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The discussions and action proposals at the Fundamental Rights Forum 2024 revolved around the following key themes:
From erosion to empowerment: Protecting democracy and civic space in Europe
The discussions on this topic examined key challenges, including tackling disinformation, widening civic participation and enabling civil society, ensuring political transparency, safeguarding institutions, and countering the erosion of fundamental rights. The discussions concluded that the EU needs to prioritise civic engagement, resilient institutions, and a rights-based vision to counter rising authoritarian tendencies.
Watch the #RightsForum24 videos about this theme
Notable speakers contributing to the discussions on this topic include Emily O'Reilly, former European Ombudsman, Didier Reynders, former EU Commissioner for Justice, Alma Zadić, former Austria's Federal Minister of Justice, and Lilian Thuram, President of the Lilian Thuram Foundation - Education against racism, among others.
From rights to resilience: Shaping a socially and environmentally sustainable Europe
The Forum looked at the climate crisis and its impact on inequalities and marginalised groups. An emerging ‘human rights-based economy’ challenges existing economic models, advocating for systemic reforms in finance, taxation and climate justice. As a standard setter in human rights and regulatory frameworks, the EU plays a key role in shaping these reforms, setting benchmarks for sustainable and equitable economic policies worldwide.
Watch the #RightsForum24 videos about this theme
Notable speakers in discussions on this topic include Leena Ylä-Mononen, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency, Gunther Beger, former Managing Director for SDG Innovation at UNIDO, and Elena Kountouri Tapiero, Regional Representative for Europe, OHCHR, among others.
From code to conscience: Ensuring rights-compliant digitalisation
In this thematic strand, the Forum participants identified disinformation, surveillance, and bias in AI as key threats to human rights. While society benefits from digitalisation and technology, regulations are crucial to protect everyone’s rights and privacy. The EU already leads in tech regulation, but it is equally important to prioritise investments in civic education. Ultimately, participants agreed that human rights must guide tech development, and serve to prevent profit-driven, selective ethics.
Watch the #RightsForum24 videos about this theme
Notable speakers that contributed to the discussion include Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol, Daniel Howden, Founder and Director of Lighthouse Reports, Nanna-Louise Linde, Vice-President for European Government Affairs at Microsoft, and Alexandria Walden, Global Head of Human Rights at Google, among others.
Nearly 1,000 participants attended the RightsForum24 at the Vienna City Hall, Austria, and 1,300 joined them online. They used the opportunity to connect, reflect, and take action, through diverse formats – including panel discussions, human rights roundtables, masterclasses, talks, and art performances.
The Fundamental Rights Forum 2024 brought together representatives from EU institutions, governments, human rights bodies, academia, and civil society – alongside leaders and experts from the worlds of business, tech, entertainment, sports, and faith communities. They held an interdisciplinary dialogue to identify sustainable solutions to the human rights challenges we face today.
Dive into the topics discussed at the Fundamental Rights Forum 2024, watching the highlights videos.