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Front Line Defenders – The Dublin Platform 2013
On Wed 09 October the 7th Dublin Platform will be opened in Dublin Castle by United Nations Special Rapporteur Mr Maina Kiai, and Tanaiste, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Eamon Gilmore TD.
The Dublin Platform is one of the biggest gatherings of human rights defenders in the world. This year there will be over 130 human rights defenders from more than 85 countries — each one of whom at risk because of their peaceful work defending the rights of others. Every issue on the international news agenda will be represented at the Dublin Platform and each of the participants in the Dublin Platform has a story of courage to tell.
Human rights defenders are not victims, they are strong people who put their lives on the line to defend the rights of others. Among the 130 participants are human rights defenders from Egypt, Palestine and Bahrain, LGBT defenders from Russia and pro-democracy campaigners from Zimbabwe and India. If you would like to see some background information on the Dublin Platform you can find it here.
The 6th Dublin platform was conducted in 2011 where Mamikon Hovsepyan from PINK Armenia was invited as a Human Rights Defender of LGBT people. And this year Lara Aharonian from Women’s Resource Center was recognized by Front Line Defenders as a Women’s Human Rights Defender at risk in Armenia whose peaceful work is under attack and her organization faces difficulties and threats by extremists’ groups.
Front Line Defenders is an Ireland-based international organisation and an Irish success story. Since it was founded by Mary Lawlor 11 years ago, it has established an international reputation for its ability to respond to crisis in a fast and effective manner. Front Line Defenders was one of the pioneers in developing digital security which will be one of the themes for this year’s Dublin Platform.
Join Front Line Defenders and follow the event on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FrontLineDefenders and on Twitter @FrontLineHRD
