Arab Digital Expression Foundation – ADEF empowers youth through a diverse portfolio of programs and projects in the fields of digital empowerment, free expression and alternative media, knowledge production and management, learning and education, as well as arts and culture. ADEF records 13 years of experience in youth empowerment.

AFTE is interested in issues related to the promotion and protection of freedom of thought and expression in Egypt. It focuses on research, monitoring, documentation and legal support in cases and files it works on, to defend freedom of expression in Egypt through a variety of programs: Freedom of Student Rights and Academic Freedom, Right to Knowledge, Digital Freedoms, Freedom of the Media, and the program of Conscience and Memory. In addition to a legal team that provides support in cases of freedom of expression and issues related to AFTE’s various programs.

Ambulante is non-profit organization founded in 2005, devoted to supporting and promoting documentary cinema culture as a catalyst for social transformation. Each year, Ambulante carries out an ambitious traveling documentary film festival, which offers a unique exhibition space for a program of local and international documentaries. Ambulante’s mission is to bring documentary films and training programs to underserved, rural, and remote places where they are rarely available, in order to procure new forms of expression and to encourage debate in Mexico and abroad.

The Swiss Foundation for Art in Regions of Conflict studies the contributions unrestricted art can offer to conflict mediation and the building of peace. established in 2011, artasfoundation is funded by donations from many members of civil society.

The aim of the ARTS RIGHTS JUSTICE PROGRAM is to strengthen and expand structures for the promotion and protection of artistic freedom.

The program was developed in cooperation with 30 international expert institutions. It encompasses an annual academy at Hildesheim Kulturcampus, Germany, accompanied by a public forum in Berlin; a series of satellite workshops (ARJ Laboratories) in partner regions; and an open access online library.

The Commission for Human Rights of the State of Zulia (Codhez – Comisión para los Derechos Humanos del Estado Zulia) is a human rights organization based in Maracaibo, Venezuela dedicated to the defense, promotion, and documentation of human rights in the State of Zulia. Codhez seeks the democratization of Venezuela through the fight for justice and the empowerment of civil society in the struggle to defend human rights.

In 2017, Codhez created the Human Rights Network of the State of Zulia (Redhez), which includes feminist, LGBTQ+, right to health, academic freedom, anti-corruption, indigenous people, people with disabilities, and environmental organizations, amongst others. Since, 2016 organize the Human Rights Fair, a public cultural event which brings together cultural groups and human rights activists and is open to the public.

ConArte Mexico (The International Consortium for Art and School) was formed in 2006, and has been working locally, nationally and internationally to promote cultural rights, social inclusion and gender perspective through the arts.

ConArte’s urban laboratory for committed artists, La Nana, Laboratorio Urbano de Arte Comprometido, is a proving ground for innovative and empowering programs that quickly transcend the neighborhood to impact communities in other parts of Mexico, usually where there is serious ongoing conflict and violence.

Through courses and workshops, ConArte trys to manage hope through art, carefully piecing together inclusive processes which have sustainable results for all community members. ConArte trains local artists and other stakeholders in each city they work in, on a Interdisciplinary Non-violence Program, which gives them strategies and tools for working in complex intercultural contexts.

Dejusticia is a think-do tank based in Bogotá, Colombia known for its leadership in public debates, research work that is often cited by academia and government, and its norm-changing litigation cases in Colombia. Its unique trait–being a combination of a think tank that undertakes rigorous academic research and an activist NGO that leads high-impact litigation, advocacy and training of key actors in the social change field–has made it an important reference point and expert voice both within Colombia and also internationally, with a distinct Global South perspective.

Dawlaty was founded by Syrian activists as a platform to develop and share content on democratic transition and has collected, archived and shared tactics of the nonviolent movement, as well as testimonies of those affected by the Syrian conflict, with a focus on marginalized groups including young women and men. Dawlaty works through its civic engagement and oral history programs to advocate at the local and international level for an inclusive justice for all Syrians.

Ettijahat- Independent Culture is a Syrian cultural organization founded in the end of 2011. Ettijahat seeks to activate and render the role of independent culture and arts more positive, in the process of cultural and social change. Ettijahat tries to achieve that by supporting artists and undertakers of cultural initiatives, enabling young researchers, working to build consensus and alliances between individuals and cultural institutions, promoting the arts and artists through regional and international platforms, and helping Syrian communities wherever they are have access to culture and arts.

Fanni Raghman Anni Association (FRA) is a youth-driven cultural nongovernmental Tunisian organization. It works on promoting innovative youth activism, defending Human rights culture and democracy and enhancing social cohesion.

In Place of War is a global organization that uses artistic creativity in places of conflict as a tool for positive change. It enables grassroots change-makers in music, theatre and across the arts to transform cultures of violence and suffering into hope, opportunity and freedom.

Al-Jumhuriya is a platform for Syrians to speak in their own voice about the myriad political, social, cultural, and other questions thrown up by the revolution and ensuing conflict in their country.

Through a distinct blend of commentaries, reportage, long-form essays, interviews, podcasts, translations, and short fiction, Al-Jumhuriya seeks to illuminate in full and vivid color the Syrian picture too often viewed in disparate versions of monochrome, while aspiring fervently to a democratic and just future for Syria.

Magamba has been a pioneer in Zimbabwean youth culture. The network launched the first-ever satire show in the country, Zambezi News, which has gone on to inspire a whole new generation of young satirists and online content creators who use humour to deal with Zimbabwe’s complex political situation. The network has opened up space for free expression online through supporting and incubating a myriad of young bloggers and new media startups that speak truth to power.

