The Global Campus on Human Rights is developing an initiative on Human Rights Cities in cooperation with the Human Rights Cities Network (HRCN) and the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA). The expertise in human rights within the Global Campus network can be a valuable source to strengthen the international movement towards a greater number of human rights cities.
To support this process, the HRCN and the FRA are co-organising a webinar series on Human Rights Cities for the members of our Global Campus network. During these webinars, the HRCN, FRA and partner universities will exchange information on the process of becoming a human rights city and international developments in this field.
The first webinar, organised by the HRCN was held on the 12th June and served as an introduction to human rights cities, while the second webinar, organised by FRA on the 19th June, addresses the role of universities and the FRA framework for human rights cities in Europe.
2nd Webinar: “Human Rights Cities and Universities: Opportunities and Challenges”
19th June 2020 from 14:00 to 15:15 (CEST)
Building upon information shared on 12 June, this webinar will further explore the links between universities and the human rights cities. The webinar will provide space for discussion with participants.
• Introduction: Towards a Framework of Commitments for Human Rights Cities in Europe
Geraldine Guille, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (geraldine.guille@fra.europa.eu) Jonas Grimheden, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (Jonas.grimheden@fra.europa.eu )
• Learning from Practice on the Cooperation between Universities and Human Rights Cities How did universities contribute at different stages of the process of becoming a human rights city? What was the added value? Which departments or functions in the universities have been involved?
Gerd Oberleitner, Graz University
Klaus Starl, UNESCO Centre for the Promotion of Human Rights at the Local and Regional Levels
• Perspective from a Municipality on the Contribution of Universities to Human Rights Cities. How can universities add value to the local process and to the global movement?
Hans Sakkers, Municipality of Utrecht
• Discussion with Participants:
- What are current opportunities to develop the human rights city approach in your locality? Who could contribute in the university and beyond (e.g. municipality, civil society, national- level actors such as the association of municipalities etc.)?
- What opportunities for cooperation, in particular at regional level, could be explored? How could the framework of commitments under development in Europe best contribute?
• Concluding Remarks and Next Steps
