WUC President, Dolkun Isa, was invited by the Fondazione Diritti Umani to speak during several events at the Film Festival Diritti Umani Lugano in Switzerland from October 16 to 18. Starting on October 14, the Film Festival screened well curated films on diverse human rights topics. The festival brought together renowned artists, human rights activists, high level political and business representatives as well as journalists for engaging discussions on the most compelling human rights issues. 

Mr. Isa was invited to talk on a panel with Joshua Rosenzweig, head of Amnesty International’s East Asia Regional Office in Hong Kong, after the Film screening “We have Boots” by Evan Chan on the intellectual underprint of the Umbrella movement in Hong Kong. Moderated by the Journalist, Peter Schiesser, the panelist talked about the horrific persecution of Uyghurs and Hong Kongers. The same techniques and technologies tested on the Uyghur population are now being used to repress Hong Kong democracy protesters.

Furthermore, Mr. Isa had the great opportunity to raise and address the genocide the Chinese government is committing against Uyghurs during a Press Conference with Swiss and Italian media outlets and during a Video-interview with Swiss TV, RSI. The team of the Film Festival also organized several fundraising events to support the important work of the World Uyghur Congress.

Before the Film Festival started, Mr. Isa was offered the opportunity to speak during a hearing at the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Italian Parliament. During the hearing Mr. Isa highlighted the detention of 1.8-3 Million Uyghurs and others in internment camps as well as the forced sterilization and other birth control methods used on Uyghur women. Mr. Isa called on the Italian government to break the silence and to take concrete actions, before it is too late.  

Mr. Isa would like to thank the Lugano Film Festival team, especially Prof. Paolo Bernasconi, for this very engaging and successful weekend at the Lugano Human Rights Film Festival and for the great hospitality.