On the occasion of the World Day Against Human Trafficking, the city of Nice will host, on August 3, a public evening at the Mediterranean University Center. On the program: a roundtable discussion dedicated to combating human exploitation, a discussion with neuropsychiatrist Boris Cyrulnik and the premiere of the short film Woman on Rope, led by UNESCO Artist for Peace Guila Clara Kessous.
On the occasion of the World Day Against Human Trafficking, celebrated each year by the United Nations, the city of Nice will organize an awareness evening on Monday, August 3, 2026 at the Mediterranean University Center. The event, free and open to the public by reservation before July 30, will bring together representatives from institutions, civil society organizations and human rights defenders.
This initiative is led by the city of Nice, Guila Clara Kessous, UNESCO Artist for Peace, and the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of the Côte d’Azur. The objective is to provide a time for discussion dedicated to combating human trafficking, protecting victims, prevention actions and collective responses to this phenomenon.
A roundtable discussion will bring together several personalities around the issues related to human exploitation. The discussions will notably address victim resilience, protection systems and ways to strengthen mobilization against this crime that affects millions of people worldwide.
Woman on Rope, an artistic plea for women’s rights
The evening will also be marked by the premiere of the short film Woman on Rope (“When women rise, humanity progresses”). This film, signed by Guila Clara Kessous, directed by Aurélia Khazan and produced by Khen Thanh Nhat, was awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. The project also received the support of actress Sharon Stone.
Through this work, Guila Clara Kessous transforms a rope climb into a metaphor for struggles waged for women’s rights. The short film traces the advances, setbacks and challenges that have marked this history, from the first feminist texts to recent restrictions imposed in Afghanistan or Iran. Filmed between New York, Geneva and UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Woman on Rope adopts an artistic approach to highlight the journeys of resilience, reconstruction and freedom of people facing exploitation and violence related to human trafficking.
Structured in several visual chapters, the film combines different periods of history with struggles waged in several countries. Each sequence is accompanied by a female voice in its original language to recall the universal nature of these struggles. At the end of this symbolic climb, the release of white doves brings a message of peace and equality. After a presentation at the Cannes Film Festival, Woman on Rope will continue its distribution in several international institutions, including the UN, the French Senate and various diplomatic venues.
A screening followed by discussion with the audience
The screening will be followed by an exchange between the speakers and the audience to continue the reflection on solutions to strengthen the fight against human trafficking. This discussion will address issues of prevention, victim protection and collective mobilization against a phenomenon that affects millions of people worldwide.
During the evening, Guila Clara Kessous will also discuss with neuropsychiatrist and author Boris Cyrulnik around his latest work, Au saccage des petits bonheurs. This meeting will revisit the consequences of trauma related to human trafficking, the resilience mechanisms that allow victims to rebuild themselves, and the role of human bonds, solidarity and collective commitment in restoring the dignity of people who have suffered exploitation.
