2024 Welcome with Hillel Neuer

 

International lawyer, diplomat and Executive Director of UN Watch, Hillel Neuer delivers opening remarks at the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy

Speakers and Participants

Related

Tibet

Why Burn Yourself Alive? with Dicki Chhoyang

Dicki Chhoyang, Minister for Development and International Relations for the Central Tibetan Administration, the Tibetan government in exile, addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Dicki Chhoyang: Good afternoon. When I was thinking about what I would say this afternoon,

Political Prisoners

Geneva Summit 2016 Courage Award with Julieta López

Julieta Lopez, aunt of Latin America’s best-known prisoner of conscience, Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, accepts the 2016 Geneva Summit Courage Award on his behalf and addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On her feelings of

Women’s Rights, Human Dignity and Equality with Mukhtar Mai

Mukhtar Mai, Pakistani author, women’s rights activist, and victim of “honor revenge,” addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   Mukhtar Mai: I am thankful for the Geneva Summit and its organizers, and I am thankful to all the

Disability Rights

The Life of the Disabled in North Korea with Hyosim Maeng

North Korean defector, human rights activist, and advocate for disability rights, Hyosim Maeng, addresses the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full Remarks:  My mission is to raise awareness about the lives of disabled people in North Korea. Over the years,

Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism in Cuba with Regis Iglesias Ramirez

Regis Iglesias Ramirez, Cuban activist, former prisoner of conscience, and member the Christian Liberation Movement (MCL), addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks in Spanish. See below for English   En Mayo de 2002 por primera vez desde

Artivism

Art for Human Rights with El Sexto, Danilo “El Sexto” Maldonado

Danilo “El Sexto” Maldonado, a Cuban artist and human rights activist, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On persecution in Cuba: “I have been a victim of many arbitrary detentions, searches, confiscations of my art material

Democracy

Iranian Authoritarianism with Kaveh Shahrooz

Kaveh Shahrooz, lawyer, writer and human rights activist who led a recent successful effort to convince Canada’s parliament to recognize the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran as a crime against humanity, addresses the 12th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy — see quotes below, followed by

Political Prisoners

Held Hostage in Iran with Richard Ratcliffe

Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of imprisoned British-Iranian charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who was arrested in Iran almost three years ago while on holiday with her infant daughter, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks.  On the arrest and

Human Rights

2025 Opening Address with Garry Kasparov

Garry Kasparov, Vice-President of World Liberty Congress, pro-democracy leader, author, and former world chess champion, delivered the opening address at the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: Thank you to the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, and especially to

Political Prisoners

Arbitrary Arrest in Cuba with Juan Carlos Gutiérrez

Juan Carlos Gutiérrez, human rights lawyer who represents prominent Venezuelan opposition leaders and political prisoners including Leopoldo López and Juan Guaido, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On arrest and imprisonment of Dr. Eduardo Cardet: “Dr. Cardet

Women's Rights

2022 Women’s Rights Award with Zarifa Ghafari, Melissa Mahtani

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

Press Freedom

The Hidden Island: The Life of Cubans Under Dictatorships with Abraham Jiménez Enoa

Prominent Cuban journalist forced into exile, grandson of the bodyguard to Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, Abraham Jiménez Enoa, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below his remarks in Spanish, followed by the English translation and the corresponding video. Full Remarks: Spanish A mediados del

Political Prisoners

Imprisoned For An Idea with Hamlet Lavastida

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

Political Prisoners

Defying Belarus’ Dictator with Tatsiana Khomich

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

Uyghur Persecution

The Uyghur Crisis: A Global Problem with Nury Turkel

Nury Turkel, attorney and Uyghur rights advocate who co-founded the Uyghur Human Rights Project, addresses the 12th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy — see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On China’s mass detention of Uyghurs: “Since 2017, as many as three million Uyghurs have been detained

Authoritarianism and Dissent: 21st Century Horizons with Ko Bo Kyi

Ko Bo Kyi, former Burmese student activist, political prisoner, and founder of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, addresses the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   Ko Bo Kyi: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much for

Democracy

Fighting for Democracy and Human Rights in Latin America with Javier El-Hage

Javier El-Hage, Chief Legal and Policy Officer of Human Rights Foundation, addressed the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: Ladies and gentlemen, It is a privilege to stand before so many survivors and human rights heroes today. I am not one

Tibet

Free Tibet with Chemi Lhamo

Tibetan-Canadian human rights activist and community organizer, Chemi Lhamo, addresses the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full Remarks: Home.  Where is home for one that has never seen their own beautiful country, and in my case: Bhoe. Tibet.  Tashi delek