Matteo Mecacci, Italian Member of the European Parliament, elected official of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly, and former Chairperson of the Italian Parliamentary Intergroup for Tibet, addresses the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks.
Full remarks
Italian MP, OSCE Rapporteur
Professor Mukesh Kapila, public health and international development expert, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy remotely via a video message– see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks James Kirchik: Mukesh Kapila, who is a professor of Global Health and Humanitarian Affairs at the
International lawyer, diplomat and Executive Director of UN Watch, Hillel Neuer delivers opening remarks at the 15th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for his remarks. Full Remarks Excellencies, courageous defenders of human rights gathered from around the globe, ladies and gentlemen, friends. Welcome to the 2023 Geneva Summit
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado addresses the 7th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks I am Maria Corina Machado of the National Assembly. My country is living through the bleakest and most critical moment in its history and for that of
Jared Genser, international human rights lawyer, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the Summit’s giving a voice to the voiceless: “What we’re gonna be doing is hearing from three people on the front lines about their own
Anastasia Zotova, wife of jailed Russian dissident Ildar Dadin, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. Reading letter by her husband, political prisoner Ildar Dadin, then imprisoned in the Karelia prison: “On Sept. 11, 2016, they came to
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
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
Ruslan Asadov, co-founder of Azerbaijan’s ‘OL! Youth Movement,’ which works to develop democratic leaders and disseminate modern and progressive values, addresses the 2nd Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Ruslan Asadov: Hi. Thank you for the passionate presentation. As
Rosa Orozco, mother of student Geraldine Moreno killed by the Venezuelan National Guard while protesting against the government in February 2014, addresses the 12th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy — see quotes below, followed by the full prepared remarks. On her daughter being shot and killed by
Cuban democracy leader and rights activist Damaris Moya Portieles addresses the 6th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full Remarks Danaris Moya Portieles: First of all, I would like to thank UN Watch and the organisers and the sponsors of this Geneva
Kang Chol-hwan, North Korean defector and former inmate of the notorious Yodok concentration camp, addresses the 5th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Kang Chol-Hwan: It’s my honor to speak in front of you at the Geneva Summit. This
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
Lesther Aleman, Nicaraguan student leader and political activist, addresses the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for his remarks. *Vídeo y transcripción en español abajo Prepared Remarks: Good afternoon. I am Lesther Alemán Alfaro, I was born and raised in Nicaragua, and the fact
Pavez Sharma, an Indian filmmaker, author, and journalist, addresses the 1st Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for full prepared remarks. Full remarks Some of the largest and most bitter battles in this new century are going to be fought on the front lines of religion.
International lawyer, diplomat and Executive Director of UN Watch, Hillel Neuer delivers day two opening and concluding remarks at the 13th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the Geneva Summit: “The Geneva Summit provides a unique opportunity to hear testimony from
Nguyen Trung Trong Nghia, otherwise known as “Effy Nguyen“, 22-year-old Vietnamese video blogger and son of detained Vietnamese human rights defender and pastor, addresses the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On being a political prisoner in Vietnam: “During
Fred and Cindy Warmbier, parents of Otto Warmbier who was tortured in North Korea, discuss with Hillel Neuer at the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Full Transcript Hillel Neuer: I’m joined on the stage by Fred and Cindy Warmbier, and they’re here because of their son, Otto.
Shirin, a former Yazidi ISIS captive, addresses the 9th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On her capture by ISIS: “First, the men and women were separated. The men had to stay in Hardan, including my brother…We suspect they were
Gazelle Sharmahd, Iranian human rights activist and daughter of imprisoned journalist Jamshid Sharmahd, addressed the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on May 15th 2024. Full remarks: My name is Gazelle Sharmahd and I wish I could be there with you today in person, but unfortunately we
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
Grace Jin Drexel, daughter of Pastor Ezra Jin, a political prisoner in China, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026. Full Prepared Remarks: On October 10th, my father, Pastor Ezra Jin, was arrested by the Chinese authorities along with 27 other
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:
Toribia Lero Quispe, indigenous leader and member of the Bolivian Legislative Assembly, addresses the 16th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see below for her remarks. **Vídeo y transcripción en español abajo Full remarks (translated to English): I am in this forum because of indigenous women, and
A panel including Peter Yang, son of Guo Feixiong, imprisoned Chinese “barefoot lawyer” and civil rights activist; Dr. Gyal Lo, academic expert on China’s mass use of boarding schools to eradicate Tibetan identity and culture; Frances Hui, first Hong Kong activist granted political asylum in the US, Director of ‘We
A panel including veteran war surgeon who smuggled himself into Homs in 2012 to help the Syrian people, Jacques Beres; Iranian freelance journalist and founder and Executive Director of ‘Foreign Policy Circle,’ Saba Farzan; and Syrian human rights activist who was arrested in 2011 for distributing pro-revolutionary flyers attacking the