I’ve logged less total sleep in the past six nights than I usually get in two nights. I am five pounds thinner from the experience. I am virtually fifteen pounds heavier with knowledge. I now know first hand about diplomacy and the difference between bi-national and multi-national diplomacy. I now know the commonly accepted practice of diplomats saying one thing to each other privately but the opposite in public.
I know Durban II was no Durban I, B.H., and the international Jewish community deserves praise for rescuing the Israel portion of the Conference. That said, the voice of the Islamic Fundamentalists is loud, clear, organized, and powerful here, much more than the non-aligned and the Western voices. In my opinion, this needs to change. The addition of the United States to the UN Human Rights Council will help.
The Conference’s first day remains the confrontational thief of attention, stealing so much from so many human rights issues and conditions that all need immediate engagement. Darfur, for example, remains the darling of talk but the orphan of action. And in Geneva, I’ve heard of a dozen more.
“Western Liberalism” will not end, Mr. President (you can choose which one), but it needs to hear the call to arms.
The topic of human rights needs to get on the agenda of the Human Rights Council. Israel honestly and publicly regrets killing the few human shields who are purposely placed in harm’s way. The gamble almost never works; Israel exclusively chooses to give up targets if there is the possibility of civilian injury.
Mistakes happen, however, and Israel is singled out as the willing and sole worst human rights violator of the world. Hamas throws its political opposition from the rooftops (literally), puts its citizens in harms way purposely, and includes the goal of death to Jews worldwide in its Charter. They are cuddled by the UN Human Rights Council. Libya is the poster child for human rights violations. I’ve detailed them previously. And Libya chairs the Durban Review Conference Committee! Saudi Arabia imprisons rape victims and lashes them one hundred times after convictions of adultery, the latter killing most. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the belle of this week’s Conference Committee, denies the Holocaust, calls for the destruction of Israel, and presides over a government that executes more children annually then there are days of the week.
It will be long before I forget how Ahmdinejad was welcomed earlier this week with open arms to Geneva and hosted for dinner by Switzerland’s President Hans-Rudolf Merz. Remember, I now know about diplomacy. That wasn’t diplomacy.
Israel arrived at the Conference wounded, but not mortally. She leaves in slightly better health with positive opportunities for improved diplomatic wellness. Her new government will have much to do with the fulfillment of those opportunities.
What have I learned this week that I haven’t already made clear? Western-style democracies, whether liberal, conservation, or moderate need to wake up, band together, exercise some strong leadership with purpose, and fight back. With that, they need to finally take back the UN. A “League of Democracies” not in opposition to the UN, but INSIDE the UN, improving lives and, more importantly, saving lives.
Au revoir et salut, Genève.
Thank you for reading these dispatches.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Day Four and Five of the Durban Review Conference
I filled my last two days of the Conference with several informal meetings with Missions of countries at the UN in Geneva that were foreign to me. These conversations are polite and off the record. I personally visited with Israel, Lithuanian, and Finland. Others in my delegation sat with Switzerland, Turkey, Denmark, Argentina, and France.
As if it wasn’t fascinating and unique enough to be casually chatting with an Ambassador from a foreign country, but to be chewing on important topics uninterrupted for over an hour each time is something I shall never be able to duplicate.
Tension here is still very high. Anti-Israel attendees are still active. Rumors of diplomats’ intents to re-open the Document are a long shot but seem more plausible than the rumors of a return address by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Real work is performed even thought the Document is pressed into history. The wait in security lines is shorter and the halls seem grander with less traffic. The main Assembly Hall remains full with countries and NGO’s entering into the record their interests, each three minutes at a time.
I begin to realize this experience is about to be over. My last security check into the UN complex with my impressive NGO credentials, my last pulse of panic in front of a map while looking for the proper directions, and my last view of the Serpentine Lounge, a hub of delegate, diplomat, friend, and foe activity. My last tram ride and last random, impromptu conversation on same with a “Citoyen de Genève.”
As if it wasn’t fascinating and unique enough to be casually chatting with an Ambassador from a foreign country, but to be chewing on important topics uninterrupted for over an hour each time is something I shall never be able to duplicate.
Tension here is still very high. Anti-Israel attendees are still active. Rumors of diplomats’ intents to re-open the Document are a long shot but seem more plausible than the rumors of a return address by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Real work is performed even thought the Document is pressed into history. The wait in security lines is shorter and the halls seem grander with less traffic. The main Assembly Hall remains full with countries and NGO’s entering into the record their interests, each three minutes at a time.
