Imagine Forum 2025

The Imagine Forum: Protecting Rights – Defending Peace

Höfði Reykjavík Peace Centre

Our annual peace conference The Imagine Forum took place on October 10, 2025, hosted by Höfði Reykjavík Peace Centre and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the United Nations Association in Iceland.

The Imagine Forum: Protecting Rights - Defending Peace

In a time of rising authoritarianism, democratic backsliding, and growing pushback against human rights, gender equality, and LGBTQI+ rights, this conference brings together leading thinkers, activists and policy makers to discuss how protecting rights is essential to building lasting peace.

We were fortunate to welcome inspiring speakers advocating for peace and the protection of rights in diverse contexts, including:
🎙️ Nazanin Boniadi – Award-winning actress and renowned human rights advocate focusing on women’s rights and freedom of expression in Iran and beyond

🎙️Varsen Aghabekian, Minister for Foreign Affairs and expatriates of the State of Palestine
🎙️ Vladimir Kara-Murza – Russian opposition politician, author, historian and former political prisoner
🎙️ Jessica Stern – Former U.S. Special Envoy for LGBTQI+ Rights and Senior Fellow at the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights at the Harvard Kennedy School

🎙️ Katja Creutz - Expert at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs focusing on global governance, international law and human rights

We thank everyone who participated and attended and hope to see you again for the 10th anniversary of The Imagine Forum next year.

The full recording is available below