Cuba – Experiencing Totalitarianism. Damas de Blanco in the Defence of Freedom

The conference was based around the phenomenon of the Cuban Damas de Blanco, and the analysis of similar peace movements around the world.

The conference was organised the Office of Bogusław Sonik MEP, Freedom House, USA AID, Stowarzyszenie Maj ’77, and Tischner European University. Co-organisers also included Amnesty International and the CONSPERO Foundation.

The main theme of the conference was the phenomenon of the Damas de Blanco and the analysis of similar peace movements in the world, which are aimed at raising the public’s awareness of  human rights violations. The conference was of an open character and was formed of two 90 minute panel discussions, to which politicians, journalists and experts from various countries were invited, such as MEPs and Amnesty International representatives. Dama de Blanco, aka Rolanda Huerga Cedent, came as a special guest. The meetings were held by Bogusław Sonik MEP, and Dr. Jarosław Gowin, Polish Senator and the Rector of TEU. Speakers at the conference included Boris Luis Santa Coloma (Komitee Cuba – Demokratische Zukunft, Germany), Kristina Prunerova (People in Need Foundation, Czech Republic), Mirella Panek (Amnesty International, Poland), Ricardo Carreras Lario (Spanish Solidarity with Cuba, Spain), Omar Lopez Montenegro (Cuban American National Foundation, USA), Józef Pinior MEP, and Prof. Zbigniew Romaszewski, Polish Senator.

A themed photo exhibition on human rights by Arkadiusz Zbiżek was shown in conjunction with the conference.