Outreach and Collaboration

HRIC engages in extensive outreach activities to maximize the impact and reach of our work. Working with activists, writers, and artists around the world, HRIC organizes advocacy, media, and cultural events to foster cross-cultural understanding and solidarity. In addition, HRIC makes public and private presentations to inform diverse audiences on human rights issues in China. HRIC also actively collaborates with other NGOs on a wide range of projects to leverage collective expertise.

Academic Conferences and Symposia

Cultural Events

Recognizing the power of art, film, and literature to shape and inspire social change, HRIC collaborates with a wide range of artists to support work that explores fundamental issues in Chinese society. Through readings, film screenings, book fairs, and artist interviews, HRIC has examined issues related to Tibetan identity, the 1989 June Fourth Crackdown, and freedom of expression. Some past events include:

A Special Evening with Liao Yiwu (2011), author of Corpse Walker, For a Song and a Hundred Songs, and God is Red.
Honoring Liu Xiaobo (2010), featuring a joint installation piece by Tenzin Rigdol and Zhang Hongtu, a tribute from Richard Gere, and readings of Liu’s works.
Human Rights Book Fair (2009), featuring readings from a selection of banned books and a panel discussion on free expression.

Presentations

We also frequently present to diverse audiences to advance greater awareness of and inform debates on human rights in China. Audiences have included: think tanks, trade union groups, and academic, business, scientific, media, and diplomatic communities. Presentations regularly address core human rights issues, ranging from the growth and diversification of Chinese civil society to the impact of technology and the Internet on freedom of expression and other rights.

Collaboration

HRIC regularly collaborates with NGOs and the business, technology, and academic communities to address thematic human rights issues. These collaborations provide opportunities to share best practices and deepen relationships with national and regional actors, including others working on and in the global South. Key rights and labor organizations include the Committee to Support Chinese Lawyers, China Labour Bulletin (CLB), and the China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group. HRIC also works with Tibetan and Uyghur groups on joint international advocacy efforts, cultural events, and reports.

We are a long-time member of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), a coalition of more than 170 human rights NGOs in over 100 countries. In addition to serving on FIDH fact-finding missions to Japan, Taiwan, and Central Asia, we collaborate with FIDH and many of its members, to engage with and inform UN human rights mechanisms, international organizations, corporations, and governments.

HRIC was an NGO member of the Global Network Initiative (GNI)—a multi-stakeholder group of companies, civil society organizations, investors, and academics—where we have contributed to the development of guidelines and best practices to protect and promote freedom of expression and the right to privacy for companies in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector.

In addition to working directly with ICT companies through GNI, HRIC participates in broader policy debates on Internet governance, free expression online, and business and human rights issues in national, bi-lateral, and multi-lateral fora. Some examples of this work include: participating in the World Summit on the Information Society (2003 and 2005); monitoring and engaging with the World Conference on International Telecommunications (2013), and participating in the Stockholm Internet Forum organized by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs (2013).