Working Group ‘Human Rights Education’ - Impressions of a Participant

by Walter Fisher

On October 15-20, 2002 a working group of the International Network got together for its first planning meeting for a summer school on Human Rights Education. The meeting was held in Vienna, Austria.

The Working Group

The goal of this meeting was to design a 7-10 day program offering practitioners in the field a focus on Human Rights from an educational perspective. The proposed format - entitled a "summer school academy”- would emphasize the skills needed to function optimally using both traditional and non-traditional pedagogical modalities.

Although the concept of human rights advocacy training is not new, the training approach often centers primarily on understanding principles of international human rights law, international social – political theory, and situation – specific intervention/advocacy strategies. As useful as this information has proven to be when applied situational, superimposing the theme of human rights into an educational context holds the promise of providing practitioners with all the benefits of an effective educational approach – effective skill – building, the analytical tools needed to evaluate, choose and create effective intervention methods, and the ability to analyze the role of the practitioner from both an internal-psychological perspective, as well as from socio-political change–agent perspective. As a result, the advocate-activist will hopefully recognize not only the potential for change, but also the theoretical underpinnings of specific skills and methodologies employed in creating such change, and the short and long- term impact of their use.

Besides working on the concept for such a summer school the group also had a chance to get to know some vital organizations in Vienna’s Human Rights Education community. It met with representatives of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute to discuss their initiatives on human rights education in Austria. The Boltzmann Institute runs a national human rights education and civic education desk that provides information for educators, students and NGOs on current developments in this educational field. The group also had a chance to meet with members of the European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC). The European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) was established in 1997 by the European Union as an independent body to contribute to combat racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism throughout Europe. EUMC has the task of reviewing the extent and development of the racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic phenomena in the European Union and promoting "best practice" among the Member States.

The Personal Value

Overall the meeting again underlined the value of such a network. What is its impact on my own work? I have a keen interest in the relationship between the practitioner ‘s understanding of human rights from an international context, and its relationship to the concept of diversity and civil rights in the United States. As a facilitator and diversity practitioner in the ‘States, the opportunity to engage in face to -face dialogue on this topic- outside of the U.S.- has proven invaluable both professionally and personally.

The opportunity to participate in international as well as intercultural dialogue offers a tremendous opportunity to learn and grow. This experience has informed my facilitation practice tremendously, allowing me the foresight to create environments for dialogue that expand beyond the context of the U.S., thus facilitating deeper dialogue around such issues as immigration, education, religion, xenophobia, and the "power of language”. From a personal perspective, I am moved and honored to be among colleagues who not only possess undeniable skill and passion for their professions, but who also possess the ability to continually communicate between multiple languages, mindsets, and contexts. This has translated into a truly awesome learning experience!

See also: another report on this meeting

Index: Podium

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Working Group 'Human Rights Education' - Impressios of a Participant
by Walter Fisher

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