Even as the vaccine drive gathers pace, there are increasing signs that many ethnic minorities, in the UK and elsewhere, are sceptical about taking it. What is driving this? Racism or targeted misinformation? How big is the problem, and what can we do about it? We talk to doctors and journalists trying to save their communities.

Thuva Amuthan Doctor and former refugee focused on challenges faced by Black and minority ethnic communities. He is currently working on tackling vaccine reluctance among ethnic minorities
Sima Kotecha Award-winning BBC journalist who reported from Italy at the height of the pandemic and has also spent time in Afghanistan and Lebanon. She has frequently reported on vaccine disinformation and hesitancy in the UK
Onyinye Okonkwo GP and co-chair of the West Midlands Regional British Medical Association Black and minority ethnic network - She is involved in reaching out and tackling vaccine hesitancy among ethnic minority patients
Chair: Sunny Hundal Social media editor and writer, openDemocracy

The pandemic has forced the closure of borders and worsened the lives of migrants and refugees throughout the world. Their health and jobs are more precarious, their journeys more perilous and their resettlement often suspended.

Are the global agreements that govern migration and refugees able to support safe, orderly and regular movement across borders and solve refugee situations?

Ryerson University’s Canada Excellence Research Chair in Migration and Integration and openDemocracy are teaming up for a live discussion to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global governance of migration and refugees.

Hear from:

James Milner Project director, Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN)
Marion Panizzon Research fellow, World Trade Institute, University of Bern
Antoine Pécoud Professor of sociology, University of Sorbonne Paris Nord
Chair: Younes Ahouga Postdoctoral research fellow, CERC in Migration and Integration, Ryerson University

Why does disinformation around COVID and vaccines spread so easily? Is there a link between anti-vax movements and the far Right? And how can the media ensure that the public gets accurate information?

openDemocracy is hosting a live discussion with experts trying to work out what really lies behind the fear of vaccines.

Hear from:

Chamila Liyanage Specialist on terrorism and political violence, Centre for Analysis of the Radical Right
Tim Nguyen Head of unit in the global infectious hazard preparedness department of the WHO health emergencies programme
Jon Roozenbeek Postdoctoral fellow at the department of psychology at the University of Cambridge
Chair, Mary Fitzgerald Editor-in-chief, openDemocracy

Too often the people of the Amazon are seen as victims, but there are young local activists who defend their lands and communities – and are succeeding. openDemocracy has just won a major award for telling their stories in striking, beautiful photography and video.

Hear from:

Pablo Albarenga Sony World Photographer of the Year, 2020
Francesc Badia i Dalmases Director, democraciaAbierta – openDemocracy's Latin America project
Nora Moraga-Lewy Rainforest Journalism Fund manager, Pulitzer Center
Chair, Mary Fitzgerald Editor-in-chief, openDemocracy

Violence, corruption and cynicism threaten America's flagging democracy. Joe Biden has promised to revive it – but can his new administration stem the flow of online disinformation and shady political financing that has eroded the trust of many US voters?

Hear from leading global experts and commentators on what the new president and Congress must do to stem the flood of dark money and misinformation that is warping politics around the world.

Join us for a free live discussion on 21 January at 5pm UK time/12pm EST.

Hear from:

Emily Bell Leonard Tow Professor of Journalism and director, Tow Center for Digital Journalism, Columbia Journalism School
Anoa Changa Journalist focusing on electoral justice, social movements and culture
Peter Geoghegan openDemocracy investigations editor and author of 'Democracy for Sale: Dark Money and Dirty Politics'
Josh Rudolph Fellow for Malign Finance at the Alliance for Securing Democracy
Chair: Mary Fitzgerald Editor-in-chief, openDemocracy

The pandemic, populism and public services present challenges that mean that we can't just listen to the same old voices in 2021.

Black and brown women have shown themselves as vital to political organising. But what are their policy priorities?

Hear from:

Diane Abbott MP Former shadow home secretary
Sonia Adesara Doctor and reproductive rights activist
Tara Choudhury Student and activist with the Cambridge Rent Strike campaign
Chair: Nandini Archer 50.50 global commissioning editor, openDemocracy

Meet a woman who has just made history getting the vote out in Georgia, plus experts in the state’s complex and murky electoral politics. Georgians have decided who controls the US Senate – but what else do the results change?

Hear from:

Andra Gillespie Associate professor of political science, Emory University, Atlanta
Greg Palast Investigative journalist, filmmaker and author of 'The Best Democracy Money Can Buy'
Nsé Ufot CEO, New Georgia Project
Aaron White North America editor, openDemocracy
Chair: Mary Fitzgerald Editor-in-chief, openDemocracy

Watch live discussions from 2020 here