Events

On May 13, 2023, Chen Guangcheng, Distinguished Fellow at the Center for Human Rights at The Catholic University of America, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the Institute of World Politics (IWP) during their Presidential Investiture and Commencement Ceremony. In his keynote address, Guangcheng shared his personal journey from a self-taught legal advocate in rural China to an internationally recognized human rights defender. He emphasized the importance of moral courage in confronting authoritarian regimes...

On February 7, 2024, Distinguished Fellow Chen Guangcheng and Dr. William Saunders, Director of the Center for Human Rights at The Catholic University of America, addressed students during the University Honors Program’s Hitchhikers Guide to Culture speaker series. The event provided a timely and insightful examination of the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing human rights abuses and the broader implications for global security and freedom.
Chen Guangcheng, a blind legal advocate and former political prisoner in China, shared his firsthand experiences with the regime’s brutal tactics.

On April 20, 2024, The Catholic University of America hosted the 30th Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The event began with a walk of remembrance, in which participants processed into the Pryzbylla student center from outside. Professor Robert Destro, Fellow at the Center for Human Rights, participated in a panel discussion, and Dr. William Saunders, Director of the Center for Human Rights, delivered remarks. Vice Provost for Global Studies Dr. Duilia F. de Mello was there to welcome the attendees...

On September 19, 2024, The Catholic University of America hosted a special screening and discussion of the documentary The Defenders – 20 Years of Human Rights Lawyers in China, featuring remarks by the film’s director, Yaxue Cao, and Distinguished Fellow Chen Guangcheng. The event was part of the Center for Human Rights’ ongoing mission to spotlight courageous voices standing against authoritarian oppression.
Yaxue Cao, founder and editor of ChinaChange.org, introduced the film and shared the vision behind its creation. The Defenders chronicles the harrowing and inspiring stories of Chinese human rights lawyers...

On March 3, 2025, The Catholic University of America hosted a compelling conversation featuring Chen Guangcheng, Distinguished Fellow for Human Rights at the university, and Christopher Mee, a first-year law student at Catholic Law. The discussion was moderated by Professor William Saunders, co-director of the Center for Religious Liberty at Catholic Law. Chen Guangcheng, renowned for his courageous advocacy against human rights abuses in China, shared profound insights drawn from his personal experiences and legal activism. Blind from an early age and self-taught in the law, Chen has been a steadfast voice for the oppressed, challenging authoritarian practices and championing the rule of law.

On July 9, the Institute for Religion and Democracy hosted a panel concerning the kidnapping in 2017 by the Chinese Communist Party of China's leading human rights and religious liberty lawyer, Gao Zhisheng. The speakers were Professor William Saunders, China Aid's founder, Bob Fu, and Distinguished Fellow, Chen Guangcheng. The speakers recounted the compelling need to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for Gao's kidnapping and subsequent "disappearance," and discussed strategies to secure his release. Gao served as attorney for Guangcheng as well as members of various faiths and spiritualities...

On October 23rd, Professor William Saunders welcomed John Di Camillo, President of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, to deliver a special lecture for the M.A. in Human Rights program at The Catholic University of America. DiCamillo delivered a timely address titled “Navigating the AI Revolution in Bioethics: Human Rights and Being Human.”