tribunal against Putin
Miguel Henrique Otero
Owner and CEO of Venezuela’s last remaining independent media outlet
Hopewell Chin’ono
Zimbabwean journalist & filmmaker arrested 3 times for exposing corruption
Timothy Cho
North Korean human rights activist & defector, imprisoned 4 times in North Korea & China
Zarifa Ghafari
Youngest elected mayor in Afghanistan, survivor of three assassination attempts, forced into exile
Tatsiana Khomich
Fighting to free her sister, Belarus opposition activist Maria Kalesnikava, and other political prisoners
Hamlet Lavastida
Cuban artist, former political prisoner, founder of artist-led San Isidro Movement
Joey Siu
Policy Advisor at Hong Kong Watch, Advisor to Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China
Tenzin Tsundue
Tibetan refugee & writer arrested 16 times for his activism, completed 127-day Himalayan walk for Tibet
Berta Valle
Nicaraguan journalist, wife of opposition leader and political prisoner Félix Maradiaga
Leonid Volkov
Chief of Staff to Russian opposition leader & political prisoner Alexei Navalny
