Iran, 2009. Election results lead to numerous protests. Foreign journalists are banned, news spreads through twittering activists and youtube clips made with mobile phones. China, 2010. Google claims cyber attacks made by Chinese. Us releases statement on the centrality of internet freedom in the 21st century. Will companies be penalized when censoring the internet? Worldwide, 2010. Human rights defenders, defending the freedom of expression, end up behind bars. The same human right they defend can ensure their protection. The Hague, April 19-20, 2010. Human Rights Defenders from all over the world participated in the international conference on human rights and new media The power of media Media - new and old - are crucial tools for human rights activists. They help to inform about abuses in the world and put pressure on those responsible. And they offer often, but not always, protection to those people who stand against oppression of freedoms and democratic rights because the outside world knows of their existence and their struggles and the undemocratic regimes that hamper them. Support for "true heroes" People who stand up in very difficult circumstances with great personal risk and sacrifice and not much more than the arms of the word to the authorities against violations of human rights deserve more than our admiration. The True Heroes Films Foundation is convinced that we can help those 'heroes' by "keeping them 'in view' and thereby protecting them. By helping them with better access to the Western media and by supporting them in their use of media techniques that work effectively and make their struggle less risky. In close cooperation with and substantial funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs it was therefore decided that on 19 and 20 April an International Conference on Human Rights & (new) Media would be organised. There are key questions as: How can you use a hidden camera to expose the abuses? What images can actually constitute legal evidence? How do you get critical information encrypted and out of the country? And how can new media technologies like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook help to get the message out? The conference "Human Rights and (New) Media" was above all a hands-onconference. Many known and unknown human rights activists from around the world came to The Hague and sharpened in two days time their knowledge of appropriate media technologies. They met fellow activists, worked with and learn from each other. They had the opportunity to build contacts with Dutch journalists, program and documentary filmmakers and bloggers. Media constitute the second key target of the conference. More than just a good press coverage of the conference and the necessary media portraits of participating human rights activists, there was opportunity to one-on-one links between activists and media people present. The theme of "Human Rights and (New) Media" is interesting and relevant to a much wider audience. Several prominent figures and organizations attended the conference. These are public figures as Ruud Lubbers and human rights defender Professor Theo van Boven..Organizations like Hivos, Amnesty International, Movies that Matter, Oxfam Novib, Human Rights Watch, WITNESS, Ushahidi and Tactical Tec participated. The program The core of the conference program - working with human rights activists and media - took place on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 April in Theatre Zeebelt in The Hague. About True Heroes Films The Dutch Foundation True Heroes Films is committed to protecting human rights defenders worldwide by literally keeping them in focus. True Heroes Films produces films about these "real heroes". The organization works closely with many leading human rights organizations like Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists. True Heroes Films is chaired by Professor Cees Flinterman, a leading Dutch law professor and defender of human rights. The board also includes Sharon Rusu (coordinator of ReliefWeb, the source for the latest humanitarian world's information), Jan de Koning (lawyer specializing in media law), Leo Hannewijk (director Film by the Sea and the International Film Festival Breda), Hans Thoolen (former UNHCR and involved in various human rights organizations). The Advisory Board consists of prominent people as former Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers, Hedy d'Ancona, Max van der Stoel, Paul van Tongeren and Wim Deetman. The daily coordination is in the hands of director Nadja Houben.