Speakers From Past Editions

Over the years, the Venice School has been shaped by the voices of extraordinary speakers from around the world: renowned practitioners and advocates at the forefront of human rights. They have brought real-world insight, life testimonies, and global perspectives to each edition of the programme. The profiles below are only some of the many guests we have welcomed over the years, who have contributed to empowering the next generations of human rights defenders.

Edition 2023

Oleksandra Matviichuk

2022 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, Nobel Peace Prize and Right Livelihood Award for her work as Human Rights Defender at the Center for Civil Liberties (CCL) for the people of Ukraine

“When the law temporarily fails, and we cannot rely on it, we can still always rely on people. Even if we do not have the political tools, our word and commitments always remain. Ordinary people have much more power than they themselves realize. The voice of millions of people in many countries can change the world faster than any intervention by the United Nations.”

Oleksandra Matviichuk is one of the most prominent human rights defenders in Ukraine striving to achieve a full democratic transition and ensure justice.  As Chairwoman of the Center for Civil Liberties (CCL), in December 2022 she was awarded the European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, together with other representatives of Ukrainian civil society. In the same year CCL also received the Nobel Peace Prize and the Right Livelihood Award.

Oleksandra Matviichuk and CCL have been instrumental in strengthening Ukrainian civil society and national institutions for over a decade, while also pushing to further the rule of law and adherence to international law. Their work of documenting war crimes and human rights violations is paving the way to accountability, gaining increasing importance since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. CCL was founded in 2007 to promote human rights, democracy and solidarity in Ukraine and Eurasia. The organisation rose to prominence in 2013 by documenting human rights violations and providing legal assistance during the violent crackdown on the Euromaidan protests. The organisation has also launched initiatives to monitor various government agencies for civil rights violations, provide education on human rights, document pressure on civil society and map persecutions of human rights defenders. In the realm of international law, Matviichuk and CCL have long advocated for Ukraine to join the International Criminal Court. This work has become especially important in the context of Russia’s war on Ukraine, setting an example for documenting war crimes and human rights violations. Through their work, Matviichuk and CCL ensure accountability and build a democratic future for Ukraine.

Edition 2024

Mansoureh Shojaee

Iranian activist, researcher and writer in the field of women and human rights

“I feel at home among human rights defenders. Most of them are from Global south countries: in such contexts, they have experienced problems that have disappointed them. To them I want to say: don’t be disappointed, be hopeful!”

Mansoureh Shojaee is an activist, researcher and writer in the field of women and human rights. She is retired from the National Library of Iran.
In the early 1990’s, due to her environmental interests she became a board-member for the “Association of Women in Against Environmental Pollution” where she wrote and translated works in the field of ecofeminism.  
Her activism includes partnership with UNICEF and grass-roots organizations has involved establishing domestic and mobile libraries for women and children in deprived areas.  

 Amongst her singular accomplishments, Mansoureh in 2002, helped found  the Women’s Cultural Center, launched the Sedigheh Dolatabadi and Evaz Women’s Library(in Lar) in 2004-2005 respectively and in 2006 she aided in the creation of the  “One Million Signatures” Campaign.  

Alongside these works Mansoureh has for a decade worked alongside the Children’s Book Council to create comprehensive libraries for blind children and received the 2010 International Children’s Book Award in Iran for her efforts. 
After she left Iran, she received a three-year scholarship in January 2011 from the German Pen Association. 
During the scholarship Mansoureh held short training courses at women’s museums in Norway, Germany and Italy, and collaborated with the Women’s Museum in Nuremberg in creating the Digital The Museum of Iranian Women’s Movement initiative as well as becoming a member of the International Association of Women’s Museums.  
Mansoureh has studied human rights and gender studies at Institute of social science in Erasmus Institute of social science in Erasmus and continuing her study in Iran Academia . She is currently engaged in work as a guest researcher in the field of women with the Department of Social Sciences of the Free University of Amsterdam (VUA) and the Iranian Academy of Social Sciences (ISSH), while she is collaborating with the Aasso multimedia as a contributor producing the reviews on Women’s issues.

Mansoureh has said: «Iranian women movement, with nearly 150 years of history is going forward from home to the streets, from streets to prisons and from prisons to diaspora». 

 

Edition 2024

Patrick Zaki

Egyptian researcher and human rights activist

“We should always have ways to make more networking: we are much stronger when we have one voice from different places all over the world”

Patrick Zaki, a researcher and human rights activist, was provisionally released on 7 December 2021 after 22 months of arbitrary detention. He spent 22 months behind bars in an Egyptian prison on charges of sedition and spreading false news online, built around a 2019 article in which he recounted incidents of discrimination against Coptic Christians in Egypt. After the publication of that article, Zaki, who was already studying at the University of Bologna, was arrested by Cairo police in 2020, while he was taking a plane back to Italy. On 9 December 2021, Zaki was released from prison, although the charges against him were not dropped. He has always been a student with a deep interest in human rights: Zaki first arrived in Italy in 2019, to follow a master’s course in Women’s gender studies at the University of Bologna. A path interrupted by arrest but crowned by obtaining top marks at graduation, after discussing his thesis in July 2023. At the moment, he is a non-resident fellow at Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, Cairo, where he does research and write articles on topics relevant to minority issues in SWANA region and develops strategies or plans to address existing minority problems in the region. He has been invited as keynote speaker to many human rights events, trainings, conferences, and workshops. Additionally, he has been awarded of the Maria Grazia Cutuli award – 2021, “Brescia for Peace” award – 2021, and of the Social Action award – 2020.

Edition 2017 and 2025

Lorent Saleh

Venezuelan human right defender, former political prisoner

“I believe that the most sacred thing of human existence is freedom”

Lorent Saleh, born in San Cristóbal, Táchira, Venezuela, on July 22, 1988, is a tireless defender of human rights and a student leader. Since 2007, after the closure of Radio Caracas Televisión, he became a critical voice against the Venezuelan government, embarking on a journey marked by courage and determination. From that same year, he was the victim of constant persecution by the authorities, suffering arbitrary detentions and harassment in various regions of the country. At an early age, Saleh, along with other students, founded the Venezuelan student movement and the international organization Operation Liberty. Since 2008, he has led historic hunger strikes that resulted in the release of more than 20 Venezuelan political prisoners, consolidating his leadership and becoming a symbol of hope for many. Since 2008, Saleh has expanded his struggle internationally, working hand in hand with former presidents and Nobel laureates such as Óscar Arias from Costa Rica. His commitment to the defence of human rights has led him to establish a strong network of contacts and to become a recognized figure on the international stage.

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This is a space for solidarity, exchange, and collective action, bringing together people who work every day, across borders, to defend and strengthen human rights.

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