UNESCO Associated Schools Annual Conference 2008
12 December 2008
Venue: Quaker Meeting House, Liverpool, L1 3BT
Human Rights is a key study theme for UNESCO Associated Schools and in 2008 will mark the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The theme for the conference will be ‘Teaching Human Rights?’
Speakers
- Prof. Lynn Davies, UNESCO Associated Schools Steering Group
The 2008 Annual Conference for UNESCO Associated Schools in the UK will take place on Friday 12 December in Liverpool.
REPORT
Human Rights is a key study theme for UNESCO Associated Schools and in 2008 we marked the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The theme for the conference was ‘Teaching Human Rights?’ The event included a combination of presentations, participatory workshops and plenary sessions. Workshops highlighted organisations and tools that can support teachers in delivering education about human rights and children’s rights in schools, such as UNICEF UK and Anti Slavery International.
The conference provided an opportunity for participants to explore what we understand human rights education to be, how it fits into the curriculum and different approaches to delivering education about human rights and children’s rights in schools. All participants received a copy of the Human Rights Education pack developed by UNESCO Associated Schools in partnership with the United Nations Association for the UK (UNA-UK). One of the participating teachers said: "I thought the day provided lots of information and the opportunity to discuss aspects of human rights with people from a different background.”
The theme of the conference corresponds with an increasing focus on human rights education within the United Nations system. The UN General Assembly proclaimed the year commencing on 10 December 2008 as the International Year of Human Rights Learning, to be devoted to activities to broaden and deepen human rights learning. It aims to enhance the promotion and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development.
The UN World Programme for Human Rights Education (2005- ongoing), currently in its first phase, seeks to promote a common understanding of the basic principles and methodologies of human rights education, to provide a concrete framework for action and to strengthen partnerships and cooperation from the international level down to the grass roots level. The UN Human Rights Council will address human rights education when it meets in March 2009 and will specifically discuss a Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training that is under development.
