Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

On 10 November 2014 will take place the 2^nd Werner Lottje Lecture. This annual event – organised by Bread for the World and the German Institute for Human Rights – honors one of Germany’s most influential and visionary human rights defenders, who died in 2004 [see: https://thoolen.wordpress.com/tag/werner-lottje/]. As Werner Lottje was one of the founders of the Martin Ennals Award, the organisers have in mind to invite every year one of the Final Nominees of the MEA as main speaker. The theme this year is again directly linked to Human Rights Defenders (“Current challenges in the Protection of HRDs”) . The main elements in the programme are:

• Opening by Dr. Julia Duchrow; Director Human Rights and Peace in Bread for the World
• The Werner Lottje Lecture: “David against Goliath? When the State and corporations violate social, economic and cultural rights – Problem and solutions in Mexico” by Alejandra Ancheita; Director of PRODESC and Laureate of the Martin Ennals Award 2014.
• How can HRDs in conflict with corporations be protected?” by Michel Forst; UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders
• Round Table – moderated by Michael Windfuhr of the German Institute for Human Rights – with:

Alejandra Ancheita;

Michel Forst; and

Frank Schwabe; spokesperson on human rights and humanitarian aid for the SPD in the German Parliament and member of its Human Rights Committee.

There will be simultaneous interpretation between English and German. Venue: Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst, Caroline-Michaelis-Straße 1, in Berlin (18:00 – 20:00). To attend please contact before 31 October: walburg.speidel[at]brot-fuer-die-welt.de.  Tel: +49 30 652 11 17 93.

This entry was posted on October 18, 2014 at 10:53 and is filed under awards, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA.

Tags: Alejandra Ancheita, Berlin, Bread for the World, business, corporate accountability, Frank Schwabe, German Institute for Human Rights, German parliament, Germany, Human Rights Defenders, indigenous groups, Julia Duchrow, Martin Ennals Award, MEA laureate 2014, meeting, Michael Windfuhr, Michel Forst, social economic and cultural rights, Werner Lottje, Werner Lottje lecture