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Human Rights forum: rethinking our approach to North Korea

Notice of a conference organised by the European Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea – their first Forum and Policy Paper Release Event – on 3 September. Registration will commence from 1.00pm, with the first session beginning at 1.30pm. The event will be held in Room 104 in Senate House. There is limited seating. Due to that, they ask that you register your attendance for the event. To do so, email [email protected]. For more information, check the Facebook event page and the EAHRNK website.

Rethinking our Approach to Media Reporting, Human Rights, and Engagement with North Korea

EAHRNK conference poster

European Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea – first policy release and forum at the University of London Senate House, 3/09/13

In the years following the collapse of Communism, North Korea has dominated the headlines because of nuclear tensions and the Kim family’s antics. These headlines have bled into the international community’s diplomatic relations with the country. This situation is untenable, stops any hope for change in North Korea, and shifts the focus away from the main problem in the country: the human rights crisis. In order to change that, the European Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea (EAHRNK) was set up. Our goals are to raise awareness of the human rights problem, to improve media reporting on the country, and to encourage direct engagement with citizens. We are delighted to announce our first forum and policy release on the 3rd of September at Senate House, University of London to address those issues.

The forum encompasses three areas that the Alliance feels are necessary to assist in the realignment of the international community’s discussions and dialogue with North Korea. Over three sessions, the forum will analyse North Korean human rights in the context of international human rights, the importance of reporting from the perspective and experience of North Koreans, and what constitutes effective engagement with the country.

Coupled with this framework for new discussion on North Korean related issues at the event, we will release our first policy paper, “Addressing the Origins of the North Korean Refugee Crisis: Policies to Improve the Lives of North Koreans in Border Provinces.”

We are delighted to announce that we have several distinguished speakers for the forum: Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, Fiona Bruce MP, Ben Rogers, Dr. Adam Cathcart, Dr. Younghae Chi, and Kim Joo-il will appear. More speakers will be confirmed shortly. With these speakers on board, we expect a lively debate on how we can better engage with North Korea on their human rights record and how the media can play a role in reporting the situation on the ground in North Korea.

EAHRNK Forum: Rethinking our Approach to Media Reporting, Human Rights, and Engagement with North Korea
Venue: Senate House, University of London
Date: 3rd of September
Time: 1pm – 5pm
Registration from 1.00pm to 1.30pm
To register for the event, email [email protected]

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