I begin to realize this experience is about to be over. My last security check into the UN complex with my impressive NGO credentials, my last pulse of panic in front of a map while looking for the proper directions, and my last view of the Serpentine Lounge, a hub of delegate, diplomat, friend, and foe activity. My last tram ride and last random, impromptu conversation on same with a “Citoyen de Genève.”
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Day Three of the Durban Review Conference
At this point, there is less time left here than more time left here. I am writing to you about the events of yesterday. I sat in on two more committee meetings, these put on by the UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, on combating racial discrimination and on freedom of expression and the incitement to racial or religious hatred. Both were uneventful. The latter I thought would be fruitful, especially because the new Document modified the proposed "defamation of religion" to "prohibit incitement of hate." A chance to hear real data, policy, history, and opinion on the issues. A lot of statements from committee members, two groups of eight questions taken in groups to control discussion from the floor of over one hundred participants.
I have learned that diplomacy is discreet and convert at times. What a diplomat says in private can be the complete opposite of what is said in public.
I was part of an intimate meeting of 18 young Jewish adults with Alan Dershowitz. He explained the need to connect with moderate Arabs and re-claim conversation. He re-iterated something we've been hearing a lot; that Switzerland is no friend of the US or a worthy intermediary as previously preformed. How can the country's leader extend a warm, friendly hand to Ahmadinejad and host him for dinner? Public, private, private, public; it is all a bit confusing.
I did participate in the most interesting meeting so far. It wasn't put on by a UN committee or a NGO. It was born from one of my fellow delegates chatting with three Palestinian Israelis. He invited them to sit down with an equal number of us for a polite conversation with specific boundaries of just issues within Israel.
We sat down with only one brave Palestinian. Mr. Zeidan represents the Arab Assoc. for Human Rights. Brave because the others conveniently became "busy." His 20 year old organization deals with issues only relating to Israeli Palestinians. They represent about 20% of Israel's population. We had a civil conversation about the civil society topics important today there within Israel as we defined it (not West Bank and Gaza).
We discussed his views on Israeli citizenship and some of the discriminations he perceives. He says Israeli Palestinians would rather stay within Israel, regardless of a one or two state solution. We talked Israeli national politics, Lieberman, and we talked about Alan Dershowitz. We were able to refine some views of ours and his that were misunderstandings. Real work and knowledge gleaned from a causal but calculated conversation lasting one hour. I'm a diplomat!
It is interesting to note that the Palestinian delegation walked out on the little man's speech Monday. Quoted as saying the speech, was "inconvenient," it does make a statement about the delegation's focus. Others and Brothers not in Geneva may not share the delegation's principals. There sure still are Others and Brothers here walking the halls of the UN that do not share the delegation's views.
A meeting was just added. "Un-silenced Voices of Victims - Case: Palestine." I will be there and I'll tell you want I say.
Meetings with many diplomats today. Swiss, Lithuania, Turkey, Denmark, Argentina as well as the Israeli Ambassador. More tomorrow, the last day.
Thanks for reading. I hope you find it interesting.
I have learned that diplomacy is discreet and convert at times. What a diplomat says in private can be the complete opposite of what is said in public.
I was part of an intimate meeting of 18 young Jewish adults with Alan Dershowitz. He explained the need to connect with moderate Arabs and re-claim conversation. He re-iterated something we've been hearing a lot; that Switzerland is no friend of the US or a worthy intermediary as previously preformed. How can the country's leader extend a warm, friendly hand to Ahmadinejad and host him for dinner? Public, private, private, public; it is all a bit confusing.
I did participate in the most interesting meeting so far. It wasn't put on by a UN committee or a NGO. It was born from one of my fellow delegates chatting with three Palestinian Israelis. He invited them to sit down with an equal number of us for a polite conversation with specific boundaries of just issues within Israel.
We sat down with only one brave Palestinian. Mr. Zeidan represents the Arab Assoc. for Human Rights. Brave because the others conveniently became "busy." His 20 year old organization deals with issues only relating to Israeli Palestinians. They represent about 20% of Israel's population. We had a civil conversation about the civil society topics important today there within Israel as we defined it (not West Bank and Gaza).
We discussed his views on Israeli citizenship and some of the discriminations he perceives. He says Israeli Palestinians would rather stay within Israel, regardless of a one or two state solution. We talked Israeli national politics, Lieberman, and we talked about Alan Dershowitz. We were able to refine some views of ours and his that were misunderstandings. Real work and knowledge gleaned from a causal but calculated conversation lasting one hour. I'm a diplomat!
