Speeches
Leopoldo López, Venezuelan dissident, former political prisoner, and co-founder of the World Liberty Congress, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026. 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, U.N. Opening, Tuesday, February 17, 2026 Key Quotes: “It’s bewildering to
Blessed Mhlanga, Zimbabwean journalist and former political prisoner, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026. 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, U.N. Opening, Tuesday, February 17, 2026 Key Quotes: “This is the new face of repression in Zimbabwe,
Masih Alinejad, Iranian journalist and women’s rights activist, received the 2026 Courage Award on behalf of the heroes of Iran at the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2026. Click here to view the presentation of the award by Alice Teodorescu Måwe. 18th
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. 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, U.N. Opening, Tuesday, February 17, 2026 Key Quotes: “Zion Church became a
Afghan-Iranian Taekwondo athlete and advocate for women’s rights in Afghanistan, Marzieh Hamidi, recieved the International Women’s Rights Award at the 18th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Click here to view the presentation of the award by Sophia Aram. 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and
Aram Aqil, Kurdish minority rights activist and a former ISIS hostage, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026. 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, U.N. Opening, Tuesday, February 17, 2026 Key Quotes: “The Kurds’ right to live in
Chloe Cheung, the youngest Hong Kong dissident on Beijing’s “Wanted Persons” list and Manager of Public Affairs and Advocacy at the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026. 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, President-elect of Belarus, delivered the 2026 Keynote Address at the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2026. 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, U.N. Opening, Tuesday, February 17, 2026 Key Quotes: “When my husband was imprisoned, I had
Pedro Urruchurtu Noselli, Venezuelan opposition advisor wanted on politically motivated charges who took refuge for more than 400 days inside the Argentine embassy in Caracas, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026. 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy,
Timothy Cho, North Korean human rights activist and defector who was imprisoned four times in North Korea and China, addressed the U.N. Opening for the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 17th, 2026. Key Quotes: “Where is justice for the people of North Korea in
Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of United Nations Watch, on behalf of 30 co-sponsoring NGOs, delivered the welcome address at the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, U.N. Opening, Tuesday, February 17, 2026
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.
Kim Yumi, North Korean defector who escaped by boat to South Korea with her family in 2023, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026.
Kiran Tirado, a student at Institut Florimont in Geneva, presented the empty chair for the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, at the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2026. Full Remarks: My name is Kiran Tirado, and I am a student at Institut
Mutasim Ali, Sudanese human rights advocate and Legal Advisor at the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy by video on February 18, 2026.
Alice Teodorescu Måwe, Swedish member of the European Parliament, delivers her remarks as she presents the 2026 Geneva Summit Courage Award to Masih Alinejad on behalf of the heroes of Iran.
Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch, moderated a discussion with Masih Alinejad and Leopoldo López at the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2026. Masih Alinejad is an Iranian journalist, women’s rights activist, and repeated target of attempted assassinations. Leopoldo López is a
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
Yunior García Aguilera, Cuban playwright and democracy activist, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026.
Bobi Wine, presidential candidate in Uganda’s January 2026 elections, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18, 2026.
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.
Sophia Aram, French comedian and actress, presents the International Women’s Rights Award at the 18th annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy to Marzieh Hamidi, Afghan-Iranian taekwondo athlete and advocate for women’s rights in Afghanistan.
Brandon Silver, international human rights lawyer, 2024 Magnitsky Award laureate, and the Director of Policy & Projects at the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, addressed the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2026.
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