In 2018, renowned Bangladeshi photojournalist and activist Shahidul Alam was jailed and tortured for speaking out against his government’s repressive response to the massive “road safety protests” taking place in Bangladesh that year. After pressure from both local and international Bangladeshi communities, authorities granted Alam his physical freedom, but his right to expression remains under constant threat.
At a moment when democracies around the world are at risk, this conversation, presented by the Open Society Culture and Art program, will explore some of the ways in which Alam is fearlessly pushing for freedom of expression through photography, activism, and community engagement.
Speakers
-
Shahidul Alam
Speaker
Shahidul Alam, Time magazine’s 2018 Person of the Year, is a photojournalist and activist living and working in Bangladesh.
-
Zeyba Rahman
Moderator
Zeyba Rahman is a senior program officer for the Building Bridges Program at the Doris Duke Foundation.
Read more
Visual Storytelling
Q&A: Visual Witnesses: Photojournalism in a Changing World
World Press Photo Foundation's executive director reflects on the organization’s legacy, its evolving role in photojournalism, the impact of AI on the industry, and efforts to promote diversity and inclusivity in visual storytelling.
Documentary Films
Q&A: Harnessing the Power of Documentary Storytelling
Orwa Nyrabia, artistic director of the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, talks to Open Society about his experiences in Syria as a child and during the war, and its impact on his worldview and creative path
Voices
Announcing Moving Walls 25: Another Way Home
Moving Walls 25: Another Way Home is an exhibition and fellowship honoring artists, journalists, and creative technologists who use documentary practice to explore the topic of migration.