It is interesting to note that the Palestinian delegation walked out on the little man's speech Monday. Quoted as saying the speech, was "inconvenient," it does make a statement about the delegation's focus. Others and Brothers not in Geneva may not share the delegation's principals. There sure still are Others and Brothers here walking the halls of the UN that do not share the delegation's views.
A meeting was just added. "Un-silenced Voices of Victims - Case: Palestine." I will be there and I'll tell you want I say.
Meetings with many diplomats today. Swiss, Lithuania, Turkey, Denmark, Argentina as well as the Israeli Ambassador. More tomorrow, the last day.
Thanks for reading. I hope you find it interesting.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Day Two of the Durban Review Conference
I have come to realize since arriving in Geneva that my planned experience isn’t matching with my actual experience. To borrow a friend’s term, my E-Gap, or difference between planned and actual experience is both positive and negative. In other words, better than expected and also worse.
I am not blind. I know Israel struggles with the morality of her actions. She is not without fault. I know she is held to a higher standard of action and reaction than other states, whether right or wrong. Regardless, all UN nations are to be treated equally; with no more or less scrutiny. I am confused by the moral hypocrisy of the UN. What separates Israel from basically all is that she is an open democracy with a free press and she is always striving to do better, repair mistakes, and find peace. Who else in the Middle East? No one. Who else in the world? Few.
Today, I sat in on a subcommittee of the UN High Commission on Human Rights. The topic was rights of Indigenous Peoples. The chair is a Mohawk Indian and the panel included an Aboriginal gentleman. The audience was filled with South and Central Americans as well as Africans. From the floor came a comment, "It is sad that the first day of this Conference was so confrontational." They have real work to do and Ahmadinejad's speech and the lead-up takes focus away and derail it. I think this the prevailing feeling. This place has turned into a circus.
The biggest victim of the hijacking of the human rights agenda at the UN isn’t Israel. It is the real human rights needs in countries represented in the subcommittee meeting I sat in on, including Chile, Guatemala, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Iran, and Libya. And of course, Rwanda, almost posthumonously.
So this afternoon the High Committee met for just over an hour and recommended to the PlenarySession that the Conference Declaration be accepted in its draft form submitted Friday WITHOUT ANY CHANGES. It was adopted without objection.
My humble and unworthy comment is the Declaration, like the Conference, is a disappointment and unacceptable. That said, there were improvements to the Declaration, but unworthy of our overall satisfaction. For one, it reaffirms the original Durban Declaration from 2001, which singles out Israel for its human rights violations. Borrowing a term from last week’s Passover seders, “Dayenu.” The list is long and distinguished of worse human rights offenders, but most fill the committee, along with their friends. While Israel is not mentioned directly or indirectly in new document, there is language about prohibition of incitement of hate. Governments are left to interpret “incitement” and “hate.” This will surely allow for restrictions of free speech and free religion. In truth and moving forward, a certain death sentence for more people in the world's oppressive regimes.
Some in my delegation and in partnering delegations are happy with the Declaration. “Better than it could be,” one said. Wrong, friend; unacceptable isn’t on a sliding scale.
Thanks for your time. I hope you’ll return.
I am not blind. I know Israel struggles with the morality of her actions. She is not without fault. I know she is held to a higher standard of action and reaction than other states, whether right or wrong. Regardless, all UN nations are to be treated equally; with no more or less scrutiny. I am confused by the moral hypocrisy of the UN. What separates Israel from basically all is that she is an open democracy with a free press and she is always striving to do better, repair mistakes, and find peace. Who else in the Middle East? No one. Who else in the world? Few.
Today, I sat in on a subcommittee of the UN High Commission on Human Rights. The topic was rights of Indigenous Peoples. The chair is a Mohawk Indian and the panel included an Aboriginal gentleman. The audience was filled with South and Central Americans as well as Africans. From the floor came a comment, "It is sad that the first day of this Conference was so confrontational." They have real work to do and Ahmadinejad's speech and the lead-up takes focus away and derail it. I think this the prevailing feeling. This place has turned into a circus.
The biggest victim of the hijacking of the human rights agenda at the UN isn’t Israel. It is the real human rights needs in countries represented in the subcommittee meeting I sat in on, including Chile, Guatemala, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Iran, and Libya. And of course, Rwanda, almost posthumonously.
So this afternoon the High Committee met for just over an hour and recommended to the PlenarySession that the Conference Declaration be accepted in its draft form submitted Friday WITHOUT ANY CHANGES. It was adopted without objection.
