I was privileged to attend my first 2025 Human Rights Watch Summit in Toronto, Canada as a Global Board Member on June 19th-21st, 2025. This was a global gathering of HRW staff, supporters, and the public to present and discuss on the most important human rights activities of our time.
I hosted a session on the state of global LGBTQ+ human rights issues and Canada’s role. I am grateful for the participation of Katherine Dudtschak, Senator Kristopher Wells, and Spencer Macnaughton for their insightful comments, moderated by HRW’s own Kyle Knight. The packed audience participated in a discussion on transgender issues, education, book censorship, media coverage, the political environment, and much more.
A highlight of the Summit was the Voices for Justice dinner attended by over 700 guests. Guest speaker The Honourable Allan Rock, a renowned academic, politician, and social activist, rallied the troops with his inspiring call to action to address today’s hostile political environment toward equality, democracy, and freedoms. Several Human Rights workers presented on the status of their research work in various fields around the world.
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