{"id":4563,"date":"2023-10-23T07:51:51","date_gmt":"2023-10-23T06:51:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tibetoffice.ch\/genevaforum\/?page_id=4563"},"modified":"2023-10-27T07:12:36","modified_gmt":"2023-10-27T06:12:36","slug":"about-2023","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tibetoffice.ch\/genevaforum\/about-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"ABOUT 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row type_default valign_top\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">[ultimate_heading]\n<h1 class=\"western\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 28px;\">Concept Note<span lang=\"en-US\">&#8211;<\/span> for Geneva Forum 2023<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/ultimate_heading]<div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><div class=\"w-tabs layout_hor style_default switch_click icon_chevron iconpos_right title_atleft\"><div class=\"w-tabs-list hidden items_5\"><div class=\"w-tabs-list-h\"><a class=\"w-tabs-item active\" aria-controls=\"content-1604535554097-12713b77-004f\" href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"w-tabs-item-title\">Introduction<\/span><\/a><a class=\"w-tabs-item\" aria-controls=\"content-1604535554151-b5ac5afd-c4fd\" href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"w-tabs-item-title\">Central Theme<\/span><\/a><a class=\"w-tabs-item\" aria-controls=\"content-1604535820799-33b475bf-f937\" href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"w-tabs-item-title\">Thematic Panels<\/span><\/a><a class=\"w-tabs-item\" aria-controls=\"content-1604535824165-4b5e1306-58c4\" href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"w-tabs-item-title\">Issues to be Discussed under Each Panel<\/span><\/a><a class=\"w-tabs-item\" aria-controls=\"content-1604535912299-0d010a54-c7fe\" href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"w-tabs-item-title\">Expected Outcomes<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-sections\"><div class=\"w-tabs-sections-h\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section active\" id=\"1604535554097-12713b77-004f\"><button class=\"w-tabs-section-header active\" aria-controls=\"content-1604535554097-12713b77-004f\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-header-h\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-title\">Introduction<\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section-control\"><\/div><\/div><\/button><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content\" id=\"content-1604535554097-12713b77-004f\" aria-expanded=\"true\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content-h i-cf\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\" ><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4567 size-tshowcase-thumb\" src=\"http:\/\/tibetoffice.ch\/genevaforum\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/cta_logo_red-160x155.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"155\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Concept Note- Fifth Geneva Forum-2023<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>26 &#8211; 27 October 2023<\/b><\/p>\n<table class=\"t1\" style=\"border-style: none;\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"td1\" style=\"width: 167.953px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"p2\"><b>Theme<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"td2\" style=\"width: 857.188px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"p2\">Human Rights in Decline: Regions under China<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"td3\" style=\"width: 167.953px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"p3\"><b>Participants<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"td4\" style=\"width: 857.188px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"p2\">Human rights researchers and advocates; victims and defenders, diplomats and civil societies, scholars and policy makers<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"td5\" style=\"width: 167.953px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"p2\"><b>Date &amp; location<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"td6\" style=\"width: 857.188px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"p2\">26 \u2013 27 October 2023<\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s1\">CICG, <\/span><span class=\"s2\">Rue de Varemb\u00e9 17, 1202 Gen\u00e8ve<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"td1\" style=\"width: 167.953px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"p2\"><b>Organizer<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"td2\" style=\"width: 857.188px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"p2\">The Tibet Bureau, Geneva<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"td5\" style=\"width: 167.953px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"p2\"><b>Contact information<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"td6\" style=\"width: 857.188px;\" valign=\"top\">\n<p class=\"p2\">Ph: +41 227387940 | email: genevaforum@tibetoffice.ch<b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p class=\"p2\"><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><b>Introduction:\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"p8\">The human rights situation in regions under the People\u2019s Republic of China has been seeing a downward trend since its inception in 1949. In recent times, the rights situation has deteriorated as evidenced by numerous reports. At the same time, China is aggressively pushing its agenda to redefine the universally-accepted principles of human rights and intervene in international human rights protection mechanisms.