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In an effort to maintain the Afghan women's situation high on the EU and international agenda, the events will focus on the dire situation of women and girls in Afghanistan after last August Taliban takeover and the regression in their rights and status within the Afghan society.

The Afghan Women Days will tackle different angles, including the current humanitarian crisis and the Taliban repressive rule and the challenges of going into exile and building a new life away from homeland.

The 11 Afghan women finalists of the Sakharov Prize 2021 will be joined on stage or remotely with representatives of EU institutions and international organisations, among others:

• Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament

• Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

• Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General

• Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management

• Jutta Urpilainen, Commissioner for International Partnerships.

The programme of scheduled events and links to their webstreaming can be found below.

During the acceptance speech, Daria Navalnaya sent a message from Navalny himself, who could not be present at the ceremony as he is currently detained in a penal colony - "no one can dare to equate Russia to Putin's regime. Russia is a part of Europe and we strive to become a part of it". Closing her passionate speech, Daria called for freedom to Alexei Navalny and quoted Andrei Sakharov: "My destiny was in some sense exceptional (...). Not out of false modesty, but out of a wish to be precise I will note that my destiny turned out to be larger than my personality. I simply tried to be at the level of my own destiny."

President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli also called for the immediate and unconditional release of Alexei Navalny, as well as the release of other Sakharov Prize laureates currently imprisoned, including Ilham Tohti, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Raif Badawi, Sergei Tsikhanouski, Mikola Statkevich (the latter two recently condemned to 18, respectively 14 years in prison). The President expressed hope for the day when Alexei Navalny will be able to come to the European Parliament and personally receive the Sakharov Prize.

The two representatives of Alexei Navalny were engaged in a rich programme, participating in a youth seminar, a press conference, and various meetings with journalists, youth and social media influencers.