LIHUE — The International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland kicks off today, and one of Kauai’s own is on the lineup to share his mana‘o.
Former Kauai councilmember and current president of the Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Gary Hooser, will be speaking alongside people like photographer Moises Saman, author Wendy Pearlman, filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and actress Vanessa Redgrave.
“It is a huge honor to be invited to speak at an international gathering such as this,” Hooser said.
He continued: “My hope is to share our story with the international community and perhaps learn from them how they were able to convince their respective governments to fight back against big money and corporate influence.”
Dedicated to film and human rights, the International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights runs concurrently with the United Nations Human Rights Council’s annual March session.
The goal of the 10-day festival is to highlight some of the most pressing human rights issues of the day.
Gender and equality, political and geographical boundaries, war and its consequences — these are just a few of the topics laid out for debate and discussion during the festival.
Pesticide use by agrochemical companies is Hooser’s platform, and he’s hoping his topic will hit close to home for those at the festival.
“Europeans in general, especially the Swiss, are appalled when they learn that corporations based in Switzerland are using restricted use pesticides on Kauai that are banned in Switzerland and throughout Europe,” Hooser said.
He hopes to keep the issue in the spotlight, and to ultimately “successfully pass laws protecting the health and environment.”
Hooser’s panel discussion is set for Tuesday, March 13, after the screening of the movie “Poisoning Paradise.”
About 450 people are expected to watch the film and attend the following discussion.
Previous guests to the festival include Nobel Prize-winners Shirin Ebadi and Joseph Stiglitz; activists Pussy Riot, Femen and Rokhaya Diallo; diplomats Samantha Power and Leila Shahid; lawyers Luis Moreno-Ocampo and Fatou
Bensouda.
“I am in awe of the distinguished company into which I have been invited. And I am deeply grateful for the generosity of the organizers in paying for the travel expenses associated with my participation,” Hooser said.
