Costa Rica will host RightsCon 2020

Costa Rica will host the 2020 convention of RightsCon, which calls itself “the world’s leading event on human rights in the digital age.”

The announcement was made Friday at the close of RightsCon 2019 in Tunis, where more than 2,500 people from 130 countries were in attendance.

RightsCon, which was first held in 2011, welcomes global leaders “to build partnerships, shape global norms, showcase new technologies, and confront the most challenging issues at the intersection of human rights and technology,” according to the event’s website.

“More than an event, RightsCon is a global community with thousands of leading voices across stakeholder lines,” the site reads. “It is an energizing reminder of the existence of a powerful global digital rights community that is determined to defend human rights and keep the internet open and free.”

Luis Adrián Salazar, the Minister of Science, Technology and Telecommunications (MICITT), said in a statement that “it is not a coincidence” Costa Rica was selected as hosts.

“Last October, we presented the Digital Transformation Strategy for Costa Rica, where we focus on people and human rights in the digital era,” he said. “In order to have a real impact on people, we work hand-in-hand with the private sector, academia and civil society.

“At this time, our country has set goals in topics such as 5G, innovation, disruptive technologies, artificial intelligence, data protection and cybersecurity, to name a few.” 

Previous RightsCons have been held in Silicon Valley, Toronto and Rio de Janeiro.

RightsCon 2020 in San José, Costa Rica is scheduled from June 8-12.