Anastasia Lin, 2015 Miss World Canada, was refused a visa by Chinese authorities to participate at the 2015 Miss World pageant in China in November 2015 due to her human rights advocacy.

Daniel Mekonnen, an exiled Eritrean human rights lawyer and scholar, has been actively involved for the last 15 years in exposing gross human rights violations committed by the Eritrean Government.

Rosa Maria Paya is a Cuban human rights activist, daughter of the late dissident Oswaldo Paya, who is continuing her father’s quest for genuine democratic elections in Cuba.

Mohamed Fahmy, a famous journalist recently released from Egyptian prison, is now launching his own foundation for press freedom.

Svitlana Zalishchuk, a Ukrainian Parliamentarian and member of its Committee for Foreign Affairs, was an active participant of the EuroMaidan movement in 2013. She is a member of the Steering Committee of the World Movement for Democracy.

Orhan Kemal Cengiz is a Turkish human rights lawyer and a columnist for Ozgur daily and Today’s Zaman.