Seminar: Human Rights Education

TIME: Thursday, 29 November, 9.40 – 16.00 and Friday, 30 November, 9.30 – 15.30

VENUE: Auditorium, Danish Institute for Human Rights, Strandgade 71, 1401 Cph. K

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. Please register with Ms. Lena Kresojevic ([email protected]) no later than Tuesday, 27 November.

The seminar will be held in English.

TIME: Thursday, 29 November, 9.40 – 16.00 and Friday, 30 November, 9.30 – 15.30

VENUE: Auditorium, Danish Institute for Human Rights, Strandgade 71, 1401 Cph. K

Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. Please register with Ms. Lena Kresojevic ([email protected]) no later than Tuesday, 27 November.

The seminar will be held in English.

The purpose of this seminar is to exchange knowledge and experiences on Human Rights Education (HRE) in formal and informal settings.

HRE is essential for giving everyone knowledge about their human rights and promote a universal respect for and observance of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. On December 19, 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training.

The declaration describes HRE as: all types of education, training, information and learning activities that contribute to ‘…the prevention of human rights violations and abuses by providing persons with knowledge, skills and understanding, and developing their attitudes and behaviours, to empower them to contribute to the building and promotion of a universal culture of human rights’.

The seminar will focus on HRE across both formal and informal settings and provide an opportunity to share experiences of such work by National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), civil society organizations (CSOs) and public schools. The focus will primarily be on hands-on experiences from different national and international contexts

Moreover, the seminar will present experiences and discuss the role of NHRIs and CSOs in holding states accountable for implementing HRE in formal education.

Lastly, the seminar will introduce a brand new “Human Rights Education Toolbox” developed by the Danish Institute for Human Rights in 2012. The Toolbox aims at strengthening the effect of human rights education, in building and strengthening people’s knowledge, skills and attitudes to create a universal culture of human rights.

The Toolbox targets human rights and development practitioners who work to promote human rights through education. The Toolbox is useful for both beginners and experienced educators – as a reflection tool and a help for you as an educator to become even more effective in creating change. The toolbox is relevant to both project and course managers, assistants, teachers as well as facilitators and presenters.

Programme, Thursday 29 November:

9.40 – 10.00 Registration and coffee/tea/water

10.00 – 10.30 Welcome and introduction by Ms. Theresia Kirkemann Boesen, Department of Education, Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR)

10.30 – 11.30 HRE in practice – Lessons learned from formal and semi-formal education in the Northern Ireland – Presentation by: Ms. Kellie Turtle, Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC)

11.30 – 11.45 Coffee break

11.45 – 12.30 HRE in practice – Lessons learned from the Arab world. – Presentation by: Mr. Mehyar, Mu’ayyad, DIHR.

12.30 – 13.30 Lunch

13.30 – 14.30 A comprehensive approach to working with HRE in children’s education – Presentation by: Ms. Cecilia Decara, DIHR

14.30 – 15.00 Coffee/tea break

15.00 – 15.30 Introduction to DIHR’s HRE toolbox.

15.30 – 16.00 Cake and champagne

Programme, Friday 30 November:

09.30 – 10.30 How can organizations work with HRE in formal education? – Presentation by: Ms. Stefanie Rinaldi, Centre of Human Rights Education (ZMRB)

10.30 – 10.45 Coffee break

10.45 – 12.30 The role of NHRIs in holding states accountable for implementing HRE in formal education. – Presentation and discussion by: Lene Timm, DIHR and Kellie Turtle, NIHRC

12.30 – 13.30 Lunch

13.30 – 14.30 Hands-on experiences with HRE in formal education. – Presentation by: Ms. Roxana Marin, School Teacher from Romania

14.30 – 15.00 Coffee/tea break

15.00 – 15.30 Conclusion and “Thank you” by Ms. Theresia Kirkemann Boesen, DIHR