HRF at SXSW: We’re bringing human rights to the world’s attention once again!
Today, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) returns to South by Southwest (SXSW), the world’s largest creative conference which gathers professionals from the art, film, music, and tech industries. This year’s SXSW event will take place online, and HRF remains committed to bringing the most pressing human rights issues to its wide audience.
Just as we have introduced an incredible lineup of speakers for our panels in previous years, 2021 promises to overtake: this year, we are focusing on art, tech, and sportswashing, and we have three official SXSW panels on deck (see details below).
Dissent, Art, and Revolution
March 16, 2021
11:15 am CT
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Artistic expression has shaped cultures all over the world, especially during times of turmoil and chaos. For people living under authoritarian regimes, art is a powerful tool in expressing dissent, and taking a stand against oppression. It is through art and creativity that people living under these regimes are able to stretch their civic imagination and envision an alternative life. By showing people that freedom and a democratic future are possible, dissident art drives movements in their efforts to bring about change. Art also creatively exposes human rights abuses that otherwise would be ignored, impacting global culture and politics. This panel will feature a variety of artists to discuss the role of art in challenging authoritarianism for the next decade and beyond. #ArtInProtest
Join the Human Rights Foundation for a conversation with Céline Boustani, HRF’s Chief Program Officer; Tania Bruguera, Cuban artist and activist; Hajooj Kuka, Sudanese filmmaker and activist; and Badiucao, Chinese political artist, to discuss dissent, art, and revolution.
Protest Tech from Hong Kong to Belarus
March 16, 2021
11:15 am CT
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For the past several months, protesters in Belarus have been standing up to the brutal regime of Alexander Lukashenko, harnessing the power of technology to support their movement for democracy. Secure Telegram channels coordinate spontaneous protests, programmers hack into government-backed media websites displaying the real news instead of propaganda, and civil society groups transfer money into Belarus using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to prevent government tracing. In many ways, these cutting-edge tactics build on the experience of protesters around the world, especially those in Hong Kong. This panel will explore the connections between the protests in Belarus and Hong Kong, focusing on the growing role that technology plays in organizing and protesting. #TechForGood
Join the Human Rights Foundation for a conversation with Yuan Yang, deputy Beijing bureau chief of the Financial Times; Glacier Kwong, Hong Kong digital rights activist and founder of Keyboard Frontline; Hanna Liubakova, Belarusian journalist and democracy activist; Jaroslau Likhachevski, Belarusian tech entrepreneur and co-founder of BYSOL; and Dr. Aliaksandr Herasimenka, researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute, to discuss protest tech.
How Sportswashing is Changing the Game
March 16, 2021
11:15 am CT
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Dictatorial regimes from Russia to Saudi Arabia to China are investing millions of dollars into hosting major sporting events and investing in teams in free societies, in an effort to improve their human rights images internationally and pivot the global eye away from their repressive measures. Countries like Saudi Arabia and China have been leading these investments and bids in global sporting events to whitewash crimes. Panelists will examine just how authoritarian regimes are using this method of “sportswashing” to divert attention away from their reprehensible human rights records, and the trends and implications of these soft power, high-dollar tactics. #MoralsOverMoney
Join the Human Rights Foundation for a conversation with Garry Kasparov, HRF’s Chairman; Karim Zidan, investigative journalist; Irade Kashgary, Uyghur-American activist; and Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer for The Independent, as they discuss how sportswashing is changing the game.
The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. For interview requests of further comment, please email media@hrf.org.