Watching Western Sahara | Roosevelt House | Event

For 40 years the Saharawi people have been caught between two harsh realities: life in desert refugee camps and life under Moroccan occupation. These realities go largely unreported, and the voices of those living in Western Sahara go unheard. Moroccan authorities deny entry to foreign journalists and strictly prohibit press freedoms in the territory. Despite the media blackout, courageous Saharawi media activists document life under occupation. Watching Western Sahara curates and shares videos from Saharawi media activists. These videos provide a rare window into the day-to-day life of Saharawi people who take risks to expose human rights abuses in Western Sahara.

Please join us for a viewing of these videos and a panel discussion which will contextualize the footage, providing insights into the realities of the often silenced Saharawi and the human rights implications in what a UN commission considers the last colony in Africa.

PANELISTS INCLUDE:
Madeleine Bair, Managing Editor, Watching Western Sahara

Sandra Lynn Babcock, Clinical Professor of Law, Cornell University

Mohammed Ali Arkoukoum, President of the Sahrawi Association in New York (SAUSA)

Katlyn Thomas, former Chair of the United Nations Committee of the New York City Bar Association

Eric Goldstein, Deputy Director, Middle East and North Africa Division, Human Rights Watch (Moderator)

Sponsored by the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College, the Hunter College Human Rights Program, WITNESS, and the Western Sahara International Film Festival (FiSahara)