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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

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Authoritarianism

Defying the Kremlin’s Propaganda Machine with Marina Ovsyannikova

Marina Ovsyannikova, Russian journalist who famously interrupted a live state TV news broadcast with a sign protesting Putin’s war on Ukraine, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026.   Full Prepared Remarks: I am a journalist from Russia. For more than twenty

Modern Slavery

Ending Slavery with Biram Dah Abeid

Biram Dah Abeid, leader of the anti-slavery campaign in Mauritania, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On slavery in Mauritania: “I, a regular visitor to the hellish and life threatening jails of my country, where on

United Nations

How the United Nations Fails Venezuela with Diego Arria

Diego Arria, Venezuelan politician and diplomat who served as Venezuela’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (1991–1993) and President of the Security Council (March 1992), addresses the 11th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On Venezuela: “Today, Venezuela is a

Human Rights

Qatar’s World Cup Slaves with Pete Pattisson

Pete Pattisson, award-winning investigative journalist who reports on labor exploitation and modern forms of slavery around the world, addresses the 12th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy — see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On exploitation of migrants in Qatar: “My reporting began in the summer

Human Rights

Presentation of Geneva Summit 2015 Courage Award with Alfred Moses

Ambassador Alfred Moses, former special counsel to President Carter, U.S. ambassador to Romania, and special presidential envoy for the Cyprus conflict, addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Hillel Neuer: The work that the Geneva Summit does for the past

Corruption

The Price of Exposing Corruption in Vietnam with Hue Nhu

Huệ Như, Vietnamese pro-democracy and anti-corruption activist and former political prisoner, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026.   Full Prepared Remarks: Hello everyone! I would like to invite you to listen to a story. This is not the story of a

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

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

“Russia will be without Putin” with Zhanna Nemtsova

Zhanna Nemtsova, Russian activist and daughter of murdered opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On a resurgent Russian authoritarianism: “The title of the panel, as you know, is “The Return of Authoritarianism”, and

Uyghur Persecution

My Missing Father with Jewher Ilham

Jewher Ilham, rights activist and daughter of Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti now serving a life-sentence in Chinese prison for working to bridge the gap between the Uyghurs and the Han Chinese, addresses the 12th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy — see quotes below, followed by full prepared

Uyghur Persecution

The Uyghur Human Rights Crisis with Dolkun Isa

President of the World Uyghur Congress and target of intense persecution from the Chinese government, Dolkun Isa, addresses the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for his remarks. Full Remarks My name is Dolkun Isa and I am Uyghur. Despite living in the free world, I have felt

Welcome with Hillel Neuer

Hillel Neuer, international lawyer, diplomat, activist and Executive Director of UN Watch, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks.   Full remarks   TBC

Democracy

My Fight for a Free Cambodia with Mu Sochua

Mu Sochua, Cambodian political opposition leader and president of the Khmer Movement for Democracy, addresses the 16th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy | May 15, 2024  

Authoritarianism

Now Is The Time: Reforming Cuba with Manuel Cuesta

Manuel Cuesta, a Cuban historian, political activist and founder of the Progressive Arch, a forum bringing together diverse organisations militating for change in communist Cuba, 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 […] I’d

Human Rights

The Future of Russia: Resisting Putin From Moscow to Kyiv with Leonid Volkov

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

Democracy

After the Arab Spring with Fouzia Elbayed

Fouzia Elbayed, Moroccan women’s rights advocate and former Member of Parliament, addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Hillel Neuer: Elbayed is a member of parliament in Morocco. She is the founder of the Network of Parliamentarians Against the Death

Political Prisoners

Empty Chair: Russian Political Prisoner Mikhail Kriger

Kai Maresca, a student at Ecole Moser in Geneva, presented the empty chair for Mikhail Kriger at the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2026. Full Remarks: My name is Kai Maresca, and I am a student at Ecole Moser in Geneva. The empty

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

Political Prisoners

Eritrea and the World’s Longest Imprisoned Journalist with Betlehem Isaak

Betlehem Isaak, Swedish-Eritrean writer, and daughter of journalist Dawit Isaak who has been detained in Eritrean prison without trial for 24 years, addressed the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: Eritrea has been called “Africa’s North Korea,” “The Hermit Kingdom,” “An

Democracy

Protesting Putin with Maria Baronova

Maria Baronova, Russian human rights activist, journalist and subject of “The Bolotnaya Case”, addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Hello. I am from Russia and as you know, things in my country are not as good as we would

Press Freedom

The Last Newspaper Left with Miguel Henrique Otero

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