Magamba has also been a pioneer in the hip hop, spoken word and comedy movements in Zimbabwe, building platforms for rebel expression and creating international tours for hot new acts with a message. Through launching Moto Republik, Zimbabwe’s first creative hub, Magamba has created a powerful space of collaboration for young creatives that is leading to groundbreaking new projects and inspiring other hubs in the Southern African region. Magamba is also spreading on the continent with the launch of Open Parly initiatives in Somalia and Zambia, satire co-productions in Kenya and the Creative South network in Southern Africa to inspire new creative hubs. Our projects have reached millions of young Zimbabweans while also receiving massive international recognition. Magamba’s projects have featured on Amanpour (CNN), BBC, The Guardian and Channel 4 (UK) while at the same time being nominated for multiple international awards.

MEGAWRA is an architectural hub for young students and architects that is also coming to the public. It is a platform for holistic debate on architecture and urbanism with a focus on it as art, theory, praxis and cultural heritage and its role in promoting sustainability and social responsibility in the built environment.

Sawa for Development and Aid is a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) initially founded in December 2011 as a spontaneous response to the arrival of the first 40 Syrian families displaced from Syria into the North of Lebanon.

This initiative then grew to include both local and international activists who worked together (Sawa in Arabic), united by their belief in Syrians’ right to live in dignity and freedom, and to be active individuals in their communities, and wherever they are.

Counterpoints Arts is a UK based leading organization in the field of arts, migration and cultural change. Its mission is to support and produce the arts by and about migrants and refugees, seeking to ensure that their contributions are recognized and welcomed within the British arts, history and culture.

Counterpoints believes that arts can inspire social change and enhance inclusion and cultural integration of refugees and migrants. Counterpoints works across all art forms and collaborates with a range of people and partners, including artists, arts/cultural and educational organizations and civil society activists.

Founded in 2002, Digital Empowerment Foundation has been working to empower people at the edge of information by enabling them with training and access to the internet. Focusing on marginalised communities that are digitally excluded and underserved, DEF uses action, advocacy and capacity building tools to provide digital rights, fight information poverty and create agency to access rights and entitlements. Using net neutrality as a guiding principle and digital democracy as a framework, DEF empowers communities across pillars like education and entertainment, livelihood and finance, health and agriculture, culture and heritage, with a focus on digital rights for women and adolescents.

With a 10,000 strong cadre of digital foot soldiers across India, DEF has created interventions in 1500 locations in 135 districts across 24 states. Besides India, DEF has a strong network in South Asia and is also an influential member of several global digital initiatives and organisations like Internet Governance Forum (IGF), Internet Society (ISOC), Association of Progressive Communication (APC), World Wide Web Foundation (WWW) and Global Network Initiatives (GNI). Going forward from 2021 to 2030, DEF is focused on working to connect the unconnected, as well as develop a healthy ecosystem wherein those who are connected can live a life free from fake news, misinformation and Internet shutdowns.

Equality Studies Association (ESA) was established in 2019. ESA aims to prompt public awareness towards societal inequalities and strengthens social movements with rigorous research and constructive proposals that advance progressive, democratic policy change based on gender equality. The overall aim is positioning this struggle as a part of a widened struggle for a robust democracy in Turkey.

Since 2021, The Political Well-Being in Turkey Through a Queer Feminist Perspective (QFWBP)” funded by Rose Luxemburg Foundation has been run within the scope of aims of ESA.

Haki Nawiri Afrika is an initiative formed by Kenya based activists in collaboration with university students from Kenya and Uganda and Tanzania. Haki Nawiri as an idea was formulated in August 2019.The organization’s mission is to advance social justice in marginalized communities and among university students. Haki Nawiri’s Afrika’s vision is a world where every person enjoys their rights to their rights to the fullest irrespective of social class. Membership to Haki Nawiri is both at individual level and organizational
level.

Established in 2014, Filmlab Palestine has set the goal of promoting and reviving cinema culture in Palestine, keeping in mind its vision of a professional, creative, and innovative film industry landscape. Filmlab´s philosophy is to create a new sustainable hub for creative local film production with a program contributing to networking, training, and educating film professionals and talents, realizing diverse, high-quality films in general and content for children. The accumulation of the efforts is gathered in the annual Palestine Cinema Days festival, connecting Palestine with the regional and international professional film industry, promoting Palestinian cinema culture and building an active local cinema audience.

Digital Rights Foundation is a not-for-profit, women-led organisation based in Pakistan working on issues of digital governance, online safety and emerging technologies from a gender and Global South perspective since 2013. The organisation regularly works with multiple stakeholders to address issues of digital safety, literacy and freedoms through awareness-raising workshops and providing support to those facing harassment through its Cyber Harassment Helpline which has provided support to over 14000 cases. In 2022 alone, DRF did outreach with 5,885 individuals across Pakistan and different parts of the world, through 110 events and 57 trainings.

Karwan-e-Mohabbat, or “Caravan of Love,” is a people’s campaign in India focused on solidarity, equality, and justice, particularly for survivors of hate crimes and those facing injustice. Launched in 2017, it aims to address communal violence and the impact of hate crimes, offering legal, social, and livelihood support. The campaign is led by Harsh Mander and involves volunteers from various backgrounds, including lawyers, activists, and journalists.