(New York) – Human Rights Watch will hold a star-studded virtual event on July 23, 2020, to lay out its vision of building a better post-Covid world for all based on greater respect for human rights. The 45-minute broadcast, “The Future We Build Together,” is free to attend and will feature performances by Annie Lennox, the cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Aaron Burr in Hamilton.
The event will be broadcast in three time zones for audiences in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa; the Americas; and Asia-Pacific.
“We are at a pivotal moment,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. “The policies and practices that governments are putting in place during this global pandemic will shape our lives for years to come. We want to harness this important moment to build the world we want for ourselves, our children, and future generations.”
The Covid-19 pandemic has posed an unprecedented threat to human rights, with leaders around the world using it as cover to arrest critics, intensify surveillance, seize emergency powers, and cut people off from essential services. At the same time, worldwide protests against the deep inequality exposed by the virus as well as systemic racism present a unique opportunity to unite people in building a fairer and more dignified future.
“The Future We Build Together” will be introduced by Mindy Kaling, and feature special guests Isabel Allende, Jessica Creighton, Martin Gore, Sophie Morgan, Grace Parra, and Behrouz Boochani, and some surprise guests. Human Rights Watch staff members will share inspiring stories behind their work.
The July 23 event also launches a global campaign that aims to raise funds to address a $20 million budget shortfall so that Human Rights Watch can continue its critical work in more than 90 countries. The fundraising campaign will continue through December 10, Human Rights Day.
Human Rights Watch will present its inaugural Art + Activism award to the renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, who recently initiated the most successful charity art sale in eBay history to raise funds for Human Rights Watch, Medecins sans Frontieres, and Refugees International.
“Ai Weiwei is a political activist, a visionary, and a true leader in the human rights movement,” Roth said. “We are moved by his generosity, delighted by his irreverence, and lucky to count him as our friend and partner.”
To register for the event:
https://events.bizzabo.com/hrwglobalchallenge/
