The programme

This event, adapted from the Paris International Film Festival on Human Rights (FIFDH) (www.festival-droitsdelhomme.org/paris/ ) aims at the target group of protagonists from civil society working peacefully in support of the respect of individual rights (NGO, action groups, citizen groups, media,...) by bringing them together around a common advocacy platform, just as much orientated towards the general public as towards the local authorities.

The action is aimed at the population as a whole but its end beneficiaries are in particular, the opinion leaders (media, institutions, ...) and the youth of schools, high-schools and universities. Every year, this date will be used as a platform for the encounters of these protagonists with the population, and especially the young people.

The programme will be essentially made up of documentary films on Human Rights.

Every screening during the day will be followed by a meeting with the director, in the presence of civil society protagonists (Human Rights advocates, NGOs journalists, academics,…) to debate with the public. The debates will take place in the form of question-answer sessions lasting around 45 minutes, between the directors, the speakers from civil society and the public, in the presence of a moderator. The films which will be shown will all be of an international quality standard.

The themes in the programme will cover Human Rights in their traditional acceptance (struggle against impunity, legal processes, etc.) but also economic, social, cultural and environmental rights. Examples of themes likely to be proposed to the public : women’s rights, children’s rights, rights of minorities (Pygmies), the fight against HIV/Aids, access to universal goods, the fight against corruption, international criminal justice, the process of national reconciliation, etc. Workshops in script-writing for local journalists will be run by the invited directors.

The festival will reinforce the situation of target groups by offering them a platform for expression, a real means of democratic advocacy to the authorities. In other words, it will help reinforce the power of these basic organisations to speak out and consolidate their influence within the Central African Republic's society.

It fits in with the objective of promoting liberties and civil rights through the informing and training of citizens, the media, decision-makers and officials from national and local institutions on the principles of Human Rights, civil rights and citizenship. This action also takes part in raising awareness and encouraging dialogue on the reinforcement of rule of law, good governance, the respect of fundamental rights, the struggle against mistreatment, etc. It directly aims for the reinforcement of civil society as a precondition for a fairer, open and democratic society.