Wafa Mustafa (she/her) is a Syrian activist, a journalist and a former non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP) and Refugees International. Following her father’s forced disappearance by the Assad regime, Wafa fled Syria to Türkiye in 2013 before completing her studies at Bard College Berlin in Germany. Wafa’s advocacy focuses on the impact of detention and enforced disappearance on women and families, the rights of refugees, and the urgency of international justice and accountability for the crimes of the Assad regime. Recently, she co-founded the Free Syria’s Disappeared coalition, which fights for freedom and safety for all of Syria’s disappeared through awareness-raising efforts and campaigns. Wafa is also a member of civil society communities in Syria and across the region.
Wafa is the keynote speaker at 10:00 AM in the Bol room
Digital blind spots: whose struggles are we not seeing?
What if a country is cut off from the internet? A digital black hole is created.
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Working Towards Peace in Times of War
This session invites a critical discussion on the balance between military strategies and the pursuit of sustainable peace.
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Keynote by Wafa Mustafa
In her keynote, Mustafa will present a powerful vision on the interconnectedness of global crises and challenge us to rethink how we can place human rights back at the center of our approach to these urgent challenges.
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Forward Fest 2024 invites you to join the conversation, share your perspective, and collaborate with others to build a future that is fair, inclusive, and interconnected. Explore, learn, and contribute to the change our world needs.
LEARN, SHARE, INSPIRE
Prepare for a day filled with inspiring lectures, surprising workshops, and professional connections that will not only stimulate your thinking but also touch your heart. This is your chance to learn from leading thinkers, network with like-minded individuals, and actively contribute to a more just world.
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Forward Fest is organized by 11.11.11, ngo-federation and VLIR-UOS in collaboration with MO* with the support of Belgian development cooperation.
11.11.11
THE COALITION FOR INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY.
11.11.11 aims to eradicate exploitation from the world. Everyone – anywhere in the world – has the right to a dignified existence. To truly make a change, power and resources must be distributed more fairly, and the current system must be questioned.
More info on 11.be
NGO-FEDERATIE
FLEMISH FEDERATION OF NGOS FOR DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION.
The ngo-federation represents its members to the federal and other governments, supports the members in their discussions with those governments, promotes cooperation within the sector, and strengthens the quality of NGOs’ operations.
More info on ngo-federatie.be
VLIR-UOS
INNOVATIVE RESPONSES TO GLOBAL AND LOCAL CHALLENGES
VLIR-UOS supports partnerships and scholarships between universities and colleges in both Flanders and the Global South, seeking innovative solutions for global as well as local challenges.
More info on vliruos.be
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