Announcing New Speakers

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk

Pioneer clinician, researcher, and best-selling author

Van der Kolk is the author of the No. 1 New York Times Science bestseller, “The Body Keeps the Score.” His work uniquely integrates developmental, neurobiological, psychodynamic, somatic, and interpersonal aspects of the impact of trauma and its treatment.

Zhala Bayramova 

Azerbaijani human rights lawyer

Bayramova has represented major human rights cases, from LGBTQIA+ rights to election violations to freedom of expression. Amid the ongoing suppression of civil society in Azerbaijan, they continue to advocate for political prisoners, including their father and political activist, Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu.

Carlos Chamorro

Exiled Nicaraguan journalist

Since 1978, Chamorro’s journalism has challenged the dictatorships of Anastasio Somoza and Daniel Ortega and earned him numerous awards. In recent years, his investigative work has exposed widespread corruption and human rights violations in Nicaragua, forcing him into exile in Costa Rica.

Anastasia Shevchenko

Russian politician and opposition figure

Deemed a “threat” to Russia’s constitutional order and security, Shevchenko was placed under house arrest in 2019 and later handed a 4.5-year suspended sentence, becoming the first person in Russia to be persecuted under politically motivated charges of participating in an “undesirable organization.” In 2022, Shevchenko fled Russia with her children.

Agather Atuhaire

Ugandan journalist and digital activist

Atuhaire is the host of Agora Discourse, a digital public square, and has worked as a television news commentator in Uganda. Through her journalism and social media activism. Atuhaire has exposed high-profile public corruption scandals that sparked national conversations and promoted policy changes.