My humble and unworthy comment is the Declaration, like the Conference, is a disappointment and unacceptable. That said, there were improvements to the Declaration, but unworthy of our overall satisfaction. For one, it reaffirms the original Durban Declaration from 2001, which singles out Israel for its human rights violations. Borrowing a term from last week’s Passover seders, “Dayenu.” The list is long and distinguished of worse human rights offenders, but most fill the committee, along with their friends. While Israel is not mentioned directly or indirectly in new document, there is language about prohibition of incitement of hate. Governments are left to interpret “incitement” and “hate.” This will surely allow for restrictions of free speech and free religion. In truth and moving forward, a certain death sentence for more people in the world's oppressive regimes.
Some in my delegation and in partnering delegations are happy with the Declaration. “Better than it could be,” one said. Wrong, friend; unacceptable isn’t on a sliding scale.
Thanks for your time. I hope you’ll return.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Day One of the Durban Review Conference
What a day! I have experienced the highs and the lows of international diplomacy and intimate diplomacy.
Within a span of less than four hours, I was within the UN’s Geneva main assembly hall and was in the midst of not only greats like Alan Deshowitz and Jon Voight but also hate mongers like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (my personal Hitler). Better yet, I met Jon Voight, a gentile supporter of Israel. Best yet, I met Elie Wiesel, possibly the most important Jew alive today (my personal Elijah). His gentleness and sincerity belies his life experience and the day’s experience.
By now, you’ve seen the video footage, heard the little man’s speech, and seen the clown and the parade. The hour before the speech was an electric and hectic time in the halls of the UN in Geneva. The lines to get through the many security posts and metal detectors were very long and even wider. I tried three times to get into the gallery to be in the same room as Ahmadinejad, but with only half the diplomatic credentials needed, I could not. Others in my delegation did, however.
I went to an overflow room, along with Deshowitz, only to have the UN not feed us the English translation of the speech given in Farsi. A near riot broke out with Deshowitz telling the crowd that our human rights were being violated with the UN not providing translation. The ruckus melted into several heated arguments between Jews in the room and other parties, including but separately, African Americans, black Africans, and Israeli Arabs. I was proud of whose of my delegation in the room; they successfully, logically, and diplomatically debated those who they opposed.
I returned to the outer halls to be in a mob waiting for Ahmadinejad, moving with Ahmadinejad, and re-waiting for Ahadinejad. There, I meet Voight and Wiesel. I also met some Arabs who when convenient wrote and yelled in English, “Israel is Racist…Genocide in Gaza,” but could not read the sentence of the Hamas Charter that calls for the death of every single Jew on earth. A fellow delegate handed it to him and pointed to it.
Allow me to continue tomorrow. Thank you for your attention.
Within a span of less than four hours, I was within the UN’s Geneva main assembly hall and was in the midst of not only greats like Alan Deshowitz and Jon Voight but also hate mongers like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (my personal Hitler). Better yet, I met Jon Voight, a gentile supporter of Israel. Best yet, I met Elie Wiesel, possibly the most important Jew alive today (my personal Elijah). His gentleness and sincerity belies his life experience and the day’s experience.
By now, you’ve seen the video footage, heard the little man’s speech, and seen the clown and the parade. The hour before the speech was an electric and hectic time in the halls of the UN in Geneva. The lines to get through the many security posts and metal detectors were very long and even wider. I tried three times to get into the gallery to be in the same room as Ahmadinejad, but with only half the diplomatic credentials needed, I could not. Others in my delegation did, however.
I went to an overflow room, along with Deshowitz, only to have the UN not feed us the English translation of the speech given in Farsi. A near riot broke out with Deshowitz telling the crowd that our human rights were being violated with the UN not providing translation. The ruckus melted into several heated arguments between Jews in the room and other parties, including but separately, African Americans, black Africans, and Israeli Arabs. I was proud of whose of my delegation in the room; they successfully, logically, and diplomatically debated those who they opposed.
I returned to the outer halls to be in a mob waiting for Ahmadinejad, moving with Ahmadinejad, and re-waiting for Ahadinejad. There, I meet Voight and Wiesel. I also met some Arabs who when convenient wrote and yelled in English, “Israel is Racist…Genocide in Gaza,” but could not read the sentence of the Hamas Charter that calls for the death of every single Jew on earth. A fellow delegate handed it to him and pointed to it.
