Final workshop for Human Rights Online bloggers held in Frankfurt

20 activists and bloggers from seven countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, and the Ukraine) visited the headquarters of the ISHR on Wednesday, December 7 through December 10th (International Day of Human Rights). National section leaders arrived with young representatives from their country to attend the workshops and the closing press conference.  The process of developing Human Rights Online was a cooperative effort between the German section and our sections in each of the aforementioned countries over the past five months and this conference was the culmination of those efforts.

The workshops were a final opportunity to answer any questions in regards to using the site, and to hear feedback from the bloggers about the site. Bloggers also discussed the process of creating and posting interviews on topics related to human rights in their countries, both the challenges and successes.

This opportunity for people of all nationalities, ages, genders, religions, and backgrounds from this conflict ridden region of the world is one truly unique to the work of the ISHR and to our work in relation to the Eastern Partnership and Russia.

Featured guests included Philipp Kleindienst, the primary developer of the website, Mrs. Martina Feldmeyer, member of the regional Parliament in Hesse, Mr. Karl Hafen, former Executive Director of the German Section of the ISHR, and currently the Treasurer of the International Council.

We would like to thank all of the bloggers and section leaders who contributed to the site, Philipp Kleindienst and Autoactiva for the many hours and overtime put into creating and maintaining the site, Anton Alekseyev for visiting each country and leading workshops in each one, and of course Dr. Carmen Krusch-Grün for developing and financing this one of a kind project.

Ms. Martina Feldmeyer, MdL, speaks with Dr. Andrej Suchorukov over the conflict in the Ukraine