So, what is a human rights defender? In different countries and different situations these peaceful actors of change are called rebel, activist, hero, troublemaker, dissident, free spirit, idealist, radical, eccentric, revolutionary, rioter, sometimes even traitor or enemy of the state.
We are all human. We all have rights. We can all be a human rights defender.
The portraits belong to series made by the photographers, featuring grassroots human rights defenders worldwide who participated in Shelter City and The Hague Training Course for Human Rights Defenders projects by the human rights organization Justice and Peace Netherlands. Daniella van Bergen also portrayed Dutch human rights defenders in her series.
NOTE: 6 December the exhibition is open until 21 H. in the evening.
NOTE: On monday 5 December alderman Ingrid van Engelshoven will open the exhibition officially, together with the photographers and many human rights defenders.