Allow me to continue tomorrow. Thank you for your attention.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Erev Day One of Durban Review Conference
I was in the company of some strong and special citizens of the world earlier today. At the Geneva Summit for Human Rights, Tolerance and Democracy (http://www.genevasummit.org/), the program was packed with fascinating, disturbing, horrifying, and inspirational stories. I urge you to visit their website, however, allow me to share three stories briefly with you.
Gibreil Ramid told me about how all of his family was murdered in Darfur. He asked, "Why is my family not accepted as humans?" Where is the world during all of this? Sudan threw out of Darfur 13 NGOs who supplied needed food and medical supplies. 99% of the Darfur population depended on them. Simple sicknesses are now fatal. A cousin of Gabreil dies of a simple stomach illness. Many know it is easier to lie in bed and die than to travel to Khartom without money for medial treatment. When their land was fertile, Darfurians send food to Saudia Arabia. Where is the reciporcal help? Why are they "left alone in their tragedy?" Is it because they are "only" Muslim-practicing black Africans and are not Muslim-practicing Arabs?
Ester Murawajo is a survivor of the genocide in Rwanda. She showed a photograph of her extended family. Grandparents, parents, cousins, uncles, aunts, sisters, brothers, and a baby sister. They are all gone; Murdered for reasons I cannot understand. As a survivor, she describes the "survivor's physche," the guilt of surviving and the helplessness of it. Women raped and "given" HIV/AIDS virus by the rapists. And the rapists who infected them get treatment and survive, but the raped women do not.
She echoed Gibriels comments by saying, "The world did not have the will to stop the killings and save them because their lives aren't important in the world." And 15 years later, you can just replace "Rwanda" with "Darfur"...
Lastly, I heard a story of the Libyan government's human rights violations of Palentinian Dr. Ashraf El Hagog and five Bulgarian nurses, including C. Valcheva. They all were living in Libya and they were scapegoated to cover-up Libya's government allowing dozens of children to be infected with HIV/AIDS virus. Arrested without warrant. One year passes with no legal defense. Ten months go before a 4 minute family visit. Over ten years, the doctor and nurses were tortured. El Hagog and Valcheva both detailed some of it; shocking. Water, hanging, electricity, sleep deprivation, and more. The doctor was threatened with either confessing or watching the live rape of his sister.
They were all found guilty and sentenced to death by shooting three times each. Through the work and diplomacy of Bulgaria, the United States, other countries and other NGOs, they were "sucessfully ransomed" and moved to Bulgaria and then freed. You can search for the complete story, but the point is more than just the human rights violations. Libya, this diabolical country, is the chairman of the Durban Review Conference Committee!! Dr. El Hagog says, "Shame on the UN for having Libya chair the committee." Exactly.
The doctor continued. As a Palestinian, he was taught that Israelis and Jews are the enemy. He said he was "a prisoner of his [Muslim and Arab] brother." It was the former Bulgarian Foreign Minister who was the only person to offer help. This dipolmat was a Jew, therefore, it was a Jew who was the only person to offer the doctor help to get out of "his brother's prison."
Logically, the doctor has harsh and accurate words on Khaddafi, the "King of Kings in Africa." He promises "to be a stone in the throat of Khaddafi until his last breath."
Thanks for reading this. Please check back here often. I hope you are finding these posts interesting and worthwhile. Tomorrow, I will share thoughts on Ahmadinejad.
Gibreil Ramid told me about how all of his family was murdered in Darfur. He asked, "Why is my family not accepted as humans?" Where is the world during all of this? Sudan threw out of Darfur 13 NGOs who supplied needed food and medical supplies. 99% of the Darfur population depended on them. Simple sicknesses are now fatal. A cousin of Gabreil dies of a simple stomach illness. Many know it is easier to lie in bed and die than to travel to Khartom without money for medial treatment. When their land was fertile, Darfurians send food to Saudia Arabia. Where is the reciporcal help? Why are they "left alone in their tragedy?" Is it because they are "only" Muslim-practicing black Africans and are not Muslim-practicing Arabs?
Ester Murawajo is a survivor of the genocide in Rwanda. She showed a photograph of her extended family. Grandparents, parents, cousins, uncles, aunts, sisters, brothers, and a baby sister. They are all gone; Murdered for reasons I cannot understand. As a survivor, she describes the "survivor's physche," the guilt of surviving and the helplessness of it. Women raped and "given" HIV/AIDS virus by the rapists. And the rapists who infected them get treatment and survive, but the raped women do not.