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p8\">In order to uphold the universality of human rights and to bring spotlight on the ground situation in regions under the People\u2019s Republic of China, a forum focusing on human rights and China has become more crucial than ever.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p8\">The Geneva Forum was conceived in the backdrop of the third cycle of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of China. The first Geneva Forum was held on 2 November 2018. Following positive reception based on overwhelming encouraging feedback, a day-long forum evolved into a two-day event to ensure that all major issues concerning the central theme were discussed and deliberated extensively.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p10\">The second Geneva Forum was held from 14 to 15 November 2019 to discuss \u201cChina\u2019s High-Tech Repression and Freedom of Religion.\u201d The third Geneva Forum was held on the central theme \u201cChina\u2019s Policy on Freedom of Religion.\u201d However, it was re-programmed into a week-long virtual program from 9 to 13 November 2020 due global pandemic. The fourth Geneva Forum was held from 1 to 2 November 2021 on the theme of \u201cEconomic, Social and Cultural Rights Violations by China.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p11\">The Geneva Forum has evolved into a unique platform for human rights experts, practitioners, academicians, activists, governments, diplomats, think tanks, civil society groups and the affected groups to assess and evaluate the human rights situation in regions under the Chinese government. This includes Tibet, East Turkestan, Southern Mongolia, Hong Kong and also affected countries like Taiwan.\u00a0The forum aims to develop a network amongst like-minded groups to advance a coordinated multilateral approach to counter, challenge and hold China accountable for its worsening human rights record.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section\" id=\"1604535554151-b5ac5afd-c4fd\"><button class=\"w-tabs-section-header\" aria-controls=\"content-1604535554151-b5ac5afd-c4fd\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-header-h\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-title\">Central Theme<\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section-control\"><\/div><\/div><\/button><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content\" id=\"content-1604535554151-b5ac5afd-c4fd\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content-h i-cf\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\" ><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p class=\"p1\">The Fifth Geneva Forum 2023 will deliberate on the theme titled \u201cHuman Rights in Decline: Regions Under China.\u201d In recent times, the human rights situation in regions under China have witnessed steady decline and deterioration. According the Freedom House, Tibet remains the least free region in the world for the five consecutive years. Nearly one million Tibetan children are being assimilated through forced residential schools. The concentration camps and forced labour training programs in Tibet and East Turkestan have drawn worldwide condemnation. The cultural and linguistic identity of Tibetans, Uyghurs and Southern Mongolians are threatened by China\u2019s policies in these regions. The forum will therefore report and deliberate on the declining human rights situation in regions under China. Furthermore, considering the upcoming fourth UPR cycle of China to be held in January-February 2024, the forum will also discuss and review the rights record of China.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section\" id=\"1604535820799-33b475bf-f937\"><button class=\"w-tabs-section-header\" aria-controls=\"content-1604535820799-33b475bf-f937\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-header-h\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-title\">Thematic Panels<\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section-control\"><\/div><\/div><\/button><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content\" id=\"content-1604535820799-33b475bf-f937\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content-h i-cf\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\" ><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ol class=\"ol1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Human Rights Trends: Situation in Regions Under China<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Silencing Voices: China&#8217;s Assimilationist Policy and Crackdown on Defenders<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Development or Neo-Colonization? &#8211; Tibet and Regions under China<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li2\"><span class=\"s1\">China&#8217;s Global Footprints: Surveillance and Transnational Repression<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section\" id=\"1604535824165-4b5e1306-58c4\"><button class=\"w-tabs-section-header\" aria-controls=\"content-1604535824165-4b5e1306-58c4\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-header-h\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-title\">Issues to be Discussed under Each Panel<\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section-control\"><\/div><\/div><\/button><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content\" id=\"content-1604535824165-4b5e1306-58c4\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content-h i-cf\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\" ><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p class=\"p2\">The <b>first panel<\/b> \u201c<span class=\"s1\">Human Rights Trends: Situation in Regions Under China<\/span>\u201d will deliberate on the overall human rights situation in regions under China especially Tibet, East Turkestan, Southern Mongolia, Hong Kong as well as other regions of the People\u2019s Republic of China. The experts will offer insights into the human rights situation under PRC, with special focus on rights situation under Xi Jinping.