The autumn tour of the 12th edition of 'Cities Defenders of Human Rights' begins

The ‘Cities Defenders of Human Rights' project is coming to the autumn tour of its edition. Catalonia will host for eight days, from October 3 to 11, a group of human rights defenders from around the world with the aim of explaining their struggle and the difficulties in exercising their professions in their countries of origin.

During these days, the 28 Catalan municipalities participating in the project will organize awareness-raising, political and social advocacy activities such as workshops in educational centers, talks open to the public, meetings with political oficials and interviews with the media.

This year, ‘Cities Defenders of Human Rights' focuses on the struggles for the defense of the land and the environment, women and the LGTBIQ+ group, the right to peace, civil and political rights and the rights of migrants and refugees.

The guests

The eight defenders are Nahun Lalin, activist for the defense of the rights of Honduran communities; Lucinda Evans, a renowned South African activist, one of the visible faces of the fight against sexist violence that impacts the lives of women, children and LGBTIQ+ people; Genith Quitiaquez, agronomist and professional in Colombia's own law and indigenous legislation.

The group is also made up of Lorraine Leete, lawyer and coordinator of the Lesvos Legal Center in Greece; Ahmed Ettanji, president of Équipe Média, a media that works to break the Moroccan information blockade of Western Sahara; Julia Soanirina, one of the founders of the 'Migrant Domestic Workers Alliance', an association that works for the rights of migrant domestic workers in Lebanon; and Maria Teresa Montaño together with Reyna Ramírez, journalists and defenders of freedom of expression in Mexico.

The inaugural event will be held this Monday, October 3 at 6 p.m., in the Auditorium of the Robert Brillas Cultural Center in Esplugues del Llobregat with the participation of all the activists.

This twelfth edition is organized by the Catalan Development Cooperation Fund and managed by the Catalan Refugee Aid Commission. The first tour this year took place in the spring, from April 25 to May 4, and included the testimonies of activists such as Nataniel Hernández, lawyer of the Center for Human Rights 'Digna Ochoa' in Chiapas ( Mexico); Morena Herrera, activist for the decriminalization of abortion in El Salvador or Vania Arana, the current president of the trade union 'Las Kellys Catalunya'.