Closing Session: Carrying the Struggle Forward: Strategy, Solidarity, and the Next Four Years

Join us for the closing event of the Global Week Against Torture 2025, as the OMCT and its SOS-Torture Network come together to reflect, celebrate, and chart the road ahead. This session marks both the 40th anniversary of OMCTand a pivotal moment for the global anti-torture movement.

Session Highlights

• Moderated by: Olga Sadovskaya
• Welcome and Opening Reflections
  A brief welcome grounding the session in the values and achievements of the week and introducing the themes that will shape the strategic conversations ahead.
• Keynote Addresses - Dr. Alice Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture
  A visionary speech connecting torture prevention to the broader defense of civic space, protest rights, and dignity.
• Keynote Addresses - Claude Heller, Chair of the UN Committee Against Torture
  A reaffirmation of the global normative framework and the vital role of civil society in sustaining it.
• Human Rights Defenders in Detention: Stories, Solidarity, and Advocacy with Isabel Rosales
  A moment of connection to those most at risk—featuring photos and personal stories of human rights defenders who have endured imprisonment. Includes messages of hope from those recently released and a call to collective advocacy, anchored in the work of the SOS-Torture Network.
• Strategic Takeaways and Forward Vision with Carin Benninger-Budel
  A look forward to the next four years: presentation of the OMCT Strategic Framework 2025–2029 and first insights from the Global Torture Index. This segment invites members to shape and own the movement’s direction, grounded in the lessons of the week and the challenges ahead. It also includes a tribute to outgoing Executive Council and General Assembly members.
• Solidarity and Farewell with Soweto Choir - Led by two-time Emmy Award winner Jimmy Mulovhedzi, the Soweto Choir embodies resilience and hope through inspiring songs that blend African and gospel traditions. Their music, deeply rooted in South African traditions, carries a universal message of peace and dignity, resonating with the values ​​of OMCT.

Languages spoken:  English
Interpretation available in: EN/ ES / FR / RU / AR