A dystopian society is a world where human rights are violated, individualism is suppressed and human dignity is trampled. The result is a society often characterised by chaos, suffering and despair.
At a time plagued by a search for easy answers, desire for authoritarianism, burgeoning information chaos and waning faith in democracy, George Orwell’s cautionary tale
“1984” increasingly comes to mind.
Phrases such as “It doesn’t matter what you think, but how you think”, “He who controls the past controls the future; he who controls the present controls the past”, “War is peace. Freedom is slavery.” “Ignorance is power” or “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two equals four” are a painful reminder that dystopia is something that is with us all the time – as a result of a thought, possibility, choice or simply a mistake, a short-sighted choice. In today’s world, it all seems disturbingly close. But it is supposed to be disturbing. We are meant to feel uncomfortable.
The Annual Human Rights Conference has always proceeded from the principle that the truth is not to be found in the repetition of like-minded positions, but in the juxtaposition and confrontation of different understandings and attitudes. The aim is not to provide a sense of security and peace of mind, but to awaken the audience from the slumber of welfare: it is important to understand and know where we are headed and who our companions are.
Also at the 2025 annual conference, at Swissôtel in Tallinn, we will have speakers with very different worldviews, whose debates can be experienced either in person in the hall or later via video recordings – we will not be streaming, because otherwise, what is said live on stage loses its
gravity.
A dystopian society is a world where human rights are violated, individualism is suppressed and human dignity is trampled. The result is a society often characterised by chaos, suffering and despair.
At a time plagued by a search for easy answers, desire for authoritarianism, burgeoning information chaos and waning faith in democracy, George Orwell’s cautionary tale
“1984” increasingly comes to mind.
Phrases such as “It doesn’t matter what you think, but how you think”, “He who controls the past controls the future; he who controls the present controls the past”, “War is peace. Freedom is slavery.” “Ignorance is power” or “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two equals four” are a painful reminder that dystopia is something that is with us all the time – as a result of a thought, possibility, choice or simply a mistake, a short-sighted choice. In today’s world, it all seems disturbingly close. But it is supposed to be disturbing. We are meant to feel uncomfortable.
The Annual Human Rights Conference has always proceeded from the principle that the truth is not to be found in the repetition of like-minded positions, but in the juxtaposition and confrontation of different understandings and attitudes. The aim is not to provide a sense of security and peace of mind, but to awaken the audience from the slumber of welfare: it is important to understand and know where we are headed and who our companions are.
Also at the 2025 annual conference, at Swissôtel in Tallinn, we will have speakers with very different worldviews, whose debates can be experienced either in person in the hall or later via video recordings – we will not be streaming, because otherwise, what is said live on stage loses its
gravity.
A dystopian society is a world where human rights are violated, individualism is suppressed and human dignity is trampled. The result is a society often characterised by chaos, suffering and despair.
At a time plagued by a search for easy answers, desire for authoritarianism, burgeoning information chaos and waning faith in democracy, George Orwell’s cautionary tale
“1984” increasingly comes to mind.
Phrases such as “It doesn’t matter what you think, but how you think”, “He who controls the past controls the future; he who controls the present controls the past”, “War is peace. Freedom is slavery.” “Ignorance is power” or “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two equals four” are a painful reminder that dystopia is something that is with us all the time – as a result of a thought, possibility, choice or simply a mistake, a short-sighted choice. In today’s world, it all seems disturbingly close. But it is supposed to be disturbing. We are meant to feel uncomfortable.
Dystopian future – the global human rights situation.
In order to avoid a dystopian future, the whole world must act collectively, meaningfully and consciously to defend human rights, international law and the freedoms of all people.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, warns of a “new normal” that is leading us into a dystopian future of armed conflict, curbing of freedoms, deepening inequality and a climate catastrophe. Turk highlights current global conflicts, such as Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, Russia’s war in Ukraine and Sudan’s civil war, and their consequences. He says the world has increasingly come to tolerate the crossing of ‘red lines’ as if it has become the new norm.
Turk also warns against misinformation that inhibits people’s freedom to make informed choices. “Disinformation stifles facts and distorts reality, preventing the freedom to make informed decisions,” says the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. He also criticises the simplistic and polarised rhetoric that encourages hate speech: “Beware of screeching voices and “strongmen” who offer simple solutions that deny reality and lead us astray.”
Dystopian new world order.
The “representative of a certain country” also stresses that in a multilateral world, no one should feel humiliated and all countries are equal…and that to protect democracy, it is necessary to initiate military operations.
According to the “representative of a certain country”, we are living in an era of change, where nations are becoming more aware of their identity and distinctiveness, but at the same time, the world is facing major challenges such as regional conflicts and climate change. There is a struggle for a new world order, not only in geopolitics but also regarding broader principles.
Not everything “He” says is wrong, but how seriously should we take his words? Should the message be separated from the messenger, or is it humbug to divert our focus?
“He” criticises the West, arguing that democracy has become the power of the minority over the majority, and believes that it is the Western elite that is preventing the creation of an international system that suits the interests of the majority. According to him, the post-Cold War world order was one in which Western geopolitical greed led to regional conflicts in the Balkans, the Middle East and Ukraine. The West’s own actions have led to conflict between the majority and the minority in the world.
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Censorship Dystopia: Is the Internet
a Human Right or a Privilege for the Few?
Information and communication technologies promote society, but they also enable privacy violations and the spread of misinformation.
New information and communication technologies have created unprecedented opportunities in the economy, education, health and the promotion of human rights. At the same time, these technologies are also powerful tools for human rights abuses, as authoritarian regimes use them to violate privacy, restrict access and spread misinformation.
The decline in global internet freedom over the past 14 years raises important questions about human rights and the protection of information.
“Large countries are increasingly implementing dystopian control measures, manipulation of information threatens democratic processes and undermines just debate.
How can we protect citizens from dangerous information without undermining democratic principles? Restrictions on freedoms and hate speech may be necessary, but these restrictions are easy to abuse. How can we strike a balance and avoid fundamental freedoms being sacrificed for safety? When does state intervention to prevent the spread of misinformation become censorship?
Alar Karis, the President of the Republic of Estonia,
serves as the Patron of the Annual Conference.
© Annual Human Rights Conference 2025
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