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

Women's Rights

2024 International Women’s Rights Award with Fatou Baldeh

Gambian women’s rights activist and survivor fighting to end Female Genital Mutilation Fatou Baldeh addresses the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full remarks: Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Members of the Press, Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon to you all.  I am

Viva Nicaragua Libre with Felix Maradiaga, Berta Valle, Melissa Mahtani

Nicaraguan opposition leader and former political prisoner, targeted by the government on false criminal charges, Félix Maradiaga, is presented with the 2023 Courage Award at the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. He is joined on stage by his wife and recognised Nicaraguan activist, journalist, and human rights defender, Berta

Political Prisoners

Trapped in Tehran: 804 Days in Evin Prison with Kylie Moore-Gilbert

Australian-British academic freed after two years in Iranian prison as a victim of hostage diplomacy, Kylie Moore-Gilbert, addresses the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. Full Remarks: My name is Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert. I have very generously been invited back to

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

Free and Fair Elections – Case Study: Iran with David Suurland, Stephane Bussard

Stéphane Bussard, former Le Temps US correspondent in New York, and David Suurland, a Ph.D. and co-founder of the Foundation for Freedom of Information who has written extensively on political Islam, address the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   David

Human Rights

Mobilising the 98% with Taha Bawa

Taha Bawa, co-founder of Goodwall, the humanitarian and environmental social network that encourages people to actively contribute to society and seek to inspire others, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full Remarks   My name is Taha, and I’m here

Authoritarianism

The Last Iron Curtain with Rosa Maria Paya

Rosa Maria Paya, one of Cuba’s leading human rights and democracy activists and the daughter of the late Oswaldo Paya, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On dictatorship in Cuba: “Let me tell you that as a

Democracy

Targeted by Turkey with Nurcan Baysal

Nurcan Baysal, Kurdish author, journalist and human rights defender who in 2017 was awarded the “Brave Women Journalists Award” by the Italian Women Journalists Association, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On being targeted by the Turkish

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

Uyghur Persecution

Empty Chair: Rahile Dawut, Uyghur Scholar Disappeared by China

Petra Dillon, a student at Ecolint in Geneva, presented the empty chair for Rahile Dawut at the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: The empty chair on this stage is dedicated to Rahile Dawut, a world-renowned scholar of Uyghur folklore and

The Situation of Human Rights in China with Ti-Ana Wang

Ti-Anna Wang, a Chinese-Canadian dissident whose father, Wang Bingzhang, is a prisoner of conscience in China, addresses the 3rd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks

Tortured in Prison with Hadeel Kouki

Hadeel Kouki, Syrian human rights activist who was arrested in 2011 for distributing pro-revolutionary flyers attacking the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, addresses the 4th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   Saba Farzan: Hadeel is an incredibly courageous, young lady

Uyghur Persecution

The Campaign to Stop China’s Destruction of the Uyghurs with Rahima Mahmut

Rahima Mahmut, Uyghur human rights activist, translator, and singer, addressed the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It is an honor and privilege to be here with you today. In 1989, I was one of thousands

Authoritarianism

Escaping North Korea with Yeon-Mi Park

Yeon-Mi Park, a North Korean defector and activist, addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. Quotes: To Be Confirmed Full Remarks Good morning everyone.  I was so depressed to hear all of these heartbreaking stories; it’s really difficult to

Political Prisoners

Imprisoned by China with Yang Jianli

Yang Jianli, leading Chinese dissident and pro-democracy activist, addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On being at Tiananmen Square in 1989: “A friend and I arrived in the square late on the night of June 3 just

Long Live the Troublemakers with Yang Jianli

Yang Jianli, leading Chinese dissident and pro-democracy activist, addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Thank you. Hello.  “Long live troublemakers!”  I was just copying what Richard Gere said a little more than a year ago at a Tom

Human Rights

Geneva Summit 2014 Courage Award with Alfred Moses, Chen Guangcheng

Blind Chinese human rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng  recieves the 2014 Geneva Summit Courage Award and addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full Remarks   Hillel Neuer: As I said when we opened today’s summit, all of our speakers today

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

Tibet

Authoritarianism in Tibet with Dicki Chhoyang

Dicki Chhoyang, Minister for Development and International Relations for the Central Tibetan Administration, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   Dicki Chhoyang: Thank you for the very nice introduction. I want to start speaking about

United Nations

Does Venezuela Deserve to be on the UN Human Rights Council? with María-Alejandra Aristeguieta-Álvarez, Irwin Cotler, Antonio Ledezma, Luis Almagro

Luis Almagro, María-Alejandra Aristeguieta-Álvarez, Irwin Cotler and Antonio Ledezma address the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Full Transcript María-Alejandra Aristeguieta-Álvarez: I’m going to translate a few things for Mr. Cotler and some other things for Antonio. In this section, I have six questions: three general questions, one

War Crimes

Diary of an Invasion: Eyewitness to Russia’s War on Ukraine with Andrey Kurkov

Highly-acclaimed Russian-born Ukrainian novelist known for his unwavering criticism of Vladimir Putin who reported on the situation on the ground in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, Andrey Kurkov, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for his remarks. Full Remarks Do I have the right to be tired