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\">The <b>second panel<\/b> \u201c<span class=\"s1\">Silencing Voices: China&#8217;s Assimilationist Policy and Persecution of Defenders<\/span>\u201d will deliberate on China\u2019s aggressive implementation of assimilationist policy in regions under its rule especially aimed at destruction of unique language, identity, religion and culture of Tibetans, Uyghurs, Southern Mongolians and others affected groups. It will also deliberate on the systematic persecution of defenders including <span class=\"s1\">arbitrary detention, torture, disproportionate sentencing, and custodial deaths of defenders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">The <b>third panel<\/b> \u201cDevelopment or Neo-Colonization? &#8211; Tibet and Regions under China\u201d will deliberate on the truth behind the \u201cdevelopment narrative\u201d that China is desperately trying to build to whitewash and conceal the ground realities in Tibet, East Turkestan, Southern Mongolia, and other regions. The experts will evaluate the forced labour allegations, destruction of the environment through mining, violations of economic rights as well as colonialist policies of China in regions under its rule.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">The <b>fourth panel<\/b> \u201cChina&#8217;s Global Footprints: Surveillance and Transnational Repression\u201d will highlight and discuss the massive surveillance set up by the Chinese government to monitor and control the people under its rule. Tibetans, <\/span>Uyghurs<span class=\"s1\">, Southern Mongolians who are especially vulnerable are subjected to massive DNA collection, iris scan, biometric scans etc. Furthermore, by establishing \u201csecret\u201d police stations in foreign countries China is carrying out transnational repression at an unprecedented scale to silence voices of dissent abroad. Its footprints in Africa, Latin America and Asia through debt-diplomacy are destroying not only the democratic systems but also the environment.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section\" id=\"1604535912299-0d010a54-c7fe\"><button class=\"w-tabs-section-header\" aria-controls=\"content-1604535912299-0d010a54-c7fe\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-header-h\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-title\">Expected Outcomes<\/div><div class=\"w-tabs-section-control\"><\/div><\/div><\/button><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content\" id=\"content-1604535912299-0d010a54-c7fe\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><div class=\"w-tabs-section-content-h i-cf\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\" ><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p class=\"p1\">The Geneva Forum expects to build a network of organizations and experts focusing on human rights and religious freedom in China and develop coordinated efforts to challenge and improve China&#8217;s human rights record. It also expects to strengthen mainstream media attention and public discourse on the deteriorating human rights record in the most remote parts under the rule of the CCP.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[ultimate_heading] Concept Note- for Geneva Forum 2023 [\/ultimate_heading]IntroductionCentral ThemeThematic PanelsIssues to be Discussed under Each PanelExpected OutcomesIntroduction Concept Note- Fifth Geneva Forum-2023 26 &#8211; 27 October 2023 Theme \u00a0 Human Rights in Decline: Regions under China Participants \u00a0 Human rights researchers and advocates; victims and defenders, diplomats and civil societies, scholars and policy makers Date...","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4563","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tibetoffice.ch\/genevaforum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4563","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tibetoffice.ch\/genevaforum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tibetoffice.ch\/genevaforum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tibetoffice.ch\/genevaforum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tibetoffice.ch\/genevaforum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4563"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/tibetoffice.ch\/genevaforum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4563\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4799,"href":"https:\/\/tibetoffice.ch\/genevaforum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4563\/revisions\/4799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tibetoffice.ch\/genevaforum\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4563"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}