Digital Rights Festival 2024

In an era where our online interactions shape much of our lives, the need for safeguarding digital rights has never been more urgent. The Digital Rights Festival 2024 promises to be a landmark event dedicated to exploring how our fundamental human rights intersect with our digital presence. Organized by the Digital Freedom Coalition, in collaboration with global partners, the festival will serve as a platform for meaningful dialogue, offering a space where digital technology and human rights converge.

About the Festival

As our daily lives increasingly depend on digital platforms—from social media connections to critical services like banking and healthcare—our digital rights must be protected. The Digital Rights Festival 2024, held from December 1-3, seeks to raise awareness about privacy, freedom of expression, and the broader human rights issues that arise in the digital world. This annual event, taking place in Kathmandu, Nepal, aims to foster education, collaboration, and advocacy in the fight for a more inclusive and equitable digital future.

Objectives of the Festival

The festival will bring together stakeholders from a range of sectors—including government, civil society, and technology—to discuss key issues surrounding digital rights in Nepal. Specific objectives include:

1. Raising Awareness: Educating individuals about their digital rights, privacy concerns, and ethical considerations in the digital age.

2. Inspiring Advocacy: Encouraging participants to become advocates for digital rights within their communities and beyond.

3. Building Networks: Providing a platform for activists, policymakers, and technologists to collaborate, share insights, and form actionable strategies.

4. Showcasing Innovation: Highlighting the positive contributions of digital technologies to creativity, expression, and innovation.

Key Festival Components

1. Digital Rights Conference

On December 1, 2024, the Digital Rights Conference will kick off the festival. With the theme “Digital Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, this event will focus on the critical intersections between AI and digital rights. Topics will include the Global Digital Compact, the Social Media Bill 2081, and the IT and Cyber Security Bill 2081. The conference will feature panels on pressing issues such as deepfake disinformation, AI governance, and how AI can improve access to justice. This is a unique opportunity for stakeholders across sectors to unite, share insights, and forge strategies to protect digital rights in an increasingly AI-driven world.

2. National School on Internet Governance (Nepal SIG)

Running on December 2-3, 2024, at the Durbar Hall, the Nepal SIG will offer in-depth sessions on internet governance, focusing on shaping Nepal’s approach to digital rights. The event will provide an interactive learning environment where participants can explore topics such as robust internet systems, digital rights within Nepal’s legal framework, and global internet governance policies.

3. Accessibility School on Internet Governance (Accessibility SIG)

Also taking place on December 2-3, 2024, at the Nalanda Hall, the Accessibility SIG will focus on ensuring digital accessibility for all. This session will highlight the importance of inclusive design and global initiatives for accessibility. Participants will engage in discussions on digital rights for people with disabilities and develop strategies for improving accessibility in the digital world.

4. Digital Rights Film Festival

The Digital Rights Film Festival will be a cultural and thought-provoking addition to the festival. Through the screening of documentaries and films related to digital rights, privacy, and the ethics of technology, the event will provoke discussions on pressing social and political issues. It will be a creative space for exploring the intersection of digital technology and human freedom.