Alternative Human Rights Expo 4 – Programme  4 December 2025

Opening music:

VIDEO: Marhaba by Tabiba, a women’s music group from the diaspora                                                                          (Palestine/Canada, Syria/Canada, Egypt/Canada, Iraq/Canada) 

Introduction

Hosts: Weaam Youssef, GCHR, and Ilef Kassab, OMCT

Palestine:

Mai El-Shaer, artist

Introduction about Gazan journalists by Ibtisam Mahdi, a journalist living in Gaza

In memoriam:

Fatma Hassouna, photojournalist

Mariam Abu Daqqa, journalist

Hiba Abu Nada, poet

Recording of Hiba Abu Nada’s poem, I Grant You Refuge (Translation by Huda Fakhreddine)                                                               – sung and performed by Roula Said

Egypt:

Introduction by Amel Almohandes, WHRD-MENA Coalition

Hoda Abdelmoneim, imprisoned WHRD, introduced by her daughter Gehad Khaled, 

Marwa Arafa, imprisoned WHRD, introduced by her mother,  Dr. Wafaa Mohamed Hassan

Sudan: 

Omaima El-Zubair, Sudanese Refugee Rights Advocate, Ghostwriter, and poet, will read her poetry

Tunisia: 

Sonia Dahmani, formerly imprisoned journalist, introduced by her sister Ramla Dahmani

Imprisoned women human rights defenders Sherifa Riahi and Saadia Mosbah will also be featured.

Saudi Arabia: 

Duaa Dhainy, Researcher\ Case Worker- European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, will speak about imprisoned Saudi women human rights defenders Manahel Al-Otaibi, Nourah Al-Qahtani and Amani Al-Zain

Kuwait: 

Zahra Marwan, Kuwaiti-American woman artist, will read from her book and show her art

Iran: 

Anisha Asadollahi, an imprisoned translator and essayist, introduced by Shiva Nazarahari of FEMENA

Syria:

Sana Yazigi, Creative Memory

Closing music: Gardenia Choir, Syria

Thank you to our partners and participants!