#GenevaSummit2021: The Shadow Human Rights Summit that is a Voice for the Voiceless

 The 13th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – June 6 - 7, 2021

The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy is underway right now for the 13th time, and needs your help. Never heard of the Summit? Here is what this gathering is about:

On the eve of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s main annual session, the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy assembles each year hundreds of courageous dissidents and human rights victims, activists, diplomats, journalists and student leaders to shine a spotlight on urgent human rights situations that require global attention.

The Geneva Summit is sponsored by a coalition of 25 human rights NGOs from around the world. This annual conference builds on the success and momentum of the previous gatherings, which have been widely acclaimed in the international human rights community.

Human rights heroes, activists and former political prisoners from China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Venezuela and other countries testify about their personal struggles for human rights, democracy and freedom, and join hands to plan action strategies.

Register for the Summit, participate virtually in this gathering, add your views, and share them over your social media platforms with the hashtag #GenevaSummit2021.

On January 5, 1967, then California Governor Ronald Reagan warned that we should not take freedom and democracy for granted.   

"Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people."

 

The future American President was right and the #GenevaSummit2021 is correctly calling attention to complacency in democracies, and the fragility of both freedom and democratic institutions.