She echoed Gibriels comments by saying, "The world did not have the will to stop the killings and save them because their lives aren't important in the world." And 15 years later, you can just replace "Rwanda" with "Darfur"...
Lastly, I heard a story of the Libyan government's human rights violations of Palentinian Dr. Ashraf El Hagog and five Bulgarian nurses, including C. Valcheva. They all were living in Libya and they were scapegoated to cover-up Libya's government allowing dozens of children to be infected with HIV/AIDS virus. Arrested without warrant. One year passes with no legal defense. Ten months go before a 4 minute family visit. Over ten years, the doctor and nurses were tortured. El Hagog and Valcheva both detailed some of it; shocking. Water, hanging, electricity, sleep deprivation, and more. The doctor was threatened with either confessing or watching the live rape of his sister.
They were all found guilty and sentenced to death by shooting three times each. Through the work and diplomacy of Bulgaria, the United States, other countries and other NGOs, they were "sucessfully ransomed" and moved to Bulgaria and then freed. You can search for the complete story, but the point is more than just the human rights violations. Libya, this diabolical country, is the chairman of the Durban Review Conference Committee!! Dr. El Hagog says, "Shame on the UN for having Libya chair the committee." Exactly.
The doctor continued. As a Palestinian, he was taught that Israelis and Jews are the enemy. He said he was "a prisoner of his [Muslim and Arab] brother." It was the former Bulgarian Foreign Minister who was the only person to offer help. This dipolmat was a Jew, therefore, it was a Jew who was the only person to offer the doctor help to get out of "his brother's prison."
Logically, the doctor has harsh and accurate words on Khaddafi, the "King of Kings in Africa." He promises "to be a stone in the throat of Khaddafi until his last breath."
Thanks for reading this. Please check back here often. I hope you are finding these posts interesting and worthwhile. Tomorrow, I will share thoughts on Ahmadinejad.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Three Days to Day One of Conference
GENEVA SUMMIT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, TOLERANCE AND DEMOCRACY
This Sunday in Geneva, 19 April 2009
Global Webcast to Draw Worldwide Participation in Human Rights Summit on Eve of U.N. Racism Conference
Geneva, Switzerland -- Human rights victims, activists and reporters worldwide will be able via the internet to watch and participate in a global summit of human rights activists that will take place in Geneva this Sunday, on April 19, 2009, one day before the opening of the UN Durban Review Conference on racism and discrimination, to urge the international community to address the world's most severe violations.
The day after the Geneva Summit, Iran's President Ahmadinejad will appear at the UN conference, which has been dubbed "Durban II." Last week, his envoy in Geneva -- apparently concerned about potential scrutiny of Iran's treatment of women, ethnic and religious minorities, and gays -- protested in a UN session that the Geneva Summit will be taking place in the best venue in the city -- the international convention center directly facing the UN.
Former political prisoners Bo Kyi of Burma, Saad Eddin Ibrahim of Egypt, Ahmed Batebi of Iran, Jose Castillo of Cuba, along with activist Marlon Zakeyo of Zimbabwe and advocate Floyd Abrams of the U.S., will be among the world-renowned figures to address the Geneva Summit.
“We are thrilled that victims, activists and journalists around the world will be able to watch and participate in Sunday’s historic human rights gathering,” said Eleiza Braun, spokesperson for the Geneva Summit for Human Rights, Tolerance and Democracy. “The summit will hear from some of the leading figures in the struggle against genocide, discrimination and state repression of civil, political and religious freedom. They will be telling their stories and giving voice to the millions who are still in countries where they cannot speak out from fear of torture and persecution.”
SOS Racisme, Freedom House, Ibuka, UN Watch and 30 other human rights and anti-racism NGOs from around the world are joining hands to bring leading human rights figures from Burma, Iran, Egypt, Cuba, Darfur, Venezuela, and many other countries known for severe violations, including discrimination on the basis of religion, belief, gender and sexual orientation. Hundreds of human rights NGO activists are expected to attend in person in Geneva.
Viewers worldwide can watch the live webcast on Sunday at http://www.genevasummit.org/program/en – and pose questions to the panel via e-mail throughout the day. Prior registration is no longer required.
What: The Geneva Summit for Human Rights, Tolerance, and Democracy
Who: Saad Eddin Ibrahim, Ahmed Batebi, Jose Gabriel Ramon Castillo, Bo Kyi, Marlon Zakeyo, Floyd Abrams and many more
Where: International Conference Center Geneva (CICG), 17 rue de Varembé, Geneva
When: April 19, 2009, from 8:30 